NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART PAINTING CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT

Vincenzo Foppa Saint Anthony of oil (est.) on wood panel 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H. Kress Collection Dimensions (overall and painted surface): H: 1.489 cm (58 5/8") W: 57.0 cm (22 1/4") T: 1.27 cm (44"); T including cradle: 3.96 cm (1 9/16")

Vincenzo Foppa Saint Bernadine oil (est.) on wood panel 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H. Kress Collection Dimensions (overall and painted surface): H: 1.489 cm (58 %") W. 57.0 cm (22 14") T: 1.27 cm (14") T including cradle: 3.81 cm (1 42")

Examination Report June 1997; revised October 1999

Summary

The two paintings were examined for the of Art's Systematic Catalogue project in 1987. This report describes new technical evidence to confirm that the two panel paintings were once part of a triptych or polyptych: Originally, the draperies of two kneeling donors were depicted and pedestal-shaped areas were left in reserve, possibly for the altar's frame or the Madonna's throne. ' These elements, overpainted during an undocumented restoration prior to 1909,2 were revealed in new infrared reflectograms, ' overall x-radiographs# and with a stereomicroscope. Foppa used this format, with donors divided by the pilasters of the altar framework, in, for example, the Fornari polyptych, now in the Civic Museum, .5

Re-examination of the panels clarified additional design changes made by the artist. While some of the revisions are relatively minor, when considered together, the many changes reveal a working method where the composition evolved at every stage of the process. There were:

' The donors and the pedestal shapes were not mentioned in previous technical reports, e.g. the Kress/NGA Condition and Restoration Records, footnoted in Fern Shapley's Catalogue of the Italian Paintings (National Gallery of Art, 1979), nor in the Examination Reports written in 1987 by Catherine Metzger and Paula DeCristofaro, NGA Painting Conservators. 2 See plates published in C J Ffoulkes & R Maiocchi, Vincenzo Foppa of , Founder of the Lombard School/ His Life and Work ( & New York, John Lane, 1909): plates not numbered. 3 This report contains revisions to the 1987 interpretations of the underdrawings, which were based on detail images made with an infrared vidicon camera. The new reflectograms made in April 1997 were of the panels overall and at a different region of the infrared spectrum (1.5-2.0 microns, using a Kodak PtSi 310-21X thermal imager). 4 X-radiographs showing the Saints' heads and hands are dated May 24, 1948. The same details of St Bernadino were x-radiographed again October 13, 196[1?]. It seems surprising that the presence of the donors was not discovered then, or when the paintings were cleaned and restored (St Anthony in 1949- 50; St Bernadino in 1961). Presumably, the overpaint was not removed during treatment. s Reproduced in Maria Grazia Balzarini, Vincenzo Foppa (, Editoriale Jaca Book SpA, 1997): plates 75 & 76. Vincenzo Foppa 2 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624> Samuel H Kress Collection

· design changes made at the underdrawing stage: · St Anthony's robes were first cinched with a belt, then later a rope girdle; · the landscape was altered in the St Bernadino panel and included a walled city at the underdrawing stage; · the Saints were shorter: their hems and feet were moved down during the underdrawing

stage; · the Saints' faces and hands were also revised during the underdrawing stage; · there are multiple styles of underdrawing lines, made by the same hand or possibly with studio assistance; · incised lines for elements not incorporated into the final design: · an incised plan for the low reddish-brown walls to enclose the Saints was not painted; · incised floorplans, where St Anthony stood on the top of three shallow steps, while St Bernadino stood on a pedestal, were not painted; · areas of gilding, later painted over by the artist: · more of the gilded columns showed because the Saints' hemlines were shorter at first; · design changes made during the painting stage: · some of the final drapery folds do not match the underdrawn folds; · an area left in reserve in the St Anthony panel, visible in x-radiographs, suggests that, early in the painting stage, Foppa intended to show more of the female donor's costume than he finally depicted.

