Featured Old madonna with baby

This is undoubtedly my oldest painting, but also in abysmal condition. It had spent many years rolled up in an antique desk drawer, took weeks just to relax into a semi-flat condition. VERY dirty, lots of paint loss, cracks in what seems to be hand-woven linen canvas, several old repairs, and a couple inches of canvas added to the bottom and painted in, but below madonna's feet, issues galore, etc. I was still curious about it, so here it is in all its imperfection.

The added bottom strip of rough canvas is in the fourth pic, the closeups of the linen is the material of the main painting, the pic of the whole back shows the shadow of a tree that I didn't notice would be so prominent. The closeup of the label is in the last pic.

Halo on the baby, but some strange stuff going on. He is being fed with a spoon? Looks like an angel is bringing him a loaf of bread, while another points up to god?

There may be some small hope of establishing some history, with the remains of a label on the back? Most of it is gone, of course.

So, what is this and what is going on here? Is this worth putting any time into cleaning, repairing, mounting on a stretcher?

 

The style reminds me of Spanish colonial paintings. The child figure pointing upward could be a young John the Baptist, often shown in scenes of the Madonna and Child. No idea what the other figure is doing.

It might not be worth your investment in conservation and restoration, but it might be a likely candidate for sending to one of the conservation training programs such as those at Buffalo State College and Winterthur. Back in my day, owner's could send projects to such a program for students to work on, and they would be returned to the owner when completed. It would certainly be an interesting project.

https://artconservation.buffalostat...SERVATION.,art and material cultural heritage.

https://www.winterthur.org/winterthur-ud-program-in-art-conservation/

 

I've pulled some detail out of the supplied image. Th boy and girl figures both have wings, so they must be angles. Both are holding items, maybe a wine flask and bread wrapped in cloth. So this may represent the Eucharist. Also in the background is an image of a man about to be beheaded, that may represent John the Baptist. I'm guessing that below the girl angle is a hearth with what may be bread to be baked.

 

A very intriguing and impressive painting. Don’t get the ‘shadow of a tree’ bit. So it’s just the coincidental impression that is given looking at the back? There’s obviously no tree in the painting itself. (sorry just wondering)
A great pity that there’s not more left of the label.

 

Great and interesting comments. Certainly lots going on and lots to think about.

 

Boland, it looks as if the photos were taken outside and an actual shadow from a tree is creating the black shape on the 7th photo.

 

Ha ha.. Thanks for that. Was confused. Obviously not a very bright comment I made. I’ll shut up now and just reading the interesting comments

 

Well done @Roaring20s !

 

This is a very interesting painting indeed. Agree the subject is Eucharist It seems that the painting may have been cut at some point in its long history, as the figure of Madonna is too close to the left edge. The angel pointing to the same side might be a coincidence or may mean there are more figures. Madonna right arm doesn't seem proportional to the body, which a shame as the rest of the painting has a lovely quality. The restoration and cleaning may reveal interesting details or signature.

 

I think the label might be german. Bad Kissingen is in Bavaria, so either painting was restored there or at auction.

 

Wow, that sounds like a great start. I couldn't find an auctioneer in Bad Kissingen, at least these days. It sounds like it has been a resort town for some time, so maybe an auction for the rich city folks who come to town? Any one have any guesses about the age of either the painting or the label? Does a possible label from Bad Kissingen imply it is of European origin?

 

I would say that the painting is northern European school, possibly flemish 18th century or earlier. The setting and the background is darker then traditional Madonna and child paintings of the Italian renaissance with its landscapes on the background. Perhabs, more knowledgeable members can comment.

 

Thank you. I'm not sure where to go next. I would like to mount it on a stretcher, but don't want to do so if it makes it harder to research. I don't know who might be interested in taking a look at it. Does anyone think nailing it to a stretcher is a bad idea? It would certainly make it more portable and easier to keep the dust from accumulating.