“Filippino’s fame spread throughout Italy and he painted large series of frescoes in Rome and Florence.
The National Gallery described the younger Lippi as: ‘A leading Florentine representative of the tradition of large fresco cycles and an accomplished painter of panels. The Italian Lippi, believed to have been born in 1457, was the son of Fra Filippo Lippi, himself a master Florentine painter known for his depictions of the Madonna. The most expensive Lippi painting The penitent Mary Magdalene worships the True Cross in a rocky landscape, was sold at Christie’s in 2005 for $2.3 million. While the auction house attributed the work to a follower of Lippi, Artnet cites only five paintings by the artist, exceeding the auction number, and supports the theory of the bidders who suspected Lippi painted it himself. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay for the woman’s care, with Tyrell saying it was a “godsend” to her. “I immediately told the family about its potential value and they were keen for me to bring it to our art auction.”ĭawsons stated her relatives were “interested in providing improved care and housing to make their lives more comfortable, but the increased costs have made this impossible…until now.” ‘I’m not a painting specialist, but as a general appraiser with over 25 years’ experience, I recognized this to be an outstanding 16th-century work. “Most of the furnishings in the house were of relatively little value and as I entered her bedroom I was utterly shocked to see this early religious painting hanging over her bed. It had been in their possession for over 30 years. She explained how the woman got the artwork: “The 90-year-old owner left Italy when she was young and when her father died she inherited the painting. In a video clip speaking about the find, she said: “I was amazed to see this beautiful 16th-century religious painting. Initially, expectations were “low” to find anything of value on the property until Tyrell entered the bedroom – the last room she visited. The elderly woman, who has dementia, had been placed in a care facility and her family was looking for donations to help her care.
Tyrrell, one of the experts on the BBC TV show Antiques Roadshowsaid she was stunned after entering the room and discovering the oil painting in a gilded wooden frame. The Renaissance painting, lost for decades, was found in the bedroom of a 90-year-old woman.
The depiction of the Madonna and Child, by a follower of Filippino Lippi.