The compositions were underdrawn in a liquid medium, probably using a brush or a quill pen. While no hatching or crosshatching is apparent in the infrared images, washes to indicate shadows were applied during the underdrawing or at an undermodelling stage. The gilding was embellished with punchwork and , and may have been toned with colored glazes. Punchworked shadows emphasize the fall of light from an external source to the left of the altarpiece. The paint medium is estimated to be oil or an egg/oil mixture; scientific analysis of paint samples would be required to securely identify the medium: The painted images were cropped, presumably when the altar was dismantled or the panels were cradled, however, their present dimensions are probably very close to the original.

Underdrawing

As revealed in the overall infrared reflectogram composites (1.5-2.0 microns), the figures' outlines and major drapery folds were underdrawn in a liquid medium, probably with a brush or quill pen. While the underdrawing lines can be roughly separated into four styles,' the styles are not clearly related to specific stages because infrared images generally do not provide a "three- dimensional analysis." Thus, some of the underdrawing could be corrections to a studio assistant's underdrawing or Foppa's own underdrawn corrections to an earlier painting stage.

The majority of the underdrawing consists of freely drawn, sketched lines with some repeated contours, made with a pointed brush or a quill pen. Passages include the two versions of Anthony's left hand, the first version of Bernadino's face and the hilltown behind him. Much, but

6 The Kress/NGA Condition and Restoration Records estimate the paint medium to be "Emulsified tempera." DeCristofaro wrote that "It is very difficult to determine [without scientific analysis] whether the paint medium employed is oil, tempera or an emulsion", while Metzger estimated it to be oil. The 1987 Examination Reports discuss only one type of underdrawing line visible with the infrared vidicon camera. Vincenzo Foppa 3 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection not all, of the painted version follows this underdrawing. A similar style of underdrawing is seen in the infrared reflectogram composite of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Portrait of a Man:

Some underdrawing lines are wider, having been made with a wider or softer brush, including the securely-drawn hooked curves describing Anthony's curly hair and a tree (?) on the left edge of the Bernadino panel. These wider underdrawing lines were not followed in the painted version.

The third style is a securely-drawn, continuous line, probably made with a quill pen or a loaded brush. For example, the underdrawing in Anthony's face has a peculiar static quality due to strong, closed contour lines. The lines have a uniform width and weight. The curves are broken into angles. The eyesocket is drawn as a circle, without a sense of the artist searching for a contour. Passages like this suggest the use of a transferred design, using a version of carbon paper. Although this section appears to have been transferred, Anthony's face was reworked: his eyes and nose were redrawn a second time, and his ear was shifted during the paint stage.

The fourth style consists of long, rather tremulous, dashed lines. Some lines have blobs at the end, perhaps from a brush or quill pen. The line breaks are not related to changes in line direction. Thus, although the lines appear more tentative, they too seem to suggest the use of a transferred design. Examples of these dashed underdrawing lines are seen in the drapery folds in the cowl around Bernadino's neck. Some, but not all, of the dashed underdrawings lines match the painted drapery folds. A similar underdrawing style is found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Madonna and Child: And of the two published drawings by Foppa/° one exhibits similarities with this style. Comparison with the Oxford drawing is interesting as both underdrawing and drawing have long dashed contour lines. In the drawing, the horse and rider were reworked, and all of the extra limbs were allowed to remain visible. Once the form was decided, contours were reinforced with a dashed line and fixed with a wash, elements noted in the Wasington and Philadelphia underdrawings. However, both the Oxford and the Berlin drawings have hatching, consisting of short horizontal lines, which is not found in the underdrawings of the three paintings. It should be noted also that Foppa specialists do not agree whether the Oxford drawing is by Foppa, or School of. Part of the hesitency is due to poor condition and old reworking, and, more importantly for the present discussion, they have not listed which parts have been reworked.

While no hatching or crosshatching is evident in infrared images of the Washington panels, washes were used to indicate shadows. These washes may have been applied as underdrawing

