Mixing and matching. A survey of retouching materials 251 increased by applying multiple layers. In viability tests JunFunori® was resistant to biological attack [9]. Also, when naturally aged it can yellow slightly and brittle when dry. Is likewise very expensive and the recipe is 1g for 100 ml water. Other binder is Aquazol® which is water-soluble synthetic resin comprising oxazole, 2-ethyl, 4,5 dihydro homopolymer. Is sold in different molecular weights: Aquazol® 50, 200 and 500 [10]. All these molecular weight resins are soluble in acetone, water and ethanol. Aquazol has neutral pH and is thermal stable up to 60 degrees. A500 is best for recreating surfaces and binder for chalk fillings. The paints have little colour change on drying and is easy to burnish is necessary. Wolbers found that unpigmented Aquazol 50 and 500 increased scattering of light and reduces gloss degree [11]. Only replicate simple layers. 1.2 Solvent binder solutions The four most popular retouching colours are the Gamblin® Conservation Colours, the Golden® MSA Conservation Paints, the Maimeri® Restauro Restoration Colours and RestaurArte® Retouching Colours. The Gamblin® paints consist of Laropal® A-81, a yellowing-resistant aldehyde resin with low molecular weight [12],soluble in almost all paint solvents as hydrocarbonate as shellsol or propan2-ol. Alumina hydrate is added to paints with organic pigments to increase their tint strength and also a white extender made from calcium carbonate (PW18). This extender is used to increase transparency, or translucency of the colour without changing its viscosity. The paint generally dry to a matt finish. So, gloss can be increased by adding more resin. Some of the solvents used to dissolve the colours are Ethyl L-lactate, Dowanol® PM, Shellsol® D40 and propan-2-ol. The Gamblin® Conservation Colours are excellent for creating deeply opaque retouchings. The pigments are lightfastness and the resin has good pigment wetting quality. Also, the colours can be used to make crisp brush-strokes by using with a fast evaporating solvent and working can be reduced by using slower evaporating solvent Viscosity can also change with the solvent. Using the solvents mention above, the paints normally dry up extremely quickly is needed to frequently replace solvent. Cover retouching paint on the palette with melinex helps to slower the evaporation of the solvent. Another commercial option is the Kremer® Retouching Paints in Laropal® A-81. Have similar characteristics to Gamblin® version but the result of the retouching of Kremer paints can be too glossy. In both situations the solvents required to dilute them make them unsuitable for retouching acrylics and other solvent sensitive paint films. According with brand information Golden® MSA Conservation Paints comprises mineral spirit-based acrylic resins (n-butyl methacrylate system) mainly suitable for retouching as the solvent causes under layers. The paints remain soluble in White spirit and the pigments are lightfast. MSA colours can be blended with oil and alkyd paints. They are not suitable for retouching acrylic paintings. Maimeri® Restoration Colours with traditional mastic are composed, according with manufacture, of three ingredients: pigments, mastic resin, and selected hydrocarbon solvents. The analyses carried out by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, in 2000 [13], confirm the presence of mastic gum, and according to Ameringer [14] and Szmit-Naud [15], the analyses carried out in 1989 by the Canadian Institute of Conservation revealed the presence of several stabilizers, such as aluminium, silica, clay, and wax. In 2003 Szmit-Naud found
252 Ana Bailão | Liliana Cardeira the addition of calcium carbonate, an extender, in some of the colours. The paints have a semi-gloss appearance and no change in the shades after drying. However, the rapid evaporation of the solvents affects the gloss after application to the surface, and it is necessary to add more resin. The intensity of the brightness varies depending on the pigments. One of the advantages of Maimeri® Varnish Colours is the ability of dark tones to match films of aged black oil. One of the main disadvantages of Maimeri® Varnish Colours is the proven yellowing of the mastic resin over the years. Colours such as ultramarine blue, ivory black, yellow ochre, alizarin and viridian green change significantly in tone [13, p. 57], white gets more yellow and pigment paints with high absorption power, change more easily [15]. In addition to the chromatic alteration, there is also cracking in the paint films. Another disadvantage is solubility. Initially, the paints were soluble in a variety of solvents, including white spirit, xylene, toluene and isopropanol. However, as the years pass they become insoluble [13, p. 58]. Due to the alterability of colours Maimeri® launched the same colour line in 1998, replacing the natural resin with ketone, Maimeri® Restauro Ketonic Resin Colour. Although more stable and yellowing resistant than triterpene resin, over time loses solubility due to auto-oxidation and become brittle [15, 16]. According to the colorimetric studies of Sánchez-Ortiz and Micó Boró, cobalt blue may become slightly violet and some colours show whitening. They are considered to be less stable to the degradation of light and also insoluble in non-polar solvents [17]. The Restaurarte® Retouching Colours line is marketed by Bresciani® Srl. According to the manufacturers, the paints are produced with pure pigments and ketonic resin, not specifying which one, dissolved in essence of turpentine. The physicochemical and mechanical properties are similar to the Maimeri® Restoration Ketonic Resin Colour, occurring more chromatic alterations after the retouching process. For example, the earth pigments may turn slightly orange; cadmium red slightly bluish-green and chromium oxide green may change to violet. Because most colours tend to darken, the paints are considered to be very unstable to light degradation. Also, the solubility tests performed by Sánchez Ortiz and Miró Bocó, using three solvent mixtures of the Paolo Cremonesi protocol, of low, intermediate and high polarity, proved to be ineffective in the dissolution of RestaurArte® paints. About their application, some paints have an excess binder, which makes it difficult to evenly distribute the paint (earth, white titanium, red cadmium and ultramarine). The paint is pasty. It is essential to make a good dissolution with the solvent to obtain a smooth paint film. Another feature of this range of colours is the matte result of the paints. Conservators can handmade paints with many binders, besides buying the ones ready-made. Paraloid® B-72 (PB-72) is one of the options. PB-72 is a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate. The commercial resin is sold in the form of regular small translucent stones. It is elastic and resistant to oxidation, light, hydrolysis and moderate heat. Is also transparent, with high mechanical strength and reversibility and can be dissolved in acetone, isopropyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, among others, and slightly soluble in ethanol. PB-72 is used because it is considered stable and durable in the long term. The resin film, after drying, is more matte compared to the natural resins or polycyclohexanones, but does not require the addition of a plasticizer or any other additive, just more resin. This characteristic is suitable to retouch contemporary
