15-TE-2007_Racconigi, Castello, C. Dauphin, Portrait of Christina of France, inv. R 5657

Facilitated description: 

 

The portrait of Christina of France is a painting on canvas. 
The painter Charles Dauphin painted the painting in 1660-1663. 
The painting is kept at the Castle of Racconigi. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2007. 
The restorers cleaned the painting in front and behind. 
They have arranged the ruined paintings of the previous restorations with watercolors and varnishes.
They painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
After the restorers cleaned the frame. 
They filled the missing wooden parts with putty (plaster and glue). 
They painted the putty with watercolors and paints. 
In the end they gilded the stucco. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention: 

 

The portrait of Christina of France has been restored on the occasion of the exhibition The Palace of Venaria and the Savoy. Art, magnificence and history of a European court (Reggia di Venaria, 13 October 2007 - 30 March 2008). 

Restoration

The intervention started on the support by sucking the dust deposits from the back and adjusting the tension of the canvas. Face suction and chemical cleaning are followed to remove inconsistent deposits. Subsequently, the chromatic rebalancing of the altered touch-ups and the reintegration of the ginning with watercolor and paint colors was performed. Finally, a protective varnish was applied. 
On the frame was carried out a maintenance intervention that provided for the removal of atmospheric dust deposit with vacuum cleaner, brushes and chemical cleaning. In addition, the gaps along the edges were grouted and pictorial retouching was carried out with watercolor colors and paint. Finally, the plastering was gilded with gold in sheets applied to gouache, on preparation with bolus, and final burnishing with agate stone. 

 

Bibliography

F. Grana, Sheet 6.8, in The Palace of Venaria and the Savoy. Art, magnificence and history of a European court (catalogue), edited by E. Castelnuovo, Turin, 2007, p. 113.