8 Theresa Lignelli, Painting Conservator, and Carl Strehlke, Curator, both at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, discussed the conservation treatment of the PMA's Foppa paintings in the NGA Conservation Department, April 1997. 9 The dashed underdrawing lines are visible in the infrared reflectogram composite (unpublished) and in normal light photographs (published by Balzarini using photographs taken before the 1997 restoration by Teresa Lignelli). '" The two drawings are reproduced in Fernanda Wittgens, Vincenzo Foppa (Milan, Edizioni d'Arte Amilcare Pizzi SA, 194[8]): (a) School of Foppa drawing La Giustizia di Triano (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Plate XXIII) and (b) Foppa Preparatory Sketch for La Giustizia di Triano (Kaiser-Friedrich Museum, Berlin; Plate XXII). Both drawings are sketches for frescoes, no longer extant, in the Medici Bank in Milan. " See K T Parker, "Notes on Drawings: Vincezo Foppa" in Drawings (no 49, June 1938): pages 6-8. Also John T Paoletti, "The Banco Mediceo in Milan" in Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies (24, 1994): footnote 20. Vincenzo Foppa 4 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection or, later, as undermodelling when Foppa began to work up the underdrawing. Washes are visible in, for example, the folds of St Bernadino's proper left sleeve; The pattern differs from the painted version, confirming that the washes are indeed underdrawing or undermodelling.

Underdrawing: compositional changes

The composition was revised several times in the underdrawing. Two major features were not carried past the underdrawing stage: a walled city in the background of the St Bernadino panel and the initial depiction of Anthony's costume. One possibility is that these elements were abandoned as a result of a change in the commission. In addition, the Saints were redrawn several times. Their faces and feet were shifted and their drapery folds were redrawn. Some areas were revised again during the painting stage.

At the underdrawing stage, Foppa considered a different background for the St Bernadino panel. Initially, the horizon was much higher, with a walled hilltown and a tower}2 to the right of the Saint's shoulder and above the Bible. The underdrawn city did not progress to the paint stage, as the x-radiographs reveal no areas left in reserve nor a build up of x-ray-opaque paints.13 The foliage of a tall tree (?) is seen through the left arch.

The Saints' features were revised during the underdrawing stage. Bernadino's face was underdrawn twice.14 The first version is almost in profile. It probably did not progress past the underdrawing stage, as the eyes were not painted.15 Anthony's face was moved three times. The first version is suggested only by a few locks of hair and a quickly sketched forehead. A complete head was underdrawn to the left of these first bare indications. This underdrawing was painted, but with additional changes. In the painted version, Anthony's nose, mouth, and chin were shifted down, partially covering the underdrawn eye, and his hair shifted up. His ear, rather pointy in the underdrawing, has curved contours in the painted version. Bernadino's proper right thumb points down in the underdrawing and straight in the finished version.16 Anthony initially held the Bible at a slightly more foreshortened angle; the left hand was underdrawn a second time before the paint layers were applied.

The Saints' robes were shorter and had a more distinctly curving hem during the underdrawing stage.The shorter robes have a somewhat darker tone in infrared reflectograms suggesting that they were blocked in with a wash during the underdrawing or undermodelling stage. Bernadino's proper right foot was underdrawn once and then moved during the painting stage. Anthony's hem and proper left foot were underdrawn twice (the former possibly underdrawn three times) before being painted in their present locations. While these changes are evident only in the infrared images, some of the changes in the Saints' costumes are also apparent in normal light as

12 Carl Strelke suggested that the tower might be the Bruges Cathedral's steeple before the addition of its second tower. (Discussions while examining the paintings in the NGA Conservation Department, April 1997). 13 Infrared reflectography failed to detect any underdrawing for the city now at the lower left of the Anthony panel. 14 The 1987 Report says that Bernadino's face was changed during the painting stage. 15 In the infrared images of both paintings, the painted eyes appear black. 16 The 1987 vidicon examination suggested that St Bernadino's hand was underdrawn twice. The present examination suggests that it was painted twice without revising the first underdrawing. Vincenzo Foppa 5 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection

pentimenti . For example, Bernadino's proper right sleeve is much fuller in the painted version than the underdrawn version, while the opposite holds true for his left cuff. His right sleeve was underdrawn with the sleeve folded back into a cuff, then narrowed in the painted version. Anthony's proper right sleeve was changed to its present shape during an earlier paint change, as a reserve for the cuff is present in x-radiographs.18

At the underdrawing stage, Anthony's costume was cinched with a belt instead of the rope girdle of the Franciscan order. Anthony of Padua was a member of the Canons Regular of St Augustine in his native Portugal until the age of twenty-five; perhaps Foppa initially depicted him in his earlier robes. The rope girdle around his waist has also been underdrawn, but the hanging section with its three knots is not evident in the infrared images; this may be due to abrasion of the paint layers.