Mixing and matching. A survey of retouching materials 253 art with smooth and matte surfaces. The retouching’s may also be a slight tonal darkening of the light colours which can be minimized by avoiding mixtures of paints and keeping the retouching slightly lighter and less saturated compared to the original. The fact that the copolymer creates an uneven film on the surface causes the incident light to be diffuse [18]. 2. DRY SOLUTIONS There are many dry solutions for retouching purposes. The dry powder pigments can be used as they are over a damage surface. They can be applied dry over a layer of JunFunori® or water resoluble Medium already mention in the text. Other option is the mica pigments, or iridescent pigments. They are sold as powder pigments and they can be added to watercolours or other kind of paint or binder. This pigments works in small losses due to the metameric effect caused by the small crystals. Caran D’Ache® Luminance 6901 Lightfast Pencil is a fine-art professional coloured pencil and the only ones with info about lightfastness of the colours. This type of material can be used, for example, in paper support. The pencils have an effortless application without creating traces over the surface. Watercolour stick is more one dry solution. Creates a transparent and luminous paint over the white filler with can be smooth by a moistened brush. Is important to check the permanency of the pigments used because the lightfastness can be reduced in paints with multiple pigments [7]. Individual sticks of pigmented waxresin are recently sold by Gamblin® in sets of 12 colours. Can be used for filling losses in paint. Can be an option for monochromatic and smooth surfaces. The material is manipulated using moderately heated tools to quickly fill losses (c. 50 degrees). The fill can be sculpted but is not easy to manipulate with a hot pointed or flat head spatula and it is hard to direct adequate amounts of the material into small fills. The conservator can also use the stick pastels. They are easy to apply through sponge, rubber spatulas. Can be a solution for smudge surfaces [19, 20] as well as the PanPastel® Colorfin LLC. But there are other solutions related with protection, texture and appearance. Most modern and contemporary paintings do not have a surface coating and fill material can be abrasive. For this problem conservator can use a masking paint surrounding a damage which can protect the paint from the abrasive potential of the filler when shaping, texturing and reducing fill material. Is important to test the surface with the masking material to insure that do not leave stains. The mask should be done with temporary and reversible material like the dispersion of natural rubber in water by Royal Talens® or the Methocel® (A4C and A4M) range developed by Dow® Chemical Company. For texture there are the Retouching Gels for example. Comprises Paraloid® B72 resin, a amine light stabiliser and a bulking agent of fumed silica. Sold as a set of 8 gels providing a range of media that varying in concentration of PB72, hardness, softness of the gel and drying time (depends of the solvents). Three solvents are used: Dowanol® PM (fast evaporation), Dowanol® PnP (mid-range evaporation) and Dowanol® DPM (slow evaporation rate), all glycol ether type solvents. To finish, as opacifiers and bulking materials for the retouching paints is possible to use mica or iridescent pigments, pipe clay or caulin and methycellulose, among others. Bulking agents are added to paint to increase coverage, reduce cost, achieve
254 Ana Bailão | Liliana Cardeira durability, alter appearance and influence other desirable properties. 4. CONCLUSIONS There are many materials for retouching. All have its individual properties, advantages, and disadvantages, which can also be useful in some cases depending on the surface of the artwork. The best materials are the ones non-toxic, stable to temperature and humidity, resistant to biological attacks and lightfast. There are no perfect materials. It all depends on the object and the conditions where it will be exposed. But having the conservator all these materials available became possible the matching of the original colours. REFERENCES [1] BAILAO, Ana - Terminologia associada à conservação e restauro de pintura. Conservar Património. 18 (2014) pp. 55-62. doi:10.14568/ cp2013010. [2] Communication presented at 5th International Conference youth in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, YOCOCU 2016, Madrid, Spain, entitled Using watercolour markers in chromatic reintegration: a case study and at 4th International Meeting on Retouching of Cultural Heritage, RECH 4, Split, Croatia, entitled Using watercolour markers in chromatic reintegration. [2] WITTE, E. de; GUISLAIN-WITTERMANN, R.; MASSCHELEIN-KLEINER, L. – Comparación entre algunos materiales y técnicas de reintegración. Revista PH. 16 (1996), pp. 63-65. [3] FUSTER, Laura; CASTELL, Maria; GUEROLA, Vicente – El estuco en la restauración de pintura sobre lienzo. Criterios, materiales y procesos. Valencia: Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 2004. [4] METZGER, Catherine A.; MAINES, Christopher; DUNN, Joanna (compilers) – Painting Conservation Catalog. Vol. III: Inpainting. USA: American Institute for Conservation. The Paintings Specialty Group, 2011. [5] STONER, Joyce Hill; RUSHFIELD, Rebecca (ed.) – Conservation of Easel Paintings. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd, 2012. [6] DOMMERMUTH, Jean – Hand-Mixed. Aqueous Binding Media: Egg Tempera. In METZGER, Catherine A.; MAINES, Christopher; DUNN, Joanna (compilers) – Painting Conservation Catalog. Vol. III: Inpainting. USA: American Institute for Conservation. The Paintings Specialty Group, 2011, p. 104. [7] BAILAO, Ana Maria dos Santos - Avaliação Colorimétrica da Alteração de Cor de Alguns Guaches e Aguarelas Utilizados na Reintegração Cromática de Bens Culturais. In CALVO, Ana; VIEIRA, Eduarda (Coord.) – Matrizes da Investigação em Conservação e Restauro I. Porto: UCP/ CITAR, 2014, pp. 13-41. [8] GEIGER, Thomas; MICHEL, Françoise - Studies on the Polysaccharide JunFunori Used to Consolidate Matt Paint. Studies in Conservation.
