20mc01-TE-2017_Nichelino, Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, G. Martinotti, Portrait of Carlo Alberto as Grand Master of the Mauritian Order

Facilitated description: 

 

Portrait of Carlo Alberto as Grand Master of the Mauritian Order is a painting on canvas. 
The painter Giovanni Martinotti painted the painting in 1847.
The painting is kept in the Hunting Palace of Stupinigi. 
The Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale carried out a maintenance (direct actions on the work to stop the deterioration and to reinforce the structure) of the painting in 2017. 
The restorers carried out a cleaning (cleaning the surface of the dirt deposited over time or layers of old restorations) behind the painting. 
They carried out a cleaning of the frame (wooden structure that is behind the painting and serves to support it). 
The restorers lined the painting (they applied a canvas to reinforce the back of the painting and protect it).
Then they cleaned the front of the painting and removed the yellowed paint. 
The painting had gaps (lack of color).
The restorers stuccoed (filled the color gaps with a layer of plaster and glue). 
They integrated (filled with color) the putty using watercolors and paint colors. 
They painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
Eventually they cleaned the frame and rebuilt some missing wooden parts. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention: 

 

Maintenance

The conservative intervention on the canvas was preceded by a diagnostic campaign of multispectral investigations and the collection of photographic documentation. Subsequently, the restoration of the painting and the frame was carried out in view of the exhibition From the Royal Palaces of Italy at the Royal Palace of Venaria Reale (25 March - 2 July 2017). 
Initially, dust deposits were removed from the frame, frame and textile support. In accordance with the Works Department, the front was then cleaned by removing the paint layer. This operation has made it possible to recover the legibility of the work, the brightness of the colours and the volume of the shapes.
Consolidation operations were then carried out. On the frame was tensioned a canvas fixed with metal stapling to ensure the protection of the original support and give more support to the painting. Subsequently the gaps of the pictorial film on the edges were plastered and reintegrated into hatching with watercolor colors and varnish veils. Finally, it was painted all over the surface.

The restoration of the frame has provided for the dusting of the surface, the consolidation of the raising of preparation and gilding. It was followed by chemical cleaning and reconstruction of the extensive lack of decorative elements through casts. The reconstructed parts were then plastered with plaster and glue and chromatically integrated with watercolor colors and micacea powder in shellac to give a more brilliant effect. Finally, the lack of wooden structure with epoxy resin was reconstructed recreating the plasticity of the shapes.

 

Bibliography

M. Epifani, Sheet 7, in "From the palaces of Italy. Treasures and symbols of Savoy royalty", catalogue edited by S. Ghisotti, A. Merlotti, Sagep, Genoa, 2017, pp. 101-102 .