La Suite, auction house from Barcelona, sells on 15 October 2015 an "Italian School, mid 16th century" Adoration of the Shepherds, an oil on copper of 44 by 35 cm estimated at 7,000 to 10,000 Euro.
The composition is partly the same as one in a work by Spanish artist Juan Bautista Maino (1569-1649) from the Meadows Museum in Texas (but then reversed): the virgin, the child, their position, the bottommost kneeling shepherd with the staff in one hand and one hand in front of his heart... That work is an oil on canvas of 160 by 120 cm though. So, different country, period, size, ... The one for sale used to be in a Spanish collection though. One thing is clear, the one for sale is not an original Maino, whose works are much better painted (I didn't know him, but he really is a very good painter). The work for sale, while good, is more static, and subdued in colours.
But the questions remain: is the one for sale based on this or another Maino (or an engraving of the work), or do both have a common origin (I doubt that Maino based his work on this more minor painting)? Is it Italian or Spanish? Which period? If it is a later copy, then obviously it isn't worth the estimate.
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