The canvas is lined and as a result some areas appear to be slightly pressed. Underneath a dirty varnish, the image reads well, though there are some details lost in the background especially with the figure at left. Old stretcher marks are visible along the edges, though these are not distracting. An old, thin scratch runs through the body of the child at right. There are two spots where the canvas appears slightly raised: one small area on the Virgin's head at center upper edge, and another larger area on Christ's knee at bottom left. Inspection under UV show some small spots of retouches scattered throughout the background, foreground, and body of the children. Other more concentrated areas of retouching are on the Virgin's and Christ's face, on St. Catherine's cheek, and St. John's mouth. Some fine lines of retouches, that are visible to the naked eye, fluoresce under UV at the upper left corner. The painting is offered in a gilded frame with some minor scratching.
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.

This painting relates to Domenico Beccafumi's Holy family with Saint John and Saint Catherine of Siena, formerly in the collection of Rudolph Lepke, Berlin.¹ However, the two compositions have noted differences. In this painting, the Madonna is gazing out, engaging with the viewer, while in Beccafumi’s painting her face is looking down.
  1. See P. Torriti, Beccafumi: L'opera completa, Milano, 1998, p. 138, cat. no. P62, reproduced.