Madonna and Child, Before Treatment
Madonna and Child
Artist: Unknown
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Title: Madonna and Child
Date: 17th-century (est.)
Dimensions: 36 1/4” x 28”
This paintings depicts a seated Madonna gazing down to the Christ Child on her lap. The artist used a wet-in-wet painting technique throughout the composition with some areas of wet over dry.
I carried out a technical study on this painting, part of BACC's study collection. The technical findings and the proposed treatments are on this page.
Condition Summary
The biggest concern for this painting is the large complex tear that goes through both the original and lining canvas. There are smaller damages that have been treated in the past. The canvas and lining canvas are both brittle. The paint layer is generally stable, but there are some areas of concern. There is paint and ground loss associated with the complex tear, as well as scattered old losses and abrasions throughout the painting. There are areas of discolored retouching and an uneven layer of varnish due to previous selective cleaning. For more information, view the Condition Report and Treatment Proposal document.
Treatment Proposal Summary
Important Note: I did not treat this painting, this was a technical examination project with thorough documentation and only a proposed treatment.
The painting is structurally unstable; the old lining is failing and should be replaced with a new lining fabric; tears should be mended, and lifting and flaking paint should be consolidated. Once stable, old varnish and retouching should be removed, then filling, inpainting and other aesthetic treatments can be executed. The removal of grime and aged varnish will bring depth and lighten the overall tone of the painting. Remove old retouching, as it has not aged appropriately and has become distracting to the original composition. The filling and inpainting will stitch back the original composition and reestablish visual unity. A final varnish should be chosen that will saturate the colors and help to accentuate the contrast of the original composition.
Click on each image for an enlarged version.
Before Treatment, Recto, Normal Light
Before Treatment, Verso, Normal Light
Before Treatment, Recto, Raking Light
Before Treatment, Detail: Complex Tear, Normal Light
Recommended Treatment Outline:
Before treatment photography and documentation.
Perform cleaning and solubility tests.
Remove the painting from its stretcher.
Remove the lining, and mount into work stretcher.
Consolidate any unstable paint areas with appropriate adhesive.
Tear mend to restore structural integrity to the original canvas.
Remove grime from the front and back with mechanical and aqueous cleaning modes as appropriate.
Remove discolored varnish and retouching with appropriate solvent to reveal original paint color and surface.
Surface clean stretcher and re-adhere loose piece of stretcher using appropriate adhesive.
Re-line the painting.
Apply a thin layer of synthetic varnish to protect original paint layer.
Fill and in-paint areas of loss.
Apply a final protective layer of varnish.
Attach a backing-board to the stretcher as a preventive protective measure against physical forces from the back and buildup of dust behind the painting.
If framing is not an option but hanging is desired, install D-rings of appropriate weight on left and right stretcher bars
Examination of Madonna and Child under Magnification
PC: Bianca Garcia
Technical Examination Summary
As part of BACC’s study collection, this painting underwent technical examination. It was examined in normal and ultraviolet light, and under 6-30x magnification. Infrared Reflectography (IRR) was also used to examine the painting. X-Ray fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) was used to examine the elemental composition of selected areas. Below is a summary of the information gathered during this technical examination. Reasoning and explanation of techniques are included for the sake of accessibility and education of the public. The full technical report is available and includes a description of the construction and condition of the painting, as well as results and observations noted from all imaging techniques.
Examination under magnification
Both low and high grade magnification are often used in conservation to between inspect the structures and materials that make up a painting.
Click on each image for an enlarged version.
Pigment particles visible, x20 magnification
Abrasion of red glaze, x20 magnification
Bright blue original (?) showing under losses in overpaint, x20 magnification
Ultra Violet Illumination
Ultra violet, or UV, illumination is often used in conservation to gain general material information of an object’s surface. UV is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and is higher energy than the visible range on the spectrum that humans perceive as color. When UV illumination is used, the high energy electrons of the UV radiation are absorbed by the molecules that make up the surface. The visible phenomenon is caused when those electrons are released from those molecules at a lower energy, in the visible spectrum.
The information gained from UV illumination from this painting is as follows:
The areas that appear darker under UV indicate overpaint or non-original material.
There is an evenly applied natural resin varnish indicated by the hazy green glow throughout the painting’s surface.
The Christ child has been selectively cleaned, which is why that hazy green glow is not present in that area.
Before Treatment, Recto, UV Illumination
Infrared Reflectography
Infrared Reflectography, or IRR, utilizes the infrared spectrum of light energy, which is not visible to humans, for the examination of art objects. IRR has mainly been used in the past for the examination of elaborate underdrawings in Renaissance-era paintings from northern Europe and Italy. IR radiation is absorbed by carbon-containing materials, which when captured with an IR camera will appear dark or black, which is why some underdrawings can be reveled. This type of examination is only possible when the paint materials are transparent to infrared, and when the under-drawing materials reflect infrared energy. Beyond imaging underdrawings, it is possible to use IRR to observe some aspects of the paint layer. It is possible to see changes made in the paint layer, if an IR-transparent pigment was used over an IR-absorbing pigment.
The information gained from Infrared Reflectography from this painting is as follows:
There are areas of changes in layering between red and blue paint (see GIFs below).
IRR analysis did not reveal an under-drawing. An under-drawing, however, may still be present but made of an IR transparent material such as chalk.
The dark arched area above the Christ child’s head shows the head had been painted and the hair was added on top later, covering more than the original contour of the head.
Click on each image for an enlarged version.
Before Treatment, Recto, IR Reflectogram
GIF of detail showing the IR transparency of the red sleeve layered over the dark of the white fabric behind it.
GIF of detail showing the paint of the red robe - which is somewhat transparent - layered on top of the blue paint.
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
XRF is a non-destructive technique that acquires elemental information from a surface. The surface at the selected area of analysis is bombarded with X-Rays which the molecules then reflect back at characteristic wavelengths. The sensor picks up these characteristic wavelengths and produces spectra. Software helps in identifying possible elements present in the spectra. With knowledge of pigment material, certain elements can identify or at least narrow down possible pigments used.
The information gained from Infrared Reflectography from this painting is as follows:
Mercury (Hg) was found on the Madonna’s lips and red robe, which indicate vermillion.
Areas of blue were tested with no definitive results, although they ruled out the use of smalt and ultramarine due to the lack of cobalt (Co) and aluminum (Al) respectively.
Adriana & Bianca comparing location with XRF Spectra
PC: Morgan Wylder
For more detailed information view the technical report