Mixing and matching. A survey of retouching materials 255 50 (3) (2005). p. 193. https://doi.org/10.1179/ sic.2005.50.3.193 [9] CHIU, Thomas T.; THILL, Bruce P.; FAIRCHOK, William J. – Poly(2-ethyl-2- oxazoline): A New Water and Organic Soluble Adhesive. In GLASS, J. Edwards - Water-Soluble Polymers. Washington, D.C: American Chemical Society, 1986, pp. 425-433, Vol. 213. [10] WOLBERS, Richard C.; MCGINN, Mary; DUERBECK, Deborah - Poly (2-Ethyl-2- Oxazoline): A New Conservation Consolidant. In DORGE, Valerie; HOWLETT, F. Carey, ed. - Painted Wood: History and Conservation. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 1998, pp. 514-527. [11] LEONARD, Mark; WHITTEN, Jill; GAMBLIN, Robert; RIE, E. René de la – Development of a new material for inpainting. In ROY, Ashok; SMITH, Perry, ed. – Tradition and innovation: Advances to conservation. London: International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC), 2000, pp. 111 –113. [12] RIE, E. René de la; QUILLEN LOMAX, Suzanne; PALMER, Michael; DEMING GLINSMAN, Lisha; MAINES, Christopher A. – An investigation of the photochemical stability of urea-aldehyde resin retouching paints: removability tests and colour spectroscopy. In ROY, Ashok; SMITH, Perry, ed. – Tradition and innovation: Advances to conservation. London: International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC), 2000, pp. 53. [13] AMERINGER, Charlotte Seifen – Proprietary. Solvent-Based resins: Low Molecular Weight (LMW) resins. In METZGER, Catherine A.; MAINES, Christopher; DUNN, Joanna (compilers) – Painting Conservation Catalog. Vol. III: Inpainting. USA: American Institute for Conservation, The Paintings Specialty Group, 2011, p. 195. [14] SZMIT–NAUD, Elzbieta – Reasearch on Materials for easel Painting Retouches: Part 1. The Picture Restorer. 23 (2003), pp. 6, 7. [15] SZMIT-NAUD, Elzbieta – Research on Materials for Easel Painting Retouches: Part 2. The Picture Restorer. 24 (2003), pp. 5-9. [16] SÁNCHEZ ORTIZ, Alicia; MICÓ BORÓ, Sandra – From the laboratory to the restorer studio. Practical inpaint applications with commercial colours of synthetic resins. In V Congresso Internazionale “Colore e Conservazione”, Le fasi finali nel restauro delle opere policrome mobili. Cesmar7, Saonara: Il Prato, 2011, p. 160. [17] RIE, E. René de la Rie – The Influence of Varnishes on the Appearance of Paintings. Studies in Conservation. 32 (1) (1987), pp. 1-13. Disponível em: http://www.jstor.org/ stable/1506186. Consultado em 01 de Dezembro de 2017. [18] PERRY, Roy A. – Retouching damaged Modern Art. In Conference 2000: Retouching Filling. Oxford: Association of British Picture Restorers, 2000, pp. 19-22. [19] CHIANTORE, Óscar; RAVA, Antonio – Conservare l´arte contemporanea: problemi, metodi, materiali, ricerche. Milano: Electa, 2005, pp. 139, 291.
Abstract Fernando Mardel (1884 - 1960), was a Portuguese painter-restorer of the 20th century, pioneer in the interrelation between science and art, concerning the conservation and restoration of paintings, in Portugal. Among many of his works that are worth mentioning, the restoration of the Flemish paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries, belonging to the painting collection of the Sacred Art Museum of Funchal (MASF), in Madeira Island, are one of the most important. The aim of this paper is to present Mardel´s options for the reintegration of the Flemish paintings of the MASF. FERNANDO MARDEL, A PORTUGUESE PAINTERRESTORER. RETROSPECTIVE OF HIS RETOUCHING WORK Carolina Rodrigues Ferreira (1, 2) | Fernando António Baptista Pereira (1) | António Candeias (2, 3) | Mercês Lorena (3) 1. Centro de Investigação e de Estudos em Belas-Artes|Faculdade de Belas-Artes da Universidade de Lisboa; Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas Artes, 1249-058 Lisboa; E-mail address: [email protected]; [email protected] 2. Laboratório HERCULES |Universidade de Évora; Palácio do Vimioso, Largo Marquês de Marialva, nº8, 7000-809 Évora, Portugal; E-mail address: [email protected] 3. Laboratório José de Figueiredo | Direção Geral do Património Cultural; Rua das Janelas Verdes, 1249-018 Lisboa; E-mail address: [email protected]
1. INTRODUCTION In Portugal, until the middle of the third quarter of the 20th century, painting restoration was performed by painters-restorers, whose background was in painting. After 1980 emerged the first restoration courses, becoming this activity a profession with a specific training [1]. Until the end of the 19th century the restoration of paintings resulted for the most part in overpainting, totally or partially. These overpainting’s were aimed at the improvement of the state of conservation, or iconographic canon changes [2]. It is only at the end of the 19th century that we witness a change in the restoration criteria, particularly concerning the respect for the original painting. Thus, the chromatic reintegration begins to develop, being limited to the areas of loss and wear, not overlapping the original painting [3], first with the mimetic technique and them with the differential techniques [4]. It is in this context of change Keywords Fernando Mardel; Painter-restorer; Chromatic reintegration; Restoration; Painting. that Fernando Mardel appears in the history of conservation and restoration in Portugal. First collaborating in the Luciano Freire (1864-1934) studio [5], until he became responsible for the painting restoration of the Portuguese State. 2. FERNANDO MARDEL, A PAINTER-RESTORER 2.1 Biographical data Fernando Mardel de Araújo (Figure 1), was born on November 22nd, 1884 in Lisbon [6], and died in the same city in June 28th, 1960 [7], with 76 years of age. There is not many information documented about F. Mardel´s family life. He is the adopted son of Júlio Mardel (1855-1928) an important archaeologist of his time, who contributed to the history of Portuguese heritage [8]. In the homage of his friend and co-worker João Couto (1892-1968), there is a reference to a sister called Joana Josefa Torrado Fernandes [7]. According to some authors [9], F. Mardel attended the painting course at the School of Fine Arts of Lisbon. However, no official documents have been found so far in the archives of the institution, such as the process of enrolment in the course, or a certificate of attendance at classes and exams. But it is not surprising that he had been in contact with the School environment from a very early age; influenced by his father, a member of the National Monuments Commission of the National Academy of Fine Arts of Lisbon, situated in the same building as the School. F. Mardel’s talent for painting, caught the attention of L. Freire, who taught there, and made him his disciple. Figure 1 • Portrait of Fernando Mardel in the atelier of the old Institute of Examination and Restoration of Works of Arts (Boletim do Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Fac. III, Vol IV, Lisboa, 1962).
