The Deposition

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.

We are grateful to Thomas Art Conservation LLC for providing the following condition report:
Overall, the paint layers of this panel are in very good condition, particularly
in light of the painting’s age. Beneath a moderately discolored varnish, the
confident brushwork is evident, with little in the way of wear or abrasion.
For the most part, losses are concentrated in an area running down the
center of the painting, possibly corresponding in part to a join in the panel.
Losses have also occurred along cracks originating from the top of the panel,
extending into the horizontal arms of the cross. These losses have been
restored, and some of the restoration paint has begun to shift in tonality
(most easily seen in Christ’s figure). The largest losses are located in the head
of God the Father, through the upper tier of angels, and in Jesus’ thighs and
knees. Narrow lines of loss following old cracks pass through Mary’s blue
mantle and Jesus’ head and torso. Grain-oriented cracks, with associated
lifting and newer, small losses, can be found around the join, in the upper
few inches, and through the right-most standing figure. Some amount of
typical age-related fading has occurred in the red lake paints used to model
the folds of the red garment on the left.
The gold ground displays an age-appropriate degree of wear and regilding.
The original arched shape of the background has been extended with new
gilding to create the rectangular format.
The vertically grained wood panel displays a mild compound lateral warp.
The panel has been thinned to a thickness of approximately 1 cm and a
slightly thicker secondary wood panel with two cross-grain crossbars has
been attached to the back. The secondary support has several grain-oriented
cracks, many of which appear to parallel to the cracks and losses on the face
of the painting.
Lifting paint should be consolidated to prevent further losses, but otherwise
the painting can be displayed in its current condition. However, cleaning and
a new restoration would have a positive effect on the appearance, revealing
the full tonality and highlighting the quality of the picture. In the long term,
the wood panel support would benefit from structural conservation to
prevent recurrence of lifting and loss along the join and old cracks in the
panel.