Madonna in Preghiera

Madonna in Preghiera, Before Treatment

Artist: Unknown, after Guido Reni

Title: Madonna in Preghiera

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Date: 17th-century (est.)

Dimensions: 25 5/8” x 21 1/4”

This religious bust-length portrait depicts a haloed Madonna in three-quarter view with hands clasped is a copy after Guido Reni’s Madonna in Preghiera, 17th-century. The artist is unknown. It came to WUDPAC in 2021 from a private owner.

Condition Summary

This painting is double lined and the canvas is buckling convexly and slumping in a downward mode. This shape is maintained regardless of the painting’s orientation due to the stiffness caused by the glue. It is likely that either a singular high-humidity event or cyclical exposure to high humidity softened the aforementioned glue, allowing the paint to slump and then dry in place. There are various patches and fills from previous treatments that are noticeable due to color and texture differences on the surface of the paint layer.

Condition Report and Treatment Proposal

In-progress Treatment Report

Treatment Proposal Summary

This painting would benefit from the removal of previous structural and aesthetic treatments. This would include the removal of the two previous linings, the discolored retouching, and the overly glossy and yellowed layers of varnish. The canvas should be relaxed and then reinforced with a new lining and additional mending to allow for safer and easier handling of the painting. Note that the current tacking margins should be reintegrated to the presentation surface of the painting as they originally were, which will change the current dimensions of the painting. Once the paint and canvas are structurally stable, previous varnishes should be removed to the appropriate extent possible to regain visual clarity of the painting. Discolored and distracting retouching should be removed. The painting would greatly benefit from judicious filling and inpainting to reintegrate the losses back into the original composition and reestablish visual unity. A final varnish would saturate the colors and accentuate the artist’s intended contrast.

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Before Treatment, Normal Light, Recto

Before Treatment, Normal Light, Verso

Before Treatment, Raking Light, Recto

Before Treatment, UV Light, Recto

Before Treatment, IR Reflectography, Recto

Before Treatment, False Color IR, Recto

Before Treatment, X-Ray

During Treatment, Recto

During Treatment, Verso

Cross-Sections

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Sample 1. 40x Magnification, Normal Light

Here is a clear image of the 2 (possibly 3) layers of ground, a carbon containing layer, and a possible smalt containing layer over top it.

Sample 1. 40x Magnification, UV Light

This UV image of the same sample captures the many layers of varnish as well as a possibly distinct 3rd ground layer.

Sample 10. 40x Magnification, UV Light

This sample was taken immediately adjacent to sample 1 after cleaning test were performed. It demonstrates how the chosen Carbopol gel is able to remove all layers of varnish with no perceivable damage to the original paint layer.

Sample 5. 40x Magnification, UV Light

This sample contains a layer of over paint, which is physically separated by a thin layer of a synthetic varnish (possibly PVA).

Sample 9. 40x Magnification, UV Light

This sample represents most of the samples, as it shows only one layer of synthetic varnish on the original paint layer.

Sample 11. 40x Magnification, UV Light

This sample was taken immediately adjacent