2-TE-2012_Venaria, Palace, Portrait of Polyxena of Hesse, inv. R 353 (property of Racconigi Castle)

Facilitated description:

 

The portrait of Polyxena of Hesse is a painting on canvas made during the 1700s. 
The painting is kept at the Reggia di Venaria. 
The painting is owned by the Castle of Racconigi. 
The La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre restored the painting in 2012. 
The restorers have dismantled the painted ndal loom (wooden structure that stands behind the painting and serves to support the painting). 
They cleaned up behind the painting.  
They eliminated the folds of the canvas and repaired the tear of the canvas. 
They mounted the painting on a new frame. 
After the restorers cleaned the front part of the painting. 
They wiped out the dust and the yellowed paint. 
They filled the color gaps with putty (plaster and glue).
They painted the putty. 
They painted the painting to protect it from the sun's rays and dust. 
In the end they cleaned the frame and gilded the parts without gilding. 

 

 

 

 

Abstract of the intervention: 

 

Restoration

The intervention began with the operations to be carried out by the support structure and the support. Specifically, the wooden frame has been replaced with a new structure equipped with expandable joints and the support has been cleaned with micro-suction and brush. Given the presence of deformations at the central cut, the canvas was removed dry and then the original canvas was cleaned of adhesive residues. This operation has made it possible to recover greater flexibility of the fabric and to facilitate consolidation operations (application of adhesive and affixing at low pressure in the diner). The laceration was compensated with gluing. Subsequently, the retensioning was carried out on the new frame, facilitated by the application of perimentral bands.
A cleaning was carried out on the pictorial film to remove the incoherent deposits, the yellowed varnish and the veils of the recent touch-ups. Subsequently the gaps were grouted, then camouflaged with watercolor colors and varnish veils, and a protective was applied. Finally, the particulate deposits were eliminated on the frame, the gaps were grouted and a retouching was carried out with micaceous gold tied to paint.