Category: Conservation
Louvre conserves Andrea Solario Picture
December 21 2024
Picture: Louvre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Louvre in Paris have shared news of their latest exciting conservation project, the cleaning of Andrea Solario's Virgin and Child. Dated to 1507-10, the transformation of these vivid electric colours is quite something to behold.
All eyes on which paintings the Louvre will clean in 2025. Perhaps they're gearing up to tackle one of their particularly darkened Leonardos?
Vatican Restores Apollo Belvedere
December 12 2024
Video: AZ News
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I'm a little late to the news that the Vatican have recently unveiled their famous Apollo Belvedere statue after a 5-year restoration project.
According to Reuters:
Restoration experts spent years working on the "Apollo Belvedere", repairing fractures in its knees and legs, cleaning the entire cream-coloured statue with lasers, and installing a carbon fibre pole anchored to its base to increase stability.
"This type of restoration... is the expression of what we want the Vatican Museums to be," said Barbara Jatta, the Museums' director. "A balance of tradition, linguistics and study, with a gaze that looks to the future."
Orazio Gentileschi conserved at The National Gallery
December 6 2024
Video: The National Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The National Gallery in London have just today published the following video presenting new insights into Orazio Gentileschi's The Finding of Moses resulting from recent conservation and cleaning.
Ribera's St John the Baptist Conserved
November 28 2024
Video: Patrimonio Nacional
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Spain that the Real Monasterio de la Encarnación in Madrid have recently conserved Jusepe Ribera's St John the Baptist. As the video explains, the removal of much yellowed varnish has revealed many hidden details particularly in the background of the painting.
Van Dyck's Andalusian Horse at Christie's
November 25 2024
Video: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's have published the following film providing an interesting overview of Sir Anthony Van Dyck's Andalusian Horse which is coming up in their December sales in London.
The Enigma of Watteau's Pierrot
November 14 2024
Video: Louvre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Louvre in Paris published this rather fascinating video a couple of weeks ago dedicated to the enigma of Jean-Antoine Watteau's famous Pierrot. The video also examines the recent conservation of the painting, which appears to have been rather visually transformative.
The museum's current exhibition on the work, entitled A New Look at Watteau, runs until 3rd February 2025.
Apsley House conserve 'Attributed to' Cignani
November 9 2024
Picture: Apsley House
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Apsley House, the historic London residence of the Dukes of Wellington, have revealed on social media the recent conservation of a painting depicting Venus and Adonis which is currently 'Attributed to' Carlo Cignani. Their recent posts suggest that now that the painting has been cleaned their thoughts will turn towards whether this is really by Cignani or not. We'll have to wait to find out the results, it seems!
Girolamo Genga Altarpiece Conserved
September 23 2024
Picture: ansa.it
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
More news from Italy that Girolamo Genga's The Cesena Altarpiece has been restored after a three-year conservation project. Painted between 1513 and 1518, the project was undertaken onsite at the Church of Sant'Agostino and consisted of various scientific scans alongside the work undertaken on the painting itself.
Vasari Ceiling Paintings Reunited
September 3 2024
Video: Antenna Tre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice have just opened a new display, reuniting a set of ceiling paintings originally completed by Giorgio Vasari for the Palazzo Corner Spinelli. The nine works, depicting allegories of Charity, Faith, Hope, Justice and Patience, were dispersed at the end of the 18th century.
The Rainbow Portrait Conserved
September 2 2024
Picture: Hatfield House
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Hatfield House are putting on a special event on 20th September to celebrate the recent conservation of the famous Rainbow Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I.
The evening event will feature a range of talks from experts in Tudor history, fashion history, Tudor paintings and paintings conservation. The speakers lined up include Stephen Alford, Dr. Susan North, Karen Hearn FSA and Nicole Ryder.
Tickets cost a mere £45 per person (includes champagne reception!).
Watteau's Pierrot to be cleaned
July 15 2024
Picture: Louvre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news from the Louvre in Paris that Watteau's iconic Pierrot (or sometimes referred to as Gilles) will be cleaned for a special exhibition opening in October 2024. Entitled A NEW LOOK ON WATTEAU: AN ACTOR WITH NO LINES - PIERROT, KNOWN AS GILLES the show promises to reveal new findings from their ongoing conservation project, alongside a more wider cultural history of the painting. Alas, they haven't released any mid-clean or post-clean photos just yet.
According to the museum's upcoming schedule:
Watteau’s Pierrot, formerly known as Gilles, is one of the most famous masterpieces in the Louvre’s collection. This enigmatic work, which has long raised questions for art historians, is currently undergoing conservation treatment at the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France, after which time it will be the focus of a spotlight exhibition.
