Attributed to Sir William Segar (fl.1588-1633)

Attributed to Sir William Segar (fl.1588-1633) Portrait of a lady, said to be Anne of Hardwick, half-length, in a black and grey bejewelled dress and a white lace ruff, holding a glove in her left hand and a flower in her right hand inscribed 'AETATIS SUAE 22/ANo 1588' u.r., oil on panel 90 x 73cm Provenance: Evans Collection, Sandbach, Cheshire; with Lane Fine Art, London; Sotheby's London, 'British Paintings,1500-1850', 9 April 1997, lot 11. Condition Report: Overall: 117 x 101cm The painting is executed in oil on a wooden panel support. The panel appears to be formed from three boards in vertical alignment. The panel has had a cradle attached to the reverse, probably during the 19th century. The vertical battens of the cradle are fixed and the horizonals should have some movment but are seized, indictating the panel is under some tension. Splits are forming along the top and bottom edges following the lines of the fixed vertical cradle members. The paint layers have suffered from extensive wear and abrasion. There is evidence that the painting has suffered from flaking in the past which has been stabilised but has left an even surface texture in some areas, most notably on the left hand board of the panel. Lines of raised paint are present along the splits in the panel and there is a loss at the lower right panel join. There is extensive overpaint across the painting with more than one campaign of restoration evident. Many areas of the painting have been heavily restored including the sitter's hair and the black details of the dress. The most recent campaign of restoration has a slightly milky appearance and no longer matches the original paint layers. However, some details of the composition are well preserved including the sitter's features, the lace ruff and the jewel attached to the sleeve. The varnish is clear but slightly uneven with some glossy patches and drip marks.