Incised lines

Incised lines made with the aid of a straight-edge and compass indicate the architectural plan and some of its decorative elements. As is typical for paintings, some of these incised lines extend beyond the painted elements.

The architectural program for the altarpiece, as a whole, had not been decided at this stage. For example, there are many incised lines adjusting the width of the columns. Even in the finished paintings, there is a fascinating lack of symmetry in the architectural details between the two panels, such as variations in the puchworked relief patterns. Incised lines to the right of Anthony indicate a continuation of the low reddish-brown wall, suggesting that Foppa considered enclosing the two Saints within a porch, instead of an arcade. The floorplan was revised at this stage, too. Interestingly, Foppa incised a different floorplan for each Saint. Bernadino stood on a pedestal, while Anthony stood on a course of three shallow steps, visible at the lower right corner. As with the porch, there is no evidence in the infrared images that Foppa carried these details through the early paint stages. Instead, he reconsidered the architecture and re-incised the details before continuing with the paint layers. It should be noted that the bottom edges of both paintings are heavily overpainted by a restorer. The open gridwork is most likely a restorer's interpretation of the confusing array of incised floorplans, as none of Foppa's published altarpieces have an open gridwork floor.

Gilding and Punchwork

The gilding was applied over a red-orange bole and embellished with incised lines and punchwork. Much of the gilding is in a very poor condition and has been regilded and/or

u Compare the pentimenti, similarly caused by revisions in painted draperies, in the dark brown garments worn by Bianca Visconti in the Bottigella Altarpiece (painting examined in the galleries). Her garments were painted with rather open brushwork, apparently directly on the gesso ground. Where the different versions of her thinly-painted draperies overlap, the color is opaque, thus unintentionally emphasizing the revised folds. 18 The same contours are visible in infrared images 19 H Thurston and D Attwater, Butler's Lives of the Saints, complete edition (New York, P J Kennedy & Sons, 1956): 534; W Bruhn and M Titke, A Pictorial History of Costume (New York, Praeger, 1965): plate 28 and page 19. Vincenzo Foppa 6 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection overpainted by restorers. At the base of the columns, areas of gold leaf were hidden with paint when Foppa lengthened the Saints' hems.20

Although the gilding appears rather dingy today, it may have been toned with colored glazes.21 The true colors are masked by the discolored varnish coating. The pale "halos" around the Saints may be intentional; The glazes may have been applied just up to the edge of the gilding without overlapping the Saints. The presence of original colored glazes could be confirmed through analysis of painting cross-sections or by removal of the discolored varnish.

In the arcade, the rosettes' shadows and the pilasters' low-relief patterns are emphasized with hatching made from lines of small punched dots, rather than typical lines of black paint.22 The shadow on the arch to the right of Anthony is created from widely-spaced, parallel lines made from the same punched dots'. Punched dots continue down along the right edge of the St Anthony panel, but the gilded edge of the column has been cropped (see discussion below about the panels' original dimensions).

Differences in the tooled patterns between the two paintings are only partially due to poor condition and old restoration. The shapes of the capitals differ and only the St Anthony panel has an egg-and-dart moulding in the arcade. On the other hand, the cruciform effect in Anthony's pastiglia halo is due to damage and overpaint. Its original appearance would have been the same as Bernadino's halo.3 Both panels have incised circles in the arcade spandrels. But, the circle and the angle of the corner in the St Bernadino panel are damaged and overpainted, so they no longer match the St Anthony panel.

