Dear Isabella Banda,

Thank you for your appraisal submission. The work is a Spanish Colonial School oil painting on canvas of the Venerable Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús. He is standing over a small altar table topped with a crucifix and memento mori skull. The friar's hands are clasped, and his head is tilted slightly down featuring a fatigued expression. The is no visible signature to the work, although the lower edge is significantly damaged and may have destroyed a signature. Based on the images provided, the work is in poor condition. There are marks, stains, and losses throughout. The lower edge of the work has excessive water damage, visible to both the recto and verso. There is also a visible puncture to the lower left corner. It is highly likely that this work has been relined and there is an additional patch of lining to the upper left corner of the verso. Based on its style, the work is likely from the 18th/19th century, but due to the significant water damage we'd recommend a physical examination of the work to determine age. It measures 47 x 40 inches in the frame.

Without an artistic attribution, the Fair Market Value is considered based on sales records of similar Friar paintings and Spanish Colonial School paintings. The poor condition of the work will decrease the overall value. Spanish Colonial School paintings of the 16th/17th/18th century often sell between $1,500 and $4,000 based on composition. Simpler depictions of single figures and friars often sell between $700 and $1000. Given the poor condition of the subject work, we estimate its Fair Market Value between $200 and $500. Buyers of this piece will have to weigh age and quality with condition and conservation costs.

This appraisal is conditional based on the item's age which we recommend to be determined with a physical examination, as the water damage has significantly altered the condition of the work.

Kind regards,
Charlotte B.