PAOLO FARINATI | The Madonna and Child with St. Catherine, St. John The Baptist and two Donors beneath

The Collection of the Late Professor Kurt Bauch, Freiburg im Breisgau,
by whose estate sold, London, Sotheby's, 8 July 1998, lot 32

Paper laid down on panel. There is a tear in the lower left corner. Number of creases across the sheet and some losses around the edges. Otherwise medium remains strong and vibrant.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Paolo Farinati, a mannerist painter, engraver and architect, was mainly active in his home town of Verona.  He was strongly influenced by his younger contemporary, Paolo Veronese, and also by Parmigianino. Farinati produced a large number of drawings throughout his career and indeed it is through his drawings that he is most widely recognised and known. The present work, executed in oil, must be a modello for one of Farinati’s paintings, but, it has not been possible to connect it to any of his known surviving compositions.  A powerful and moving interpretation of the Madonna and Child, it interestingly combines a more finished drawing in the upper register and a more rapidly drawn sketch below.  Whilst we are more familiar with Farinati’s work in pen and ink, his draughtsmanship is still instantly recognisable in this oil sketch.   One can compare the high degree of finish in the present work with Farinati’s more painterly drawings where he successfully employs pen and ink and wash and white heightening (see lot 3), producing aesthetically pleasing compositions that are reminiscent of the drawings of Veronese.