258 Carolina Rodrigues Ferreira | Fernando António Baptista Pereira | António Candeias | Mercês Lorena In 1910, L. Freire became a member of the Commission for the Inventory and Improvement of Ancient Paintings, and was responsible, until 1933, for the painting restoration at the Art and Archeology Council Office, installed in the same building of the National Academy of Fine Arts of Lisbon [10]. In his team he count with the participation of F. Mardel, Luís Ortigão Burnay (1884-1951) and Albino Moreira da Cunha (1897- 1970?). F. Mardel, in 1934, at the age of 50, and until his death, was responsible for the restoration of the Portuguese heritage paintings. First, in the restoration workshop at the National Museum of Ancient Art, where was transferred the atelier of the National Academy of Fine Arts of Lisbon [11]. And later, at the Institute of Examination and Restoration of Works of Art, the first building in Europe to be built for this function, in 1940. It was located in the annexed ground of the National Museum of Ancient Art [12], presently José de Figueiredo Laboratory, in Lisbon. In 1938, F. Mardel was a fellow of the Institute for High Culture [9], which allowed him to have contact with other restoration practices and to improve his technical skills. He went to Rome to attend the Second International Conference of Restoration in 1949 [9], where he observed the new method of chromatic reintegration made by Cesare Brandi in the mural painting of Lorenzo da Viterbo in the Capella Mazzatota of the Church Santa Maria della Veritá [4]. L. Freire was important in his formation, but it is with João Couto that his professional development is evident. João couto defended that for conservation and restoration of the work of art, it is necessary a previous knowledge scientific of the object. This is why F. Mardel in his professional career always applied the available scientific means to assist him in the decisions making processes. 2. 2 His work Among many of the restoration works he has done, it stands out the intervention in the paintings that integrated the exhibition of the Primitive Portuguese in 1940, which earned him the commendation of the Officer of the Order of Saint James in 1941 [9]. In these interventions there were four paintings from the 16th century altarpiece of Funchal’s Cathedral in Madeira Island: Christ praying in the garden; Annunciation; Abraham and Melchizedek; and The gathering of the Manna. Recently with a new intervention in 2013/2014 [13], it was possible to observe the mimetic technique made by F. Mardel in these paintings. Still from the heritage of Madeira Island, he intervened in a set of Flemish paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries, currently belonging to the collection of the Sacred Art Museum of Funchal [14]. It is on these interventions that we will make a brief analysis of the chromatic reintegration made by F. Mardel. 3. INTERVENTION IN THE FLEMISH PAINTINGS OF THE SACRED ART MUSEUM OF FUNCHAL 3.1 Historical context This set of paintings were sent to Lisbon in 1949, on board of the ship Angola with the accompaniment of F. Mardel, who travelled to Madeira to supervise the packaging and transport of the paintings. The intervention took place between 1949 and 1955 at the former Institute of Examination and Restoration of Works of Arts [12] and were carried out following the work for the safeguarding of the pictorial heritage of the Madeira Island, developed by Manuel Cayola Zagallo (1905?-1970), between 1933 and 1949 [15]. In 1955, the paintings returned to Madeira in the ship Carvalho de
Fernando Mardel, a portuguese painter-restorer. Retrospective of his retouching work 259 Araújo once again accompanied by F. Mardel, and were exhibited in the Sacred Art Museum of Funchal, inaugurated on July 1st of that year. The installation of the paintings were of the responsibility of F. Mardel [16]. During the time that the paintings were in Lisbon, they were exhibited twice in the National Museum of Ancient Art. The first in 1949, before the restoration, in the context of the 16th International Congress of Art History [17], and the second in 1952, after the restoration [18], with the presentation of the conservation and restoration process, within the scope of ICOM 5th Conference of Restoration. 3.2 Fernando Mardel´s chromatic reintegration – materials and methods The conservation reports on these paintings, with the signature of F. Mardel [19], are poorly developed, as he, unlike is master L. Freire, did not documented extensively his work. However there is information that let us know the treatments to which the paintings were submitted. The intervention consists in the treatment of the wooden supports and the paint layers. The reintegration was done in two phases. The first phase consisted of the application of the underpaintings with varnish and the second phase was with egg tempera. F. Mardel used the mimetic technique [20] in all of the paintings. The goal was to make the intervention invisible, reproducing the colour and texture of the surrounding areas (Figure 2). With surface examination, infrared reflectography and x-ray (made by Luís Piorro, at the José de Figueiredo Laboratory/DGPC), it is possible to affirm that the areas surrounding the gaps were respected, in others words, the retouching does not extend over the original painting. Although, there is the hypothesis of this happening in one or another situation. In some situations F. Mardel reproduces the crack networks in the surface painting with the retouch (Figure 3), and not with the treatment texture of the filler mass, as usual in such cases [20]. The analytical study of the paintings is still in progress at the HERCULES Laboratory of the University of Évora. The main goals are the identification of the materials applied in the intervention (fillers, pigments and mediums), and the stratigraphic characterization of the areas intervened by F. Mardel. The expected results, compared to the information in the reports, will allow a complete characterization of its technique: how he applied the colours (mixed in the palled or overlapped) and pigment identification. Although the mimetic technique is mainly adopted by F. Mardel, in the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32), it is observed another solution for the retouching. This triptych had been mutilated in the wooden support when it was transferred from the original church, Nossa Senhora da Encarnação, to the church of São Martinho, in order to adapt to the new altarpiece structure [14]. In addition to the mimetic retouching, similar to the other paintings, in this triptych we observe a differentiated or visible technique [20], in the adapted areas. Figure 2 • Mimetic retouching of a lacuna located in the red tunic of the painting Saint James (MASF 28). Figure 3 • Imitation of the network of cracks in the leg of Saint James in the painting Our Lady of Amparo (MASF 39).
