The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Virgin and Child with Angels

Virgin and Child with Angels

possibly late 1800s or early 1900s

imitator of Sano di Pietro

(Italian, 1406–1481)
(Italian, 1866–1946)
Italy, late 19th-early 20th century
tempera and gold on wood
Unframed: 50.5 x 35.4 cm (19 7/8 x 13 15/16 in.)
Bequest of James Parmelee 1940.536
Location: not on view

Description

On initial examination, this work seems typical of 15th-century Italian panel paintings. However, recent technical examinations concluded that it is actually a skillful early 20th-century imitation of a 15th-century gold-ground picture. The composition resembles examples of the same subject by Sano di Pietro, but x-radiography showed that modern nails secure the framing elements of the panel. The infrared reflectography examination revealed a very simple cross-shaped underdrawing in Christ's head, used by the forger to center a compass when marking Christ's halo and to define the placement of the facial plane. Pigment analysis identified modern paints throughout the work. For example, the 18th-century pigment zinc white—not gypsum or lead white as expected in a 15th-century picture—was evident in all areas tested, indicating the modern pigment's presence in the ground layer. In addition, scholarship suggests that some of the decorative punch patterns in the gilding are identical to those found on known forgeries by Icilio Federico Joni. This painting is a forgery, very likely by Joni.
  • A. de Clementi, Florence; (Knoedler, 1929); James Parmelee, Cleveland.
  • Saunders, Linnaea, E., "A Question of Forgery", Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 43 no. 04, April 2003 Mentioned & reproduced: p. 4-5 archive.org
    Joni, Icilio Federico, and Gianni Mazzoni. Falsi d'autore: Icilio Federico Joni e la cultura del falso tra Otto e Novecento. Siena: Protagon, 2004. cat.no.43, p.162-163.
    Muir, Kim and Narayan Khandkar. "The Technical Examination of a Painting that Passed through the Hands of Sienese Restorer and Forger Federico Joni." Journal of the American Institute for Conservation vol. 45 no. 1 (Spring 2006). p. 32 web-p-ebscohost-com.ingallslibrary.idm.oclc.org
  • Icilio Federico Joni e la cultura del falso a Siena tra Ottocento e Novecento. Santa Maria delle Scala, Siena, Italy (organizer) (June 18, 2004-January 9, 2005).
    Santa Maria della Scala (6/1/8/2004 - 10/3/2004): "Icilio Federico Joni e la cultura del falso a Siena tra Ottocento e Novecento"
    Object in Focus: 15th Century Sienese Paintings: A Question of Forgery. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 11-May 11, 2003).
    Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; March 11- May 11, 2003. " Object in Focus: 15th Century Sienese Paintings: A Question of Forgery".
    Fakes and Forgeries. Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN (organizer) (July 11-September 30, 1973).
    Materials of the Artist. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 4-December 12, 1958).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
  • {{cite web|title=Virgin and Child with Angels|url=false|author=Sano di Pietro, Icilio Federico Joni|year=possibly late 1800s or early 1900s|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1940.536