FOLLOWER OF LEONARDO DA VINCI, 17TH CENTURY | The Mona Lisa

Comte H. de Dampierre, 30 rue de la Boétie, Paris (according to a stamp on the reverse of the stretcher);
Anonymous sale, Paris, Tajan, 24 March 2010, lot 1, where acquired by the present owner.

The canvas has been relined (old glue relining). The painted surface seems to be in a reasonably well-preserved condition. It is covered with a very dirty and somewhat discoloured varnish layer. It is furthermore covered with a fine and dense craquelure pattern, consistent of its age. Some thinness can be observed in the hair of the figure, in the darker parts of her clothing, and in the landscape in the background. We can see some minor discoloured retouching in some of the craquelure, around the edges and one in the upper left shoulder of the figure. The painting would greatly benefit from a careful cleaning. Under UV light The varnish layer fluoresces largely, showing some different areas of fluorescence: one around the figure, and one in the background. A larger retouched area of circa 9 x 8cm can be seen along the left shoulder of the figure. Further retouches can be observed in her clothes, around the edges and some minor scattered throughout. Offered unframed. Please note that the painting is exhibited in a loan frame.
"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."

This image, among the most recognizable in the world, finds its source in Leonardo da Vinci's iconic portrait in the Musée du Louvre, the Mona Lisa, thought to depict Lisa Gherardini, the wife of the Florentine silk merchant Francesco Giocondo.¹ That original, painted on a poplar panel, was a mature work by Leonardo, executed circa 1503 that represented the culmination of his artistic achievements.  It went with him to France around 1517 and likely entered the collection of François I soon after.  In the centuries to follow, while it was in the Royal Collection, many replicas of that painting were made, a testament to its timeless appeal.  Some copies, like the present work and a version in Baltimore, record the vestigial columns that were thought to have been removed from the original composition at an early stage.² Some of the early copiests wanted to "complete" Leonardo's composition by introducing columns at the sides of the composition, since in the original, we can see two fragmentary columns framing the figure and forming a "window" looking out over the landscape. However, extensive technical examinations of the Louvre's panel and the paint along its edges have conclusively demonstrated that the painting was not cut down and therefore there were never columns along the side edges. The present canvas - which preserves the captivating impression, the soft atmospheric haze, and the enigmatic smile of Leonardo's model - is of a very high-quality and was likely painted during the seventeenth century. 

A similar copy was recently sold, Sotheby's New York, 31 January 2019, lot 171 for $ 1.695.000.

1. Oil on poplar panel, 77 by 53 cm, musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. 779.
2. Oil on canvas, 79.3 by 63.5 cm, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, inv. no. 37.1158.