56-TE-2008_Turin, Galleria Sabauda, F. Rayneri da Rossa, Amedeo VIII receives the papal tiara, inv. 1772

Facilitated description: 

 

Amadeus VIII receives the papal tiara is a painting on canvas. 
The painter Francesco Rayneri painted the painting in 1817. 
The painting depicts Amadeus VIII receiving the crown symbolizing the power of the pope. 
The painting is kept at the Galleria Sabauda in Turin. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2008.
Scientists at the Venaria Center did scientific analysis to see the drawing under the painting and to understand where the old restorations are located.
During the analysis they discovered a writing in the background of the painting. 
The restorers elimianto the folds from the painting. 
They mounted the painting on a new frame (wooden structure that stands behind the painting and serves to support the painting). 
They cleaned the painting of dust. 
They glued the detached colored parts. 
They filled the missing color parts with stucco (plaster and glue layer) colored with watercolors. 
In the end, they painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

Restoration

The restoration was preceded by a diagnostic campaign. Multispectral investigations have made it possible to recover the original inscription ‘AMEDEO VIII/IN RIPAGLIA 1439/DA RAYNERI IN TORINO 1817’ against the background of the work, while the infrared has made it possible to identify the charcoal preparatory drawing and the composition of the pigments. Finally, thanks to the ultraviolet analysis, numerous repaintings and restorations of later times have been recognized.

The restoration work began on the support with the distension of the painting and the removal of the fabric band applied on the back along the right edge. We then proceeded to restore the correct tensioning on the interim frame, to the waxing and mechanical cleaning of the surface with scalpels. Subsequently, an adhesive was applied to restore flatness to the support and re-adhere the color lifts with the help of heat and pressure on the diner. Finally, the gaps in the support were remedied and tensioning was carried out on a new expansion frame. 

On the pictorial film a pre-consolidation of the adhesion defects and the chemical cleaning of the surface was performed to remove the repaintings and thin the resin layer. The plastering was then carried out in imitation of the surface, then integrated with watercolor colors. Before the chromatic integration with paint colors, a brush painting was carried out. Finally, a layer of protective glossy varnish was sprayed.