A Random Image
The Conservation Center
The Stephen Chan House
14 East 78th Street
New York, New York 10075

tel: 212-992-5848
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SAMUEL H. KRESS COLLECTION RESEARCH: GIULIANO BUGIARDINI

TREATMENT


Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist,
c. 1523-25
113 x 81.5cm, Oil on cradled panel
Allentown Art Museum, Pennsylvania,
Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961. (1960.10)
Click image to enlarge
Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist,
c. 1523-25
113 x 81.5cm, Oil on cradled panel
Allentown Art Museum, Pennsylvania,
Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961. (1960.10)
Click image to enlarge

When the painting was brought to the Conservation Center, the varnish was extremely discolored, and some of the old retouches from past restoration had blanched, especially those in the sky. The discoloration of the varnish was particularly disfiguring as it imparted an overall yellow tonality to the image, most noticeable in the blue sky. After thorough examination of the painting and spot testing of the varnish and paint layers, cleaning of the painting was carried out. With the careful removal of the varnish layers, the juxtaposition and balance of cool and warm hues was restored, seen, for example, in the contrast between the bright blue sky and the warm pinkish glow of the horizon. Additionally, the pinkish red of the Madonna’s robe is now offset by the bright green of the middle ground landscape, more effectively situating the figure in the foreground and creating a greater depth of the landscape.


Detail of the Madonna and Christ child photographed during cleaning.
Click image to enlarge

The artist’s brushwork and paint handling are also more evident after the cleaning, revealing the artist’s technique of contrasting paint textures. This is beautifully displayed in the Madonna’s flesh tones, which were underpainted with a warm pink textured paint, on top of which cooler highlights and shadows were thinly scumbled with a more dilute paint. The pink paint was applied rapidly with textured brush strokes while the upperlying fleshtone layers were more delicately applied, with a more fluid consistency. 


Detail of the Madonna's head, after treatment.


The texture and warm glow of the underlying pink layer can be seen in this detail of the Madonna’s proper left eye.



Detail of the Madonna’s mouth showing the fluid, more dilute consistency of the thin upper flesh layers. The texture of the underlying pink layer can also be seen below her mouth.

 

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