ALESSANDRO ALLORI | Saint Jerome in the Wilderness

The following condition report has been provided by Karen Thomas of Thomas Art Conservation LLC., 336 West 37th Street, Suite 830, New York, NY 10018, 212-564-4024, info@thomasartconservation.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is in very good condition overall. The arched-top silvered copper panel has a narrow border comprised of five pieces of metal, possibly added to aid in framing; the piece on the upper left is partially detached. The panel is otherwise free of defects. The highly detailed paint surface is nicely preserved, with a fresh appearance. Under close examination light wear is visible in some of the typically sensitive paints such as the brown paint used for the tree branches, final contours in the crucifix, and modeling in the figure of St. Jerome. Only a few minor touches of restoration are found in the painting, including a smattering of tiny dots in the sky adjacent the crucifix, a spot or two of retouching in the darkness of the cave opening, and compensation for two losses along the bottom edge and an area of rubbing along the right edge. The low gloss varnish is clear and even. The detached border element should be fixed and a more secure method of setting the painting in its frame devised, otherwise the painting may be displayed in its current state.
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