Florentine School, 16th Century
A cavalry battle before a walled city
oil on panel, tondo
24.7 cm. (9 3/4 in.) diameter
together with another tondo showing the beheading of a female saint (2)

Battle:
The panel has bowed slightly and the paint surface is a little dirty and scuffed. In raking light it is possible to see a few infillings to the tent, to the foreground and to the figures on horseback, centre left. There are also a few horizontal lines of infilling along the grain amongst the figures on horseback, centre right.
Inspection under ultra-violet light is hindered by the thick varnish but it is possible to see very small infillings scattered throughout.

Beheading:
The panel has bowed slightly and the varnish is dirty and discoloured. In raking light it is possible to see numerous small infillings to the landscape of the distance, upper centre. There is a horizontal crack running across the width of the panel, as can be seen in the catalogue illustration. Discoloured restoration is just visible to the naked eye in the sky, upper edge, centre.
Inspection under ultra-violet light is difficult as the varnish is very reflective but it is possible to see a vertical line of infilling, upper centre; a line of restoration along the aforementioned horizontal crack; numerous tiny infillings scattered throughout the figures; and a very small area of infilling to the rocks, upper left.