Paint layers

The paint medium is estimated to be oil or an egg/oil mixture or layers; scientific analysis of paint samples would be required to securely identify the media. The green foliage remains bright green, instead of a discolored brown, as is often the case in Italian panel paintings. The unusual cylindrical grassy knoll in the St Bernadino panel is found in other Foppa paintings.24

20 Gold leaf is visible with low magnification and in the infrared composites. 31 Colored glazes of transparent paint applied over gold leaf were noted by Mrs Herringham in her description of the Adoration of the Wise Men in the National Gallery, London ("The technique and condition of Foppa's pictures in London" in Ffoulkes, 1909, Appendix 1, Note 6: pages 287-288). 22 I thank Teresa Lignelli for pointing out that the use of punchworked lines is a characteristic of Foppa's technique, seen in the Philadelphia Madonna. (Discussions while examining the paintings in the NGA Conservation Department, April 1997). The shadows created from lines of punched dots are seen also in the Bottigella Altarpiece, Musei Civici del Castello, Pavia, and the Madonna and Child, Castello Sforza, Milan (I examined both paintings in the galleries). The regular intervals of the punched dots in the Bottigella Altarpiece suggest that the hatching was done with a wheel (?), rather than a single punch. The Bottigella Altarpiece differs from the Washington panels in that it also has hatching and crosshatching in black paint on top of the gilding in the throne. Bergonone, Foppa's student, does not seem to have incorporated this technique, however, he did use pastiglia haloes in both frescoes and panel paintings.

43 The pastigha haloes are similar to haloes in the S M delle Grazie Polyptych from , now at the , Milan, and in the Bottigella Altarpiece (paintings examined in the galleries). 24 Teresa Lignelli found a similar hill in the Philadelphia Madonna and Child after overpaint was removed during the 1997 treatment. See also a Madonna and Child in the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan. Vincenzo Foppa Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection

Paint layers: compositional changes

In the final painted version of the panels, two donors knelt in front of the Saints. Only their lower bodies were depicted in the two panels now in Washington. Presumably, the donors were overpainted by a restorer after the altarpiece was dismantled in order to sell them separately. Unfortunately, the overpaint is opaque and has little craquelure, so a detailed description of either donor's costume cannot be made with a stereomicroscope. Analysis of painting cross-sections or removal of the overpaint would provide the means for more complete information.

The male donor, kneeling in front of Bernadino, wore a short tunic over a long-sleeved shirt and hose.5 His tunic had narrow, tight pleatsZG and a wide scalloped (embroidered ?) border along the hem:, The tunic was red, possibly shaded from a paler purple at the top, and may have had a sgraffito brocade pattern.8 A dark triangle at the top of the tunic, visible in x-radiographs, may have been the donor's blue sleeve,29 although his elbow would have been held at an awkward angle. His hose appears dark in infrared images and light in x-radiographs; the actual color is hidden by the restorer's overpaint. His shoes are lost in the paint damage at the bottom edge of the panel.

The female donor, in front of Anthony, wore black garments. Inexplicably, x-radiographs show a reserve with contours similar to her skirt, but extending up closer to Anthony's hand. '° If this was indeed an early version of her skirt, it was changed by Foppa, as the cylindrical knoll is painted over the reserve. The tall tree behind Anthony and the lily were painted after the hill, drapery and hand were painted.

The floorplan, with its many incised changes, was revised again during the paint stage. The bottom edges of both panels are damaged and heavily overpainted, so it is not possible to determine the entire floorplan, but it seems that the donors knelt on the floor, rather than on a step of the Madonna's throne.31 Today, the Saints stand with their toes protruding over a gridwork opening in the floor.

2 Compare the blue shirt, short red tunic and dark hose worn by the standing figure in The Preaching of St Peter Martyr, frescoes, St Eustorgio, Milan, as reproduced in Balzarini, plates 26 and 31. 26 Visible in infrared reflectograms at 1.5-2.0 microns and in x-radiographs. ZZ Visible in x-radiographs. The x-radiographs also reveal a contour change. Contour changes and areas left in reserve are seen in a published x-radiograph of another Foppa painting, though different in scale and subject matter: Madonna and Child, Museo Poldi-Pezzoli, Milan, published in A Gilardoni, R A Orsini and S Taccani, X-Rays in Art/ Physics - Technique - Applications (Mandello Lario/Como, , Gilardoni, 1977): 172-173. 28 These colors and small remnants of gold leaf are visible with a stereomicroscope through the few paint cracks in the overpaint. Examination with Barbara Berrie, NGA Conservation Scientist. 29 Examination with a stereomicroscope shows that the triangle is blue. 30 The 1948 and 196[1] x-radiographs show this section of the reserve. However, since the cylindrical knoll is painted over the reserve, perhaps the restorer(s) assumed the reserve was related to a minor change in the landscape. 31 Examples of donors kneeling on the steps of the Madonna's throne include the Fornari and Bottigella Altarpieces, while Cardinal Giuliano delle Rovere kneels on the floor in the altarpiece in the Oratory of S M di Castello, Savona. See Balzarini, plates 56,75-76,77-80. Vincenzo Foppa 8 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadino 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection

