21mc041-TE-2008_Turin, Galleria Sabauda, A. Van Dyck, San Sebastiano e l'angelo, inv. 351, cat. 272

Facilitated description:

 

St. Sebastian and the Angel is a painting on canvas made by Anton Van Dyck in 1630-1631. 
The painting depicts St. Sebastian being struck by arrows and an angel pulling an arrow from Sebastian's side. 
The painting is kept at the Galleria Sabauda in Turin. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2008. 
The restorers cleaned the paint from the dust. 
They cleaned the part painted with chemicals. 
They filled the color gaps of the edges. 
They painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
They cleaned the golden frame of the dust. 
They fixed the detached gilding parts. 
They filled the shortcomings of the layer under the gilding with putty (plaster and glue). 
They gilded the putty and the parts without gilding with watercolors and gold. 
In the end they painted the frame.

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

Restoration

The wooden support and textile support of the painting were subjected to the removal of deposits of incoherent atmospheric particles through the use of micro aspirators. On the pictorial surface the protective film was subjected to a delicate cleaning from the atmospheric particle inconsistent with a solution. Subsequently, some small retouches were made along the edges and a final varnish was sprayed.

 

Frame
On the frame, the surface deposits were removed and the raisings of paint and gilding film were fixed and prepared. The decoese zones were then consolidated, while the gaps in the support were reintegrated, pinstriped, golden and patinated. The gaps in the preparatory layers were compensated with grouting (plaster and glue) and then supplemented with watercolor colors. The abrasions were veiled with watercolor colors, gold in shell and in some areas with paint colors. Finally, an opaque film was made.

 

Bibliography

C. E. Spantigati, Sheet 5.3 in De Van Dyck in Bellotto. Splendeurs à la cour de Savoie, C. E. Spantigati, P. Astrua, A. M. Bava, S. Damiano, Turin, Allemandi, 2009, p. 149