19th century "Lamentation over the Dead Christ" Canvas Painting by a follower of Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652)

 

The canvas painting before and after the conservation- restoration treatments. 

This beautiful painting is a reproduction of another by the same subject, executed in the early 1620s by the Spanish artist, Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652). Ribera’s painting, currently situated at the National Gallery in London, was influenced by the style of Caravaggio. 

Continue reading about the conservation treatments of this painting and its decorative frame, below:

Manufacturing Technique:

The painting is stretched on a stretcher frame. It appears that the original canvas is fairly thin, having a closed weave and being quite textured. It could be deduced that the material used for the support is probably cotton or linen. The painting seems to have a very thin preparatory layer, which is dark brown in colour. The medium used is probably oil, while the surface of the paint layer is textured, with areas having high impasto.

Visual observations deduced the presence of a very thick and dark varnish layer. Investigations using ultra violet light resulted in a green fluorescence thus confirming the presence of this stratum as being of organic material. 

Past Restorations and State of Conservation:

The painting was lined in the past. Observations indicate that this restoration was carried out fairly recently, most probably in the past ten years. The lining canvas is still fulfilling its purpose in supporting the original canvas.

A general photograph of the verso of the canvas painting, showing the lining canvas.

 The preparatory and paint layers have suffered from extensive damage in the past. The paint layer is abraded in turn exposing the underlying canvas weave. It can be hypothesized that the painting has suffered damage during the lining procedure which was carried out during the past restoration intervention, due to a high heat used.  

Abrasions of the paint layer around and on Jesus Christ’s hand.

Under investigations using ultra violet light, old retouchings and overpainting were observed giving off a black fluorescence. 

The varnish layer present had oxidised into a dark, brown layer which was obscuring heavily the paint layer, and interfering with the aesthetic quality of the painting. 

Conservation-Restoration Treatments:

Cleaning of the paint layer

The painting was temporarily un-mounted from the decorative frame. Preliminary cleaning tests were carried out, and their result was observed in normal light and under ultra violet fluorescence. The cleaning tests were carried out using mixtures of organic solvents, solvent gels, and emulsions. Aqueous solutions ranging from a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 were also tested. 

The varnish and old retouchings proved to be stubborn to most of the reagents used during the preliminary cleaning tests. Various mixtures of organic solvents had to be used, in some cases rendered in a solvent gel using hydroxypropylcelulose. In some cases, thick encrustations were removed using a scalpel blade.

During the removal of varnish from the paint layer.

Infilling of lacunae

The minor losses in the preparatory and paint layers, were infilled with a prepared mixture of Gesso di Bologna (calcium sulfate) and Rabbit-skin Glue. The infills were then levelled down to the surface of the painting using a scalpel blade. 

Pictorial Reintegration

The painting was given a layer of a synthetic varnish, which has two main functions i.e. that of saturating the colours, and acting as an intermediate layer between the paint layer and the successive retouching intervention.

Pictorial reintegration was subsequently carried out on lacunae and on the abrasions of the paint layer, using reversible varnish colours.

During the process of pictorial reintegration.

Final protective layer

A thin, synthetic and reversible protective coating was applied in spray form, to primarily protect the surface from any future mechanical damage and foreign deposits accumulation.

Treatments of the Decorative Frame

The decorative frame was surface cleaned from the accumulated dust and grime. Any cracks and lacunae present were then consolidated using an organic adhesive. The cracks and other lacunae were infilled using a mixture of Gesso di Bologna (calcium sulfate) and Rabbit-skin Glue using a spatula. These infills were then levelled down to the surface of the frame or else carved following the design.

During the process of surface cleaning of the decorative frame.

Since the decorative frame was originally commercially gilded, the infills were then reintegrated using a liquid metal which does not tarnish with time. The decorative frame was finally given a protective coating of synthetic varnish in spray form.

The painting was then re-mounted inside the decorative frame. 

Images and text are copyright Sarah Yeomans Gafa` 2016.