260 Carolina Rodrigues Ferreira | Fernando António Baptista Pereira | António Candeias | Mercês Lorena F. Mardel in the report states that “in order to avoid making an entirely new painting in this added portion, it was more convenient to complete the drawing in a sepia tone of neutral colour only to give a more agreeable set to the painting” [21]. However, it does not make reference to whom carried out this work. Not excluding the hypothesis of having been F. Mardel to carried out this work, it is also possible that it was done by Abel de Moura (1911- ?), his successor, which by that time already collaborated in the Institute. In 1949 he made a similar intervention in the Triptych of St. Bartholomew, Pieta and St. Francis, belonging to the collection of the Ricardo Espírito Santo Foundation [22]. In this painting Abel de Moura used the sgraffito technique with lighter shades than the original colours [4]. In the Triptych of the Incarnation the adopted solution is similar. The reconstruction of the drawing is achieved by extending the lines (Figure 4). Even though the lines of the pictorial composition are respected, there is no reference how would it be. We can observe the creativity and personal taste from the author when he draws a snail and vegetation (Figure 5). The drawing is done in black over a sepia background. Although this is the predominant tone of the reconstituted drawing, it is possible to observe others colours, namely in the back panels that represent St. Antony and St. Bartholomew, where the carnations and frame are coloured with the same tone as the original (Figure 6). In some areas of the drawing it is used the sgraffito technique to fill the background (Figure 7). 4. CONCLUSIONS The technical option of chromatic reintegration used by F. Mardel in the Flemish paintings of the Sacred Art Museum of Funchal was the mimetic reintegration, with the exception of Figure 4 • Reconstitution of the painting in the lower part of the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32). Figure 5 • Detail of the reconstitution in the lower part of the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32).
Fernando Mardel, a portuguese painter-restorer. Retrospective of his retouching work 261 the reconstitution of the missing parts of the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32). Even though the differentiated technique adopted in the reconstruction of the missing parts of the Triptych of the Incarnation, probably it’s not F. Mardel author –, the accomplishment of this work under his responsibility, demonstrate the concern to introduce new techniques. The mimetic chromatic reintegration used by F. Mardel aims to go unnoticed by the observer, its intention is not to create a false historical. He pretends that the intervention be unnoticed, so that the observer’s perception is directed to the painting and not to the retouched areas. F. Mardel´s concern not to overlap the original shows that he reveals’ respect for the integrity of the painting, meeting the spirit of the intervention already advocated by his master L. Freire. Figure 6 • Reconstitution of the painting in the back panel of the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32). Figure 7 • Detail of the sgraffito technique to fill the drawing in the back panel of the Triptych of the Incarnation (MASF 32).
262 Carolina Rodrigues Ferreira | Fernando António Baptista Pereira | António Candeias | Mercês Lorena REFERENCES [1] FIGUEIRA, Francisca – A disciplina/ profissão de conservação e restauro: uma ciência recente e o seu desenvolvimento em Portugal. Conservar Património, nº 21 (2015), pp. 39-51. [2] SERRÃO, Vítor - Renovar, repintar e retocar: estratégias do pintor-restaurador em Portugal desde o século XVI. In Conservar Património, Nº 3-4 (2006), pp. 53-71. [3] CRUZ, António – O restauro de pintura em Portugal no tempo de Luciano Freire. In 100 anos de património, memória e identidade. Lisboa, 2010, pp. 117-122. [4] BAILÃO, Ana; HENRIQUES, Francisco; CABRAL, Madalena; GONÇALVES, Alexandre – Primeiros passos de maturidade a caminho da reintegração cromática diferenciada em pintura de cavalete em Portugal. Geconservación, nº 1 (2010), pp. 128-141. [5] LEANDRO, Sandra – O mito do recriador: Luciano Freire e os trabalhos de conservação e restauro da “Pintura Antiga”. In 40 anos do Instituto José de Figueiredo. IPCR, Lisboa (2007), pp. 65-81. [6] Grande Enciclopédia Portuguesa e Brasileira, Vol. 16. Lisboa: Editorial Enciclopédia Lda., p. 272. [7] COUTO, João - Homenagem a Fernando Mardel. In Boletim do Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (Fac. III, Vol. IV), Lisboa, 1962. [8] CUSTÓDIO, Jorge – Júlio Carlos Mardel de Arriaga Velho Cabral da Cunha (1855- 1928). In 100 Anos de património, memória e identidade. Lisboa, 2010, pp. 78-80. [9] FLOR, Susana - Fernando Mardel de Araújo. In 100 Anos de Património, memória e identidade. Lisboa. 2010, pp. 211-212. [10] VÁRIOS - Elementos para um relatório acerca do tratamento da pintura antiga em Portugal segundo notas tomadas no período da execução desses trabalhos. In Conservar Património, Nº 5, (2007), pp. 9-65. [11] CURVEIO, Alexandra - Da Oficina de Restauro de Luciano Freire ao Instituto José de Figueiredo. In100 Anos de Património, memória e identidade. Lisboa; 2010, pp. 175-180. [12] COUTO, João - Painéis Flamengos da Ilha da Madeira. Seu merecimento, valorização e conservação. Funchal, Edição da Junta Geral do Distrito Autónomo do Funchal, 1955, pp. 16- 32. [13] FERREIRA, Carolina; GOMES, Sofia, NASCIMENTO, Glória; LORENA, Mercês; CANDEIAS, António – Conservação e Restauro das pinturas do retábulo da capelamor da Sé do Funchal. Contributo, no contexto contemporâneo da preservação, defesa e valorização do património cultural. In O retábulo no Espaço Ibero-Americano. Forma, função e iconografia, Vol. 2 (2016), pp. 155-165. [14] PEREIRA, Fernando A. B.; CLODE, Luíza – Arte Flamenga: Museu de Arte Sacra do Funchal. Funchal, Edicarte (1997). [15] ZAGALLO, Cayola - As Pinturas dos Séculos XV e XVI da Ilha da Madeira, Academia Nacional de Belas Artes, Lisboa (1943). [16] GUERRA, Jorge Valdemar – Intervenções da Junta Geral no âmbito do Património Cultural, In Junta Geral do Distrito do Funchal (1836-1976): Administração e História. Arquivo Regional da