Léon-Gérard Crepy (French, 1872-1944) Portrait of The Venerable Mary Ward (1585-1645) foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary signed 'L G Crepy' and dated 1909 c.l., oil on canvas 118 x 92cm Condition report: Oil on canvas which is unlined and attached to a wooden stretcher with a horizontal cross bar. The canvas is in good condition with good tension and in plane apart from a slight undulation in the lower left corner. There is a build up of dust on the reverse of the canvas and the horizontal cross bar is starting to show through on the surface of the painting at the right hand side. The canvas has been affected by moisture, on the reverse there a diagonal line of staining running down the length of the painting. The canvas has shrunk in this area causing wrinkling to the paint layer on the front and losses. The paint in this area is raised and flaking. There are also scattered losses at the right hand edge of the painting. There is a deep score in the paint layer running down through the open book. The rest of the paint layer is in a good stable condition. The varnish has a mottled appearance and has degraded. It is no longer adequately saturating the paint layer below and has become yellow and dull with age. There is a layer of surface dirt present on top of the varnish..