21-TE-2010_Venaria, Reggia, G. Duprà (attr.), Maria Antonia Ferdinanda di Borbone, inv. R 5752 (ownership of Racconigi Castle)

Facilitated description:

 

The portrait of Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Bourbon is a painting on canvas. 
The painter Giuseppe Duprà painted the painting during the 1700s. 
The painting is kept at the Reggia di Venaria. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2010.
The restorers have dismantled the painting from the frame (wooden structure that stands behind the painting and serves to support the painting). 
They cleaned up behind the painting.
They did a treatment on the frame to eliminate the insects that eat the wood. 
They have eliminated the folds of the canvas. 
They reassembled the canvas on the frame. 
After the restorers cleaned the front part of the painting.
They replaced the old grouting (plaster and glue layer that serves to fill the color gaps). 
They painted the grouts.
The restorers painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
In the end they cleaned and reinforced the frame. 
They painted the frame to protect it from the sun's rays and dust.

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention:

 

The painting, owned by the Castello di Racconigi (Residenze Royali Sabaude - Regional Directorate of Piedmont National Museums), was granted to the Reggia di Venaria to be exhibited in the permanent visit path.

Restoration

The intervention began with the dismantling of the support structure and the application of biocide against biological attacks. The pictorial surface has therefore been velinated to proceed safely during these operations and during the removal of the auxiliary textile support. Subsequently, the main deformations of the support were resolved with the application of pressure and heat and the consolidations of the preparatory and pictorial layers were carried out. The canvas was then re-tensioned on an interim frame, prepared, re-upholstered in a low-pressure diner and mounted on its frame. 
The pictorial film has been chemically and scalpel cleaned to remove the residues of altered resin. Compensation for deficiencies was made only in the presence of grouting that was no longer suitable. A layer of paint was then applied to increase the effectiveness of consolidation and saturate the pictorial film. The chromatic integration was performed with watercolor colors for grouting and with paint colors for the oldest renovations and abrasions. Finally, a final protective UV filter was applied to slow down the oxidation and chromatic alteration of the material. 
On the frame a consolidation of the wooden structure was carried out, a revision of the assemblies and the slits were compensated. Subsequently, the adhesion defects were consolidated and the gold leaf was cleaned with warm water swabs. Finally, the gaps were stuccoed and chromatic integration was performed with watercolor colors and gold in shell.