M.F. Griggs, New York, by 1920.

The thick panel (about 3/4 " thick) is uncradled. a large diagonal crack can be seen from the reverse, running from the bottom of the panel up to the center (about 14 " long) and can be partically detected from the front in the white drapery underneath the Christ Child. this painting had been heavily repainted and the composition altered with the addition of the fruit at top in imitation of the works of Carlo Crivelli. the painting has been recently cleaned and old repaint covering the face, hands and blouse of the Madonna and the entire figure of the Christ Child, was removed (the remainder of the painting was left un-cleaned and old repaints still remain on Madonna's blue mantle, and in the rest of the background areas). again, these were liberally and seemingly unnecessarily applied in order to make the picture "decorative" and Crivelli-like. after the cleaning, the physiognomies typical of this anonymous master were revealed on the two figures. the painting still reads well and the detail and coloration on the two figures is strong. some small losses can be seen in parts of background. it seems likely that if the painting were to be entirely cleaned, the composition of the figures would remain constant, but a more direct and simplified image would emerge. ultraviolet light reveals some retouching to Madonna's face, over left cheek of Christ Child, along aforementioned crack which runs from white drapery up through his leg at right, his arm and shoulder, and up through his right eye and forehead; another isolated area of repaint on left side of child's chest and a few other small retouches to background and some areas of madonna's mantle.
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.
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The "Master of the 'Occhi Ammiccanti'" (or "Squinty Eyes") was the descriptive name coined by Roberto Longhi to parallel Adolfo Venturi's "Master of the 'Occhi Spalancati'", (or "Wide-open eyes"), another Ferrarese painter of about the same moment.  Longhi attributed a Madonna and Child in the Pinacoteca Nazionale, Ferrara (inv. 54, which corresponds in composition to the present panel) to the master and began to create a small body of work for the artist, all with similar physiognomy (see R. Longhi, Officina Ferrarese, 1934, pp. 37, 102 note 77; and further in his Ampliamenti nell'Officina Ferrarese, 1940,p. 170, note 4), and suggested that he may have been a collaborator in the fresco decoration at the Palazzo Schifanoia.  A number of Madonnas of this type have been attributed to the Master: one in the Pinacoteca, Cremona; one formerly in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (sold, Parke-Bernet Galleries, February 15, 1973, lot 13); and an example formerly in the Massari collection.¹

The fruit in the present painting was added at a later date, most likely in imitation of the work of Carlo Crivelli.  Other overpaint of the🍌 same date in the faces of the Madonna and Child, which had altered the Master's signature style, has since been removed.

We are grateful to Everett Fahy for identifying this painting to be a work 🍬by the Master of the "Occhi Ammiccanti".

1.  See J. Bentini, La Pinacoteca Nazionale di Ferrara, Bologna 19𓃲92, pp. 42-43, with Ferrara example reproduced p. 43.