~ Allegory Of The Infant Christ And John The Baptist Gouache On Parchment Bernard Lens 1723 ~
A fantastic painting by the British artist Bernard Lens dated 1723.
The painting is an allegory of the infant Christ and John the Baptist reclining under a fruiting grapevine with attendant cherubs and a lamb.
It is gouache on parchment, pasted to an oak panel and presented in a glazed gilt-wood frame.
The piece is signed to the bottom right hand corner with a monogram and is dated 1723.
Provenance: By decent from the artist through the Lens family to Mr Bernard Clarke-Lens whom we purchased it from.
~ Dimensions ~
The painting measures 23.5cm (9 ¼ inches) by 17cm (6 ¾ inches).
The frame measures 37cm (14 ½ inches) by 30.5cm (12 inches).
It weighs 1.39 Kg.
~ Condition ~
The painting appears to be in a very nice condition with no damage. There are a couple of specks of dirt trapped between the painting and the glass which we have chosen to leave in fear of damaging the painting, but this should be an easy job to clean by a professional.
The piece is slightly loose in its frame. The frame itself is in good order.
~ Bernard Lens ~
Bernard Lens III (May 27, 1682 – December 24, 1740) was an English artist known primarily for his portrait miniatures. Lens was the miniature painter at the courts of kings George I and George II, instructor in miniature painting (then called limning) to prince William and princesses Mary and Louise and consultant in fine arts to upper-class families.