YAPID (Yet Another Painting ID)

[beamjockey]

A friend has inherited a house. She found this painting there. I have only one snapshot of it at the moment.

It shows a Madonna mother and child reading a book, while angels look on. We are all wondering what value the painting may have. The family doesn't know the artist or the date of the painting. It is possible that documentation may turn up as she goes through the house. Better photos might also be obtained. There appear to be five large pinkish blobs of damage near the lower center of the painting.

Do you know when this might have been painted, or by whom? Are there clues in the style? Is it likely original, or is it an imitation of a better-known painting?

There must be plenty of people on the Net more knowledgeable about art than I. Probably I am not many handshakes away from some of them.

If you know someone who might be able to comment, please pass a link along.


Click on any picture to see a higher-resolution version.


4 April 2011-- Edited to add: The owner has requested that I remove images of the painting. bluejo's aunt was kind enough to point out that the painting depicts "Education of the Virgin;" the child is Mary, the mom is St. Anna (or Anne), and the bearded man is Mary's father, St. Joachim. She adds, "It looks Spanish seventeenth century."

Comments

[kevinnickerson.livejournal.com]

Would it help to upload the picture to Picassa and see if the face recognition can identify the people?

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

The images I show are already in Picasa (click them). I haven't used the face feature. I know johnridley has been playing with it.

This seems unlikely to work, but it costs nothing to try. And if by chance it DID work, it would make a really great story.

[mrs-sweetpeach.livejournal.com]

If you ask me, this entire post (including the comments) makes a great story.