Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 27 January 2000, lot 48.

The actual painting is less yellow and warmer in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The single panel is in good condition. It has a very faint convex bow, and it is bevelled along the edges to the reverse. No damages are apparent and the paint layers seems to be well preserved, if slightly abraded in the blue dress. There's a fine craquelure pattern. Some very minor retouches can be made out in the background. The paint surface is under a clear layer of varnish. Inspection under UV light reveals a few very tiny scattered retouches in the Virgin and child and a minor scratch in Mary's cheek and one in Christ's cheek. Overall, the painting is in good condition. Offered in a plain gilt wood frame with a black border in good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The body of works grouped under the anonymous Master of the Female Half-Lengths is now widely perceived to have been produced by a group of artists working in the same workshop. Considered by Friedländer to have been one of the most successful artists working in Antwerp in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, the Master is known for a group of landscapes which derive stylistically from Joachim Patinir  (1475/80-1524) as well as a series of half-length figures which tend to depict the Magdalene or elegantly dressed ladies writing or playing music. As is characteristic of the Master's depictions of the Virgin and Child, the background of the present work is neutral and does not distract our attention from the intimacy of the figures, differing from the busier settings commonly depicted in his single-figures designs. The compos🦂ition should be compared to a similar work sold London, Sotheby's, 8 July 2010, lot 101.