Henrietta Garnett

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.

Oil on canvas. The canvas appears to have been put on a larger stretcher than the original as there are stretcher plier marks and intermittent deformations running along the right edge which pertain to an old tacking edge. The other three sides appear to have retained their original tacking edges. The tacking and turnover edges have been strengthened with a linen strip-lining. There is a slight stretcher bar line corresponding to the upper horizontal stretcher member. This appears entirely stable. The paint surface has a relatively uneven varnish layer which has a degraded appearance within the lower part of the composition, most notably within the burgundy paint of the sitter's dress above the lower edge. This may possibly be attributable to exposure to moisture. There is an area of paint loss with associated paint instability within the floral decoration towards the extreme lower right corner of the composition. There is also an area of fragile and lifting paint in the extreme lower right corner. Inspection under UV light shows a discoloured and degraded varnish layer. Inspection under UV light also shows a few intermittent retouchings running along and close to the right edge including in the extreme lower right corner, retouchings running along the upper part of the left edge and a further retouching in the extreme lower left corner of the composition, and one small retouching within the upper left quadrant. It should be noted that there do not appear to be any retouchings within the sitter. Subject to the above, it is our opinion that the work appears to be in generally good overall condition.