Madeira (2016), pp. 327-336. [17] COUTO, João; ZAGALLO, Cayola - Exposição Temporária das Obras de Arte dos Séculos XV e XVI da Ilha da Madeira, Catálogo, Lisboa (1949). [18] COUTO, João; ZAGALLO, Cayola - Pinturas dos Séculos XV e XVI da Ilha da Madeira (Depois do seu restauro), Catálogo, Lisboa (1955). [19] MARDEL, Fernando, “Relatórios das intervenções das pinturas da Ilha da Madeira”, manuscritos, Arquivo do Laboratório José de Figueiredo (1955), nº processo: Rest. 870; Rest. Rest. 967; Res. 969; Rest. 970; Rest. 975; Rest. 976; Rest. 977; Rest. 978; Rest. 980; Rest. 981; Rest. 983. (2015-12-3) [20] BAILÃO, Ana – As técnicas da reintegração cromática na pintura: revisão historiográfica. In Ge-conservación, nº 2 (2011), pp. 45-63. [21] MARDEL, Fernando, “Relatório de intervenção do Tríptico de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação”, manuscritos, Arquivo do Laboratório José de Figueiredo (1955), nº processo: Rest. 977 (2015-12-3). [22] Museu de Artes Decorativas Portuguesas – Guia. Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo, Lisboa: 2001, p. 91.
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Abstract Three panel paintings of the Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) formed part of a Sienese predella made around 1510. The Passion scenes were painted on a single wooden board, which was cut in three in the past. Due to the disjointing there are some losses of the wooden support, but the recent restoration revealed a very particular damage to the painted surface too. After the removal of the darkened varnish, discolored retouches and old fillings, traces of heavy vandalism came into view. Scratches and holes were incised with a sharp object destroying the eyes and other facial details of the figures. The delicate question of how to execute THE RESTORATION OF THREE STRONGLY DAMAGED PANEL PAINTINGS OF A 16TH-CENTURY SIENESE PREDELLA Ágnes Kuna | Tímea Bakonyi | Erdei Gábor Museum of Fine Arts, Conservation Department; Dózsa György út 41, H-1146, Budapest; E-mail address: [email protected], timea.bakonyi@mfab. hu, [email protected]
1. INTRODUCTION The three small panels of the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts are attributed to Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, called Il Sodoma (1477–1549), and the retouching in such an extreme case was discussed by experts from both the museum and abroad. Despite some of its disadvantages the decision was made in favour of total reconstruction and mimetic retouching of the vandalized details. Keywords Predella; Vandalism; Mimetic retouching; Reconstruction. his workshop (fig. 1). The paintings depict scenes from the Passion: the Capture of Christ (36.3 × 61.8 × 1.8 cm, inv. no. 1230), the Flagellation (36.5 × 70.5 × 2 cm, inv. no. 1161), and the Road to Calvary (36.4 × 61.9 × 2 cm, inv. no. 1231). Scholars date the works to the period when the artist worked in Siena [1]. The panels, originally painted on a single plank of poplar wood, formed part of the predella of an unknown altarpiece. The fragments were bought in the Figure 2 • Digital reconstruction of the probable original arrangement of the restored predella fragments. Figure 1 • Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, called Il Sodoma, and his workshop: three fragments of a predella, c. 1510, before restoration. Old Masters’ Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. 1890s from two different Italian art dealers [2], and it was only after their recent restoration that they were physically rejoined. Phototechnical examinations and the study of cross-sections foreshadowed partial repairs but it was only after the removal of the old varnish, retouching and fillings that the true extent of the damages was revealed. All the malevolent figures in the three scenes had been disfigured by holes as deep as the wooden support and
266 Ágnes Kuna | Tímea Bakonyi | Erdei Gábor large scratches (fig. 3). The intentional damage of the paintings seems to have been caused in situ by religious fanatics at an unknown time in the past. The holes affected especially the eyes and the mouths of the figures. Strangely, in the Road to Calvary, even Christ’s eyes and mouth have been vandalized (fig. 4). There was a concensus among the museum’s restorers and art historians that accidental losses need to be retouched. The question of the intentional damages’ restoration was much more controversial. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS The restoration of these three panels was carried out by three restorers, so it was important to harmonize their work and decisions with the art historians’ opinion too. During the committee meetings, the following possibilities were discussed about the retouching method. 2.1. The possibility of leaving the intentionally caused damages fully visible This option did not seem safe because of the sensitivity of the original ground and paint layers. Therefore we decided against it but, of course, agreed to make a detailed, high-resolution photo-documentation of all the damages before filling the losses. 2.2. The possibility of a visible retouching The possibility of a neutral reintegration was disapproved for more than one reasons. First, the scenes are depicted in a very expressive way, whose effectiveness depends on the visibility of each figure’s emotions. A neutral retouching would make it impossible to render the variety of emotions. Second, since these predella scenes will be positioned at eye level in the museum’s permanent exhibition, undefined facial details could disturb the majority of visitors. Other types of visible retouching, such as tratteggio or the pointillistic technique would be inappropriate for the same reasons, and also because they are impossible to carry out properly in the case of small losses such as those present in the panels. 2.3. The advantages and the materials of making a mimetic retouching and reconstruction After careful consideration, the committee decided in favor of the total reintegration of the losses and, where necessary, the reconstruction of the details lost due to intentional damage Figure 3 • Flagellation, detail (before and after the removal of the old restoration). Figure 4 • Road to Calvary, detail (during and after the restoration).
