Doe and Hope

Description

The renaissance Italian school work of canvas laid to panel, in distressed but highly evocative condition, and almost certainly a fragment from a larger composition, the painting depicting two female figures bust length, each with fleshy skin and golden hair, the eyes beautifully rendered, and presented glazed in a later nineteenth century swept giltwood frame.

The condition of the painting would be described as distressed with the circa 450-year period of its conception has seen the picture become dirty, with evident losses to the surface as photographed, with some old restoration. We have removed the glass so as to photograph the piece but this will be inserted back in to protect the works surface.

The dateline of the picture is certainly not in question, nor the quality of the execution with the faces beautifully rendered the figure to the right looking out to the viewer is particularly arresting. If the picture was sympathetically restored it may become easier to attribute though we are spellbound by it as it is.

An early and truly captivating work.