CIRCLE OF NICOLAS RÉGNIER | Portrait of a woman, bust length, in a painted oval

oil on canvas

There is an old glue relining. Under an uneven and dirty varnish. The paint surface has been a bit pressed in the relining, mostly in the background darks, and there is some abrasion in the darks as well. The figure still reads very well and there is good retention of the paint surface in the flesh tones and in her headdress. Some areas of the surface appear a bit uneven due to some slight buckling of the canvas and raised craquelure. An old repair, visible to naked eye, can be see at lower left corner and there is a small area where the varnish has seized at upper center in the background. Under UV light: it is difficult to read through the old varnish. There is some old retouching on her forehead and chest, and some scattered in the white headdress. Others can be seen around edges of canvas. This painting presents a striking image but has not been attended to in a long time. It should benefit from sensitive restoration which could improve the overall appearance. In a carved and gilt wood frame with minor nicks.
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