The restoration of three strongly damaged panel paintings of a 16th-century Sienese predella 267 (fig. 4). One of the reasons of this decision is what has been discussed above regarding the importance of preserving the expressive quality of the faces. Another one concerns the phenomenon of the excessive and systematic vandalism, of which there is no other example in our collection; indeed, they are rare anywhere else [3]. Some experts both in Hungary and abroad argued that it is not advisable to display this kind of intentional damage because it might encourage similar behaviour. The restoration of the paintings was therefore executed by means of indistinguishable retouching, and a total reconstruction was carried out with Schmincke® watercolor on the top of the fillings1 where necessary. Once the surface was varnished,2 the correction of the retouching was executed with a varnish mixed with Mussini® oil paints containing a reduced amount of binding agent. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We aimed to reconstruct the damaged faces in a manner and style as close to that of Sodoma and his workshop as possible. We based our work on the analogies of the undamaged faces in the same predella and on similar heads in the artist’s other paintings of the same period and/or of the same scale. While the losses of the vandalized eyes and mouths were filled in at the level of the original ground, we did not fill the indentations of the scratches so as to leave at least some traces of the act of vandalism that are not so evident and disturbing to the viewers. Preliminary research on the painting technique also provided indispensable help for completing the work, since we aimed to preserve the following technological and historical characteristics on the restored paintings. 3.1. The variation of metal decorations present on the paintings Analytical examination was carried out to reconstruct the particular structure of the decorative strips on the left and the right borders of the paintings (fig. 5). The results show that tin leaf (no. 2 on fig. 5) was applied over a pinkish adhesive layer (no. 1 on fig. 5) and then gold leaf (no. 3 on fig. 5) was glued on its surface. We decided not to cover the remnants of this original feature so, after executing the fillings where necessary, we applied neutral retouching (matching the tone of the pinkish adhesive layer). During the removal of the old varnish and retouching, we also found traces of bole and water gilding under the paint surfaces along the bottom and the top edges of the paintings. These belong to the former engaged frame that had already been added when the ground preparation was applied to the entire front of the predella. The engaged frame was subsequently covered with bole and gold leaves. Especially the reddish layer extended onto the grounds of the painted scenes. As this was an interesting trait of the process of execution, we decided not to retouch the abrasions of the paint in these small areas. Figure 5 • Road to Calvary. Cross-section was taken from the ca. 1 cm wide decorative strips (macroscopic photo on the left) for analyzing their layers (microscopic photos on the right).
268 Ágnes Kuna | Tímea Bakonyi | Erdei Gábor 3.2. The treatment of the damages caused by the disjoining of the predella Before the present restoration, the originally unpainted bottom and top borders of the panels were filled in and overpainted. After the removal of this old addition, the fragmented and unstable original edges of the pictorial surfaces were stabilized with putty in line with the barb. Now a clear line marks where the former engaged frame of the predella met the painted surface. After the removal of the old fillings, we discovered another important sign of the original structure in the Flagellation panel: two holes that indicate where the long plank of the predella was nailed to a central strut (back-reinforcement). The original paint and ground layers over the holes must have been lost when the predella’s parts were separated (fig. 6). After the restoration, the traces of these nails are visible only on the reverse of the Flagellation. On the obverse, the holes were filled in and retouched in order to maintain the uniformity of the painted surface. 4. CONCLUSIONS This restoration was carried out in 2016 and 2017 with an aim to make the presentation of the three predella fragments in our new permanent exhibition (to be opened in 2018) possible.3 After the restoration, the Passion scenes will have a new common installation box, which is now in the phase of design. Thanks to the restoration and the undistinguishable retouching of the paintings, now we are closer to the painter’s original intention than before. Moreover, digital technology makes it possible to present an extensive documentation about the pictures at the permanent exhibition. There will be a display screen showing the most interesting moments of the predella’s story: phases of conservation before and during the restoration, as well as the completely uncovered state, which are the most informative photos of the nature and extent of the destruction. A digital reconstruction will show where the fragments were probably located in the original structure of the altarpiece (fig. 2). REFERENCES [1] See, for example, SRICCHIA SANTORO, Fiorella – Ricerche senesi 4. Il giovane Sodoma. Prospettiva. Vol. 30, (1982), pp. 54, 58; BARTALINI, Roberto – in Domenico Beccafumi e il suo tempo. Exh. cat. Milan: Electa, 1990, p. 246; SRICCHIA SANTORO, Fiorella – in ibid., p. 378 (with earlier literature); TÁTRAI, Vilmos, ed. – Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. Old Master’s Gallery. A Summary Catalogue of Italian, French, Spanish, and Greek Paintings. Budapest–London 1991, p. 111 Figure 6 • Flagellation. Detail of one hole where the panel was originally nailed to the strut. (After the removal of the old restoration and with the wooden insert)
The restoration of three strongly damaged panel paintings of a 16th-century Sienese predella 269 [2] MRAVIK, László, ed. – in Pulszky Károly emlékének (In memoriam Pulszky Károly). Exh. cat. Budapest: Szépművészeti Múzeum, 1988, p. 107 [3] The predella of a polyptych by Girolamo da Santa Croce at the church of Our Lady of Spilica in Vis was damaged by extensive vandalism. See on the official website of the Croatian Conservation Institute. Available at: http://www.h-r-z.hr/en/index.php/djelatnosti/ konzerviranje-restauriranje/staf2/331- polyptych-of-girolamo-da-santa-croce-in-vis [15 November 2017]. Also the Moravian Gallery in Brno holds a panel painting, which has been extremely vandalized. HRADILOVÁ, Janka; VLČKOVÁ, Jitka; KRÁL, Mario – Epithaf of Margaret (wife of Jan Ratold). Gothic Panel Painting from the Collections of the Moravian Gallery in Brno. In Conference 2008: Art and Material Aspects in the Evaluation of the Origin and Age of a Work of Art. Technologia Artis 6. Prague: Academy of Fine Arts, 2008, pp. 152-174. NOTES 1. Composition of the putty: 10-12 % solution of rabbit skin glue, gesso di Bologna, PVAc based wood glue (Palma Fa normál) and some drops of a triple complex medium (1 part Venice turpentine, 1 part dammar varnish, 1 part linseed oil). The putty was not colored with any pigments. The surface of the fillings was isolated with a 1:5 mixture of an acrylic dispersion (Plextol B500) and water. 2. Composition of the varnish: a solution of dammar resin in turpentine diluted with white spirit and some drops of Lefranc & Bourgeois Satin picture varnish. 3. We are truly grateful to restorers Tünde Réti, Mária Velekei, and András Fáy, conservator Béla Nagy, art historians Nikoletta Koruhely, Dóra Sallay, and Georgina S. Csető, professors László Kriston, Eszter Tuzson, and Anna Vihart, scientists Dóra Kesjár and Máté Szabó, graphic designer Nóra Bene, and photographer Dénes Józsa for their help.
