17mc01-TE-2014_Verbania, Villa San Remigio, P. Caliari (Veronese), Allegory of Astronomy, inv. 40297

Facilitated description: 

 

Allegory of astronomy is a painting on canvas. 
The painter Paolo Caliari, known as Veronese, painted the painting in the 1500s. 
The painting represents a scholar of planets.
The painting is exhibited at the Landscape Museum of Verbania, but is destined for Villa San Remigio in Verbania. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2014. 
Scientists at the Venaria Center did scientific analysis to see the drawing under the paint layer. 
The restorers cleaned the painting from the dust and paintings of the old restoration. 
They eliminated the grouting (layer of plaster and glue that serves to fill the color gaps) because they were ruined. 
They have eliminated the folds of the canvas.
They mounted the canvas on a new frame (wooden structure that stands behind the painting and serves to support the painting). 
They painted the color gaps with watercolors and paints.
They painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
In the end they restored the frame. 
They filled the holes of the wood with stucco (plaster and glue).
They've gilded the putty. 
They painted the frame to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention: 

 

The two Allegories of Veronese (Astronomy e Sculpture), from Villa San Remigio (Pallanza, Verbania), were entrusted by the Piedmont Region to the Reggia di Venaria on the occasion of the restoration and exhibition Four Veronese came from afar. Allegories found (5 July - 5 October 2014, Palladio Museum of Vicenza; 11 October 2014 to 8 February 2015, Reggia di Venaria). Since 2014, the canvases have become part of the exhibition itinerary of the Reggia by virtue of a loan for use expired in spring 2021. They are currently on display at the Landscape Museum of Verbania. 

Restoration

The restoration was preceded by an in-depth diagnostic campaign that brought out new results. In particular, the infrared survey revealed traces of the preparatory drawing (lines at the level of the robe, overflowing traces of dress in the upper left part of the sky). The X-ray instead, in addition to revealing small changes in the size of the volume and the world map, highlighted the structural setting of the two allegories, built by the artist starting from a vertical line drawn in the middle of the canvas. The stratigraphic sampling was useful for the characterization of the pigments and the recognition of the overlays. Finally, ultraviolet analyses have documented the presence of an oxidized and inhomogeneous surface film.

The restoration began with cleaning from incoherent greasy dirt with a specially selected mixture with testing. The same method was used to eliminate the modern repaintings of the area of the sky, which tried to tune the altered disposal, and those on the grouting (red mantle area and lower margin). The removal of the two plasterings, in a poor state of preservation and overflowing on the original color, was performed mechanically. At the level of the textile support, a dusting with brushes, the smoothing of deformations, the application of perimentral bands functional for retensioning, the insertion of canvas inserts at the gaps and the grouting were carried out. We then proceeded to the application on a new expansion frame and the application of protective.
The reintegration of the pictorial surface has been realized in a differentiated way: the gaps compensated with inserts of the support were integrated in hatching with watercolor and varnish colors, while on those filled with plastering a tonal watercolor lowering and a varnish finish was performed. Finally, a protective varnish was sprayed with a UV filter.
On the frame the preparation and gilding scales were consolidated and a cleaning was carried out. The filling of the gaps and the reintegration with watercolor colors and small additions of micacea powder to give greater brilliance were followed.

 

Bibliography

- S. De Blasi, M. Cardinali, The analysis and restoration of Pallanza's Allegories, in Four Veronese came from afar. Allegories found (catalogue), Milan, Officina Libraria, 2014, pp. 75-79;
- M. Cardinali, S. De Blasi, V. Parlato, The Allegories of Paolo Veronese: Restoration as a research tool. Knowledge and restitution, in Due Veronese on Lake Maggiore. History of a collection (catalogue), edited by S. Martinella, F. Rabai, Verbania, Museo del Paesaggio, 2023, pp. 105-113.