The painting has been executed on three conjoined planks, the right hand plank has come adrift of the other two, there is a further vertical crack evident with the eye at the front approx 6cm from her right hand shoulder and approx 6cm in length. All of the planks have a slightly convex quality and suggest a generally precarious nature. The face of the sitter is consistently re-touched (approx 75/85%) approximately four areas of over painting at her right hand shoulder the largest being approx 2-1.5cm. The right hand side edge of the left hand side ermine trim approx 1-1.5cm in width is heavily re-painted, this runs vertically through the sitters hand at which point there are two vertical bands with the re-painting and overtouching to the ermine becoming less pronounced or consistent below her right hand. Her left hand is entirely overpainted, the black of her over coat, including shoulders and sleeves has been thoroughly overpainted, various smaller areas of re-touching and overpainting within the right hand side strip of ermine. A vertical area of paint loss just above her head on the left hand side has been re-touched. The background shows numerous areas of overpaint and re-touching, these all being probably form varying periods of restoration. Relatively consistent fine to medium craquelure throughout surface which has been attended to previously, but is beginning to lift and come away in places, particularly around her shoulders and the areas of black paint. Covered in a layer of dirt and discoloured varnish, superficial surface scuffs, scratches etc Provenance: Purchased from Oakham Fine Art in 1996 for £20,000

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