Portrait of Caterina Cornaro (1454-1510), bust-length, in an elaborate headdress

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 painting is executed on paper, which has been laid on panel. The panel support has a slight convex warp. The front of the painting is uneven and there are areas where the paper is not completely flat against the panel support, which has resulted in ridges and losses, for instance in the sitter’s left cheek and through her nose. There are some tears and losses to the paper, most notably along all edges. There are additional tears for instance through the sitter’s neck. The paint surface is covered in an old degraded varnish, which has discoloured yellow, as is particularly evident in the flesh tones and whites of the sitter’s headdress. There is also a layer of surface dirt. Examination under ultraviolet light confirms the presence of the old degraded varnish. Some scattered retouchings are evident, for example in the sitter’s flesh tones, however, the thickness of the varnish precludes full examination.