The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. Originally painted on panel, this picture has subsequently been transferred onto linen. The paint layer is stable and even. The surface has been cleaned, varnished and retouched. The retouches are visible under ultraviolet light in the sky on both sides of the picture around the figure group, in the shoulder of the satyr, the leg of the putti on the left, particularly, and in only in a few spots in the figures themselves. Other retouches are visible under ultraviolet light particularly on the right side, on the tree trunk and in the lower right corner. Overall the condition is respectable and we recommend that the picture be hung as is.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The composition is based, with some differences in detail, on the original work by Jan Brueghel the Elder, with figures by Hendrik van Balen, in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome.¹ Jan Brueghel the Younger repeated his father's cycles of paintings of the Four Elements (earth, water, air and fire) and the present version relates more closely to the Allegory of Earth in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon.² 

1  See K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel der Ältere, Cologne 1979, p. 370, cat. no. 248, reproduced fig. 439.

2  See K. Ertz, Jan Breughel der Jüngere, Luca Verlag Freren 1984, pꩲp. 357-358, cat. no.🌃 193, reproduced p. 360.