The x-radiographs and infrared images reveal pedestal shapes in front of the donors. It is difficult to tell whether the shapes were painted or were held in reserve for the altar framework. If the latter, Foppa's oeuvre contains several examples of donors divided by separately-carved columns or pilasters.fl If the former (which seems more likely from the infrared images) and the shapes are part of the Madonna's throne, the donors would have knelt in steps, not the floor.

The arcade in both paintings probably once had a blue ceiling with gilded stars.' The ceiling in the St Bernadino panel has been overpainted brown, but blue paint is visible along the edges using a stereomicroscope. In the St Anthony panel, a few remnants of gold leaf, some glazed with a transparent red paint, are found beneath the overpaint, and two very roughly star-shaped areas are evident in the infrared image.

Conservation history

It is not known when the paintings were first cradled. The paintings were re-cradled by Stephen Pichetto in 1948.34

It is also not known when the panels were overpainted. The overpaint, which hides the donors' costumes and the reserves for the frame or throne, has very few cracks, suggesting that it is not very old. Although the paintings were cleaned about the time that they were acquired by the NGA,a the overpaint was evidently left intact/° The Saints' feez are heavily overpainted and are, perhaps, entire reconstructions by the unknown restorer.

Original dimensions and frame

The wood supports and the painted images have been cropped, removing the unpainted wood margins to which the frame would have been attached, as well as the paint/ground barbe. This occured either when the altarpiece was dismantled or when the panels were cradled. The painted images of both panels were probably trimmed along the top. The bottom of both panels are damaged, so it cannot be securely estimated how much of the floor would have been depicted. The St Anthony panel was trimmed on the right, as punchwork indicates that the column once continued further down the edge. The St Bernadino panel, with its present dimensions, is wider than its pendant and was presumably cut down on the left side so that the arches matched.

Near the top left corner of the St Bernadino panel is a small triangle, now overpainted with blue sky. It corresponds in size, shape and location to the gilded and punched capital in the St Anthony panel. Left by Foppa as unpainted gesso, presumably it was hidden by the frame with either a

32 Reproductions of the Bergamo and Fornari Altarpieces suggest that the pilasters were carved separately. See especially Foulkes, plate showing detail of the Fornal' Altarpiece with the Madonna and Child and nails securing the separately-carved pilasters. 33 Compare the Brera altarpiece. 34 As reported in the Kress/NGA Condition and Restoration Records, the paintings were cradled by Pichetto in 1948. They were, in fact, re-cradled, as shown by the Ma: 24 and 28, 1948 x-radiographs which document the old cradles. The present cradles do not have a maroflaged veneer, nor mahogany edge strips. The sides of the panels have been planed smooth. A wax coating was applied to the back of the panels. 35 Kress/NGA Condition anc/ Restoration Records state that the St An-hony was "cleaned and restored" by Modestini in 1949-50 and that the St Bernadino was "restored" by him in 1961. 36 As noted in footnote 2, the paintings appear unchanged from the 1909 Ffoulkes reproductions. Vincenzo Foppa 9 Saint Anthony of Padua 1952.5.63 (1142) Samuel H Kress Collection Saint Bernadine 1961.9.72 (1624) Samuel H Kress Collection

separate, carved wooden capital or a gilded trompe-1'oieil capital (Not enough original wood remains to tell whether the altarf. amework was engaged or separate).

The central panel probably deptted the donors kneeling in front of a Madonna and Child, a typical subject matter in Foppa's oeuvre. The inclusion of the side walls at an intermediate stage, although not included in the finished image, suggests that the altarpiece was originally a triptych, rather than a polyptych with five panels across.

Submitted by:

Date El.zabeth Walmsley Painting Conservator

Date Sarah L. Fisher Head of Painting Conservation

Date Ross Merrill Ctief, Conservation Division

ew/foppa re-ex