Francesco Bassano
State before conservation with discolored retouching and yellowed varnish
State before conservation with discolored retouching and yellowed varnish
X-ray image of a female figure shows lively brushwork and artist's adjustments in the face
After removing the heavy varnish we could see a very contrasting capturing of colors
Gradual process of varnish removal
UV photo shows the entire surface during varnish removal
Painting after removal of secondary inpaintings reveals the composition in completely different tonality but substantially damaged along the edges
Painting after conservation
Building Noahś Ark, around 1570, oil on canvas, Arcidiecézní muzeum Kroměříž
The painting was kept in the collections of the Kroměříž Museum as a probable copy of a painting from the Bassano workshop of the 18th century. During the restoration intervention, research was carried out leading to an unexpected shift in the attribution of the painting. Material laboratory analyses and comparison of painting techniques, most importantly that of the of the painting’s ground, showed that it is not a copy but an original painting of the Venetian school, probably by Francesco Bassano, son of the founder of the workshop, Jacopo Bassano.
After removal of the varnish and extensive repainting, a beautiful richly colored composition was revealed, no doubt fitting in with the Bassano works of the 1670s.
The restoration report and attribution of the painting was published in the collection catalogue “Restoration of Selected Paintings of the Chateau in Kroměříž” 2016.
Restored with the support of Norwegian funds in 2016.