Category: Conservation
Royal Collection Conserves Leighton
April 10 2025
Picture: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Royal Collection Trust have shared news of the conservation of Lord Frederic Leighton's Nanna (Pavonia) in preparation for their upcoming exhibition The Edwardians: Age of Elegance which opens at The King's Gallery tomorrow (Friday 11th April 2025).
According to the RCT's press release:
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The conservation resulted in:
-Details were made clearer, including Leighton’s ‘L’ monogram with the date ‘59 – cleaning brought out its calligraphic quality and brick red colour.
-The variety of textures in the paint – cleaning revealed that Leighton had carefully used his brush to create fine, wispy trails to the feathers in the fan, to give just one example.
-The 'sensuous' green, violet, and russet tones of the peacock feathers of the fan came out, helping the conservator Nicola Christie realise that these colours echo the colours of the fruit.
-The intricacy of the sitter’s braided hairstyle and the subtleties in the tones of her dark hair were revealed – the conservator could now pick out shades of aubergine and deep blue in her dark hair.
-It brought out the clarity of the pearls in her hair, and how they are reflecting light – Nicola’s convinced they reflect the windows of Leighton’s studio – and their very smooth texture.
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Cleaning Ramsay's Wills Hill
April 9 2025
Picture: Historical Royal Palaces via. Instagram
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I'm a little late to this video published by the Historic Royal Palaces on Instagram last month showing the cleaning of Alan Ramsay's Portrait of Wills Hill, 1st Earl Hillsborough. The painting was acquired by Hillsborough Castle last year as part of the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme for £158,100.
Rubens Last Supper to be Restored
April 8 2025
Picture: Pinacoteca di Brera
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Italy that the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan will be conserving their Last Supper by Rubens. The project will be undertaken under the supervision of Andrea Carini, head of the museum's scientific laboratories, and has been funded by PWC Italia.
AI to Reimagine Lost Delacroix Frescoes?
April 4 2025
Video: via Instagram
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Scientists and Art Historians in France may have finally come across a genuinely interesting way to employ AI in the field of art historical research. A new research project entitled Digital Delacroix has joined figures from the Sorbonne and AI geeks from Schmidt Sciences in order to recreate lost Delacroix frescoes that were destroyed by fire at the Hôtel de Ville in 1871. AI will apparently be bringing together and process surviving studies and archival material to digitally recreate these lost works. Click on the link above to read more.
Let's hope Delacroix's figures won't end up having 6 fingers and three arms (which often happens with lots of AI generated images these days)...
Online Lecture on Paulus Potter Rediscovery
April 4 2025
Picture: icon.org.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Institute for Conservation (ICON) are hosting an online lecture on 5th June 2025 entitled Uncovering a Lost Masterpiece: The Hidden Story Behind Paulus Potter’s The Abduction of Europa.
According ot their website:
A long-lost monumental painting by Dutch master Paulus Potter has been rediscovered - thanks to a 1664 newspaper announcement!
Research has now linked Head of a White Bull, a fragment in the National Gallery of Ireland, to this forgotten work. Technical analysis has uncovered Europa herself, hidden beneath layers of overpainting. Once a grand mythological scene, the painting was cut down and altered over time, obscuring Potter’s rare foray into mythology.
This discovery not only expands his known oeuvre but also challenges the long-held belief that his genius was confined to animal depictions.
Non-members are welcome to join and booking details are available via the link above.
Conservation and Technical Project on André Derain's Waterloo Bridge
April 3 2025
Picture: Thyssen Bornemisza Collection
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Thyssen Bornemisza Collection in Madrid have released news today of a conservation and technical project on André Derain's Waterloo Bridge (1906). This includes new insights into his technique and materials, details of which can be found on the page for the painting on their website.
Lambert Doomer Restored at the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar
April 1 2025
Video: Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
CODART (the international network of curators of Dutch and Flemish art) has drawn attention to news that the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar have conserved and redisplayed their two group portraits by Lambert Doomer (1624-1700). The two works Three Regents of the Civil Orphanage in Alkmaar (1680) and The Regents of the Proveniershuis in Alkmaar (1681) have been in storage for several years due to their poor condition.
Queen Charlotte Pentimenti in Royal Collection Infrared Scan
March 31 2025
Picture: Royal Collection Trust via. Instagram
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Royal Collection Trust have revealed this rather fascinating infrared scan of Benjamin West's portrait of George III and Queen Charlotte. It shows that the artist had initially positioned the Queen's head rather differently than it appears now. There are also changes to the King's eyes, which are also visible in the scans.
The picture is back on display at Kew Palace, where it appears to hang above a doorway, which has recently opened for the season.
Conserve Pictures at the NPG
March 26 2025
Picture: NPG
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The National Portrait Gallery in London are hiring a Paintings Conservator (part time).
According to the job description:
Key Accountabilities:
-Expertly assess and treat paintings, provide advice and guidance on all aspects of care, treatment, and suitability for loan and display to key stakeholders.
-Undertake a wide range of paintings treatments, confidently using and interpreting a range of specialist analytical and imaging techniques.
-Digitally document condition assessments and treatments.
-Help develop and maintain clear and consistent conservation policies and procedures.
-Excellent understand of Health & Safety and COSHH guidelines applicable to painting conservation treatments and activities.
-Help develop research, technical examination, and treatment initiatives that improve academic understanding and presentation of the Gallery’s paintings collection.
-Actively participate in professional networks for benefit of paintings collection, and to contribute to wider sector knowledge and development.
