Poultry in a barn

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 retains a good and stable tension at the present time. The highest impasto brushwork to the birds remains appreciable despite the historic relining. Close examination reveals fine craquelure which is pronounced in areas but it is stable and does not impair our appreciation of the textured brushwork. Inspection in natural light suggests that there has been some minor historic wear to the paint layers, predominantly in the darker passages. Ultra-violet fluorescence examination confirms this and reveals some sensitively applied flecks of restoration in the background and some minor repaired tears to the upper left corner, a repaired tear beneath the second-from-top cross section of the wooden prop on the left, and two small repaired holes also to the background. Further examination is impaired by an aged and uneven varnish. Despite this, the artist’s painterly technique and the wealth of narrative detail remain highly appreciable. The frame is in good condition with some minor losses.