LORENZO COSTA | Saint Catherine in a landscape

With Frederick Mont (1894-1994), New York, by 1965;
With Newhouse Gallery, New York (according to a label on the reverse).

The work is painted on a single panel which is flat and stable. The paint layer is well-preserved and the colors remain rich throughout. Details in the foliage in the landscape are lush and vibrant. The varnish has not yellowed significantly, but there are some splotches and areas of unevenness which have developed in the varnish over time, notably some drops in the lower area of Saint Catherine's red cloak which appear slightly off-color when seen under bright raking light, though these would be easily removed with a fresh varnish. The varnish appears somewhat milky and uneven under ultra-violet light, and a few pinpoint areas of retouching are visible in sky, above Saint Catherine's head, as well as a thin line curving along the bridge of her nose, only about 1mm long. These small areas of overpaint are not noticeable to the naked eye. Overall the painting is in very good condition, with a nice patina and impressive range of color. Offered in a carved giltwood frame.
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It is likely that this painting was one of the later works Lorenzo Costa made in Bologna before moving in 1506 to Mantua to become a painter at the Gonzaga court. During this period, Costa probably sought inspiration from artists such as Perugino, which could explain the detailed landscape in this painting.Examples of other paintings by Costa from his later period in Bologna are The Marriage of the Virgin in the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna (inv. no. 585) and the Adoration of the Child last seen at auction in London, Christie's, 10 July 1992, lot 43.¹ Similar to the present lot, the landscape in these works creates a sense of distance as it extends beyond the figures in the foreground. The thin, towering tree with sparse leaves is a motif shared between these paintings. Furthermore, the extended foot with the big toe slightly separated from the rest of the toes is seen in this painting and the one in the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna. Even as Costa further developed as an artist, these elements continue to appear in his works.

We are grateful to Professor Emilio Negro and Dr. Nicosetta Roio for endorsing the attribution on the basis of photographs. They date this painting to circa 1505.

1. See E. Negro and N. Roio, Lorenzo Costa: 1460-1535, Modena 2001, pp. 116-117, cat. nos. 44-45, reproduced.