-Act as an advocate for painting conservation, supporting talks and studio tours, and training of future conservators.
-Support development of low carbon conservation and collections care initiatives.
The part-time role comes with a salary of £14,529.84, based on the full time equivalent of £36,324.60, and applications must be in by 14th April 2025.
Good luck if you're applying!
Prado cleans Caterina Cherubini Saint
March 21 2025
Picture: Prado
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Spanish art account @Boro_RR on 'X' has shared news that the Prado in Madrid have conserved this rather nice oil on copper of St Agnes by Caterina Cherubini (1730-1811) presumably for display in the very near future.
16th Century Panels Restored at Palais des Beaux Arts in Lille
March 19 2025
Picture: Palais des Beaux Arts
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Palais des Beaux Arts in Lille has shared news of the recent restoration of four 16th century panels depicting the annunciation. The works, which are amongst the largest early German panels in any public collection in France, were treated by Centre de recherche et de restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF). Click on the link above for better images.
A Guido Reni uncovered at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Libourne?
March 14 2025
Video: lalibre.be
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Interesting news from France that a conservation project undertaken on a painting in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Libourne may have uncovered an autograph work by Guido Reni. Donated to the museum in 1949, and long thought to be a copy, conservation work undertaken by the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF) has concluded that it may in fact be earlier than the two other autograph versions known in Madrid and Naples.
The work has gone on display today at the Chapelle du Carmel in Libourne so that the public may go and have a look for themselves.
Francesco Guarino Annunciation Conserved
March 14 2025
Picture: positanonews.it
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Italy that Francesco Guarino's Annunciation, which usually hangs in Chiesa di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli in Naples, has been conserved. Painted in 1654, and recently conserved by Gianfranco Zarrillo, the work will be on display in the church for the public from tomorrow onwards.
Michelangelo's Tomb Conserved
March 8 2025
Video: tianimu on YouTube
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Florence that Michelangelo's freshly conserved Tomb in the basilica of Santa Croce in Florence has been presented to the public. The 100,000 EUR project, completed to mark the artist's 550th birthday, was conducted by Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Factory of the Hard Stones).
As I'm unable to share photos (click on the link above to see more), instead I thought I would share the late Brian Sewell's reflection on the monument from one of his television series.
Tudor Portrait rediscovered on 'X' to be redisplayed in Museum
March 7 2025
Picture: Warwickshire County Council
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A small plug that I'm helping the Warwickshire Museum Services fundraise for the conservation and redisplay of Ralph Sheldon's Lost Portrait of Henry VIII, which I accidentally rediscovered on social media last summer. Alongside repairs to the oak panel, frame, followed by reglazing, the painting will have its rather clumsy and discoloured retouchings removed and replaced to allow the obvious quality of the picture to shine through.
Due to the fact that funds are being raised through the Warwickshire County Council, it is not possible to set up a 'go-fund-me' style page alas (more details of how to get in touch to donate via the link above). Any donations are gratefully received as ever!
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As an aside, do get in touch if you ever hear of any similar fundraising projects that are worth posting here on AHN.
Update - Here's the BBC's article on the fundraising campaign.
Update 2 - Here's an interview I gave for BBC Midlands Today on the painting, including pointing out some interesting pentimenti etc.
Giovanni da Rimini's Last Judgement to be Restored
March 6 2025
Picture: palazziarterimini.it
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Italy that Giovanni da Rimini's Last Judgement will be restored in the upcoming years, once fundraising will be completed. The 14th century fresco, which originally painted onto the walls of the church of St. Augustine, was removed from its original setting in 1916-26 and was transferred onto canvas. It is now part of the collection of the city museum in Rimini.
Chartwell's Duke of Marlborough Portrait Conserved and Redisplayed
March 1 2025
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper has shared news that a portrait of the Duke of Marlborough has been conserved and redisplayed for the first time. The painting, in the collection at Chartwell which is run by the National Trust, was given to Sir Winston Churchill in 1942 but its poor condition meant that it was never hung. Click on the link to read more.
Prado Conserve Velázquez's Queen Elisabeth of France
February 28 2025
Picture: Prado
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news from Spain that the Prado Museum have conserved Diego Velázquez's Equestrian Portrait of Queen Elisabeth of France. Painted in 1635, the work was part of a set of equestrian portraits which were all given rather unsightly vertical canvas extensions during their early lives. The cleaning of the painting was undertaken by the conservator María Álvarez Garcillán. Click here for a very beautiful high-res image which you can zoom into till your heart's content.
Portland Art Museum clean their Monet
February 28 2025
Picture: Portland Art Museum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
More exciting conservation news (it must be the season for it, I suppose!) that the Portland Museum of Art have conserved their Waterlilies (1914-15) by Claude Monet. As you can see, the return of those fresh colours (which appeared incredibly dull before) makes absolutely all the difference.
The freshly cleaned painting will be a part of a new display at the museum, focusing on the conservation project, which opens tomorrow (1st March) and runs until 10th August 2025.
Mantegna Reframed at Castello Sforzesco
February 27 2025
Picture: finestresullarte.info
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Andrea Mantegna's Trivulzio Altarpiece, one of the prized possessions of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, has been reframed and redisplayed. The carved and gilded historic setting, which dates to the late 19th century, had been removed from the painting after the war in favour of a more sober configuration. The project to regroup and restore the frame had begun back in 2023 and was undertaken by Luca Quartana Restauri.