Nothing is known about the painting before it was discovered by the artist and collector Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825), Director of the Louvre under Napoleon. It soon came to be regarded as a Watteau masterpiece and garnered praise from renowned writers and art historians. It has often been seen as reflecting a certain image of the 18th century – mischievous, cynical or melancholy, depending on the author and the era. Its fame boosted the return to favour of 18th-century art in the age of Manet and Nadar.
The exhibition will present the findings of the conservation project. It will approach this wholly original work – whose attribution to Watteau has sometimes been questioned – both as part of the artist’s oeuvre and in the cultural and artistic context of the time. Alongside many other paintings and drawings by Watteau, there will be works by his contemporaries – painters, draughtsmen, engravers (Claude Gillot, Antoine Joseph Pater, Nicolas Lancret, Jean Baptiste Oudry, Jean Honoré Fragonard, etc.) and writers (Pierre de Marivaux, Alain-René Lesage, Jean-François Regnard, Evaristo Gherardi), with special emphasis on the rich theatrical repertoire of the time.
Madonna del Pantheon Conserved
July 10 2024
Video: MiC_Italia
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Rome that the so-called Madonna del Pantheon, an incredibly ancient religious painting possibly dating to the 7th century, has been conserved. The 8-month project, which included scientific analysis, was funded by the Italian fashion house Bulgari.
Can Sound Damage Art?
June 26 2024
Picture: iiconservation.org
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Can sound damage art? Well, scientists from The National Gallery in London have been exploring this question and are 'still working through the data acquired and hope to share the results in a journal article in the near future'. If you'd like to read about the tests carried out, so have a look at the article written by Catherine Higgitt, Tomasz Galikowski, David Trew and others in the latest News in Conservation journal (free to access).
Conserving Kauffman's Frame
June 25 2024
Picture: icon.org.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
ICON (The Institute of Conservation) have published a short article on the recent restoration of the original frame belonging to Angelica Kauffman's Diomedes and Cressida. The work was undertaken by Sophie Reddington and Jonida Mecani and features within the recently opened display at Petworth which delves into the complete restoration of Kauffman's painting.
Restored Rubens Redisplayed
June 19 2024
Video: The National Gallery, London
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The National Gallery in London have redisplayed Rubens' The Judgement of Paris yesterday after a 14-month restoration project. The study has revealed some interesting pentimenti alongside a greater understanding of some retouching that occurred to the painting between 1676 and 1721.
Zurbarán in Lyon
June 17 2024
Picture: mba-lyon.fr
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Musée des beaux arts de Lyon have been sharing some photos on their 'X' account (@mbalyon) showing the ongoing conservation of Francisco de Zurbarán's full-length painting of Saint Francis. The restoration work anticipates the museum's upcoming exhibition dedicated to the artist, which will reunite several paintings of the saint including those kept at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Museum of Fine Art of Boston. The show is expected to open in December 2024 #mce_temp_url# (<----CLICK HERE FOR A LINK).
National Museum of Wales Conserving Strozzi
June 14 2024
Picture: 'X' via @NMWPrevCons
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff have shared this interesting mid-clean image of Bernardo Strozzi's St Francis of Assisi embracing a Crucifix. Follow this link ----->#mce_temp_url# to see an image of the painting prior to conservation, it promises to be a remarkable clean!
Versailles Conserving Mignard's 'The family of the Grand Dauphin'
June 10 2024
Picture: @CVersailles
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Palace of Versailles have published some rather interesting mid-clean photographs of the conservation of Pierre Mignard's The family of the Grand Dauphin, Louis of France (1661-1711). This large-scale work, which was delivered in 1687, is the latest to be treated by conservators at the Palace.
The Louvre Conserve Arcimboldo Seasons
June 5 2024
Picture: Louvre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Louvre in Paris have shared news that they have conserved their set of Giuseppe Arcimboldo's celebrated Seasons. The project undertaken by conservator Roberto Merlo had included the removal of floral garlands which had decorated the margins of these portraits (which can be seen here), as they were deemed to have been added in the eighteenth century. Another very interesting conservation project undertaken by this traditionally cautious museum - let's see what will be cleaned next...
The restored paintings are on view from today onwards, so do go and see them if you happen to be in Paris!
Watch Correggio Conservation in Dresden
June 5 2024
Picture: gemaeldegalerie.skd.museum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
This blog appears to have missed the news that the The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden are allowing visitors to go and see the conservation of Correggio's Madonna of Saint Sebastian. The project, which started back in 2022, involved a temporary conservation studio being built in the gallery which is accessible to visitors. It appears that art lovers will have until the end of the year (2024) to go and see the conservation of this enormous oil on panel painting.