Abstract Photography conservators are often required to assess the conditions related to the objects prior to exhibition, either confirming the conservation reports that accompany the items, marking new observed damages or elaborating a new condition report. It can also happen that some minor damages had to be intervened before the exhibition of the object. When the photographs arrive to the exhibition area they are often suitable framed for exhibition, so the assessment includes the photograph and its frame or mounting system. In contemporary photography is rather frequent the appearance of oversized objects, with the increase of deterioration risks this fact implies. INPAINTING IN EXHIBITION Clara M. Prieto Professor of conservation and restoration at ESCRBC (Escuela Superior de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales) Madrid. Spain. Independent conservator of photographs and graphic art. [email protected]
1. INTRODUCTION During the conservation assessment it was observed an apparent paint loss in the outer side of the bottom right corner of the frame, as well as on its right side. This losses leaved naked clear wood exposed, creating a high contrast on that area and resulting on a visual impact that affects the contemplation of the photograph. All parties concerned agreed that these losses had to be retouched, but the owner institution wanted the intervention to be fully reversible. Water soluble media was suggested, but given the nature of the paint loss, any application of this type of media The example discussed here is a photograph from Lewis Baltz, Piazza Pugliesi, 1991, belonging to the Collection of the Stedelik Museum of Amsterdam. Technical data: 130x200 cm Cibacrhome® print mounted in aluminium framed in a black wooden frame and face protected by a Plexiglass®. Keywords Chromatic reintegration; Contemporary photography; Frame, reversibility. would have penetrated in the naked wood, making it impossible to reverse. Given the short deadlines of the installation of the exhibition, the intervention had to be performed on the photography already hung on the wall, in the exhibition hall. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS A method of fully reversible inpainting for the frame is proposed, using materials and techniques available to any paper and photography conservator [1] . The technique focuses in recreating the visual experience and ensures the retreatability of the item [2]. The inpainting, made to measure and shape on adhesive paper tape (Filmoplast ® P90)[3,4,5] and tinted with acrylic media, significantly diminish visibility of the damaged area. The method proposed can be performed in the exhibition area, with no risks or interferences with the rest of the activities of the exhibition-making. 2.1 Materials: Filmoplast® P90 [6] Filmoplast® P90 tinted with Black Liquitex water based acrylic paint Melinex® Permanent marker Colored Pencils 2.2 Tools: Scalpel Teflon folder 2.3 Method: 1. Draw a template of the paint loses onto polyester sleeve (Melinex®) using a permanent marker (Fig. 1). To hold it in place small pieces of Filmoplast® P90 can be used. Adhere the tinted Filmoplast® P90 to the template and cut it to shape with a scalpel. 2. Place it onto the frame (Fig. 2) and adapt it to the topography of the surface using a Teflon folder. 3. Adjust the colour hue with colour pencils. Fig. 1• Template of the bottom right corner paint loses onto polyester sleeve (Melinex®) using a permanent marker.
272 Clara M. Prieto 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The inpainting significantly diminish visibility of the damaged area. To remove the inpainting, the patches can be peeled away from the frame leaving no residue on the area. 4. CONCLUSIONS The method proposed for inpainting the frame fulfilled the objective of complete reversibility. Furthermore, the intervention can be performed in the exhibition hall, meeting the timeline required. The materials and techniques used are available to any paper and photography conservator. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to express her sincere gratitude to Stedelijk Museum of Amsterdam and Mapfre Foundation of Madrid. REFERENCES Books and articles: [1] IRVINE, R. F. Ensuring Permanence of Contemporary Photographs. Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, 1989, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 135-137. ISSN 17453054. [2] APPELBAUM, Barbara - Conservation Treatment Methodology. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd, 2007. p. 359. [3] ARSLANOGLU, J.; and TALLENT, C. Evaluation of the use of Aquazol as an Adhesive in Paintings Conservation. WAAC Newsletter, 2003, vol. 25, no. 2. [4] DOWN, J. L. Adhesive Compendium for Conservation. Ontario: Canadian Conservation Institute, 2015 Great Britain., Museums and Galleries Commission.,Conservation Unit., [5] JORDAN, S. K. A Review of the Preservation Literature, 1993-1998: The Coming of Age. Library Resources and Technical Services, 2000, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 4-21. ISSN 00242527. Website: [6] Filmoplast P90 Technical Information. Available at: https://www.neschen.de/wpcontent/uploads/2017/02/TI_04110_201651_ filmoplast_P_90.pdf [6 November 2017] Fig. 2 • Taping inpainting on the right side of the frame. Fig. 3 • Adjusting the colour hue of the tape inpainting with colour pencils.
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275 “RECH4 group, University of Split, Croatia 2017” | Photo Stjepan Krešić
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