The Dowser

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.

The canvas has been reinforced on the reverse with a strip lining. The paint is stable on the support and the varnish is generally clear. A fine craquelure is visible in natural light, with a more pronounced craquelure due to the stretcher bar along the right edge. The painting retains a sense of its impasto in the fine lacework. Ultraviolet light reveals scattered fine strokes of retouching in the figure and drapery with comparatively fewer evident in the background. Many of these strokes may not be necessary to the coherence of the painting. The most substantial of these addresses an approximately 4 inch T-shaped tear in the white of the woman’s headdress draping over her shoulder. A further line of retouching fluoresces along the afore-mentioned stretcher bar mark at right and along the edges to address earlier frame abrasion. In general, the painting appears to be in a fine state of preservation and should be displayed in its current state.