Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as George Biddle, half-length, in a blue coat

The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.

This relined canvas is held under tension on a new stretcher and remains stable. The artist’s expressive brushstrokes, applied in parts in thinner glazes, remain appreciable and in a good state of preservation. Ultraviolet examination reveals a thick obscuring varnish that makes proper examination difficult, however scattered retouching is visible in the lowlights of the sitter’s jacket and elsewhere in the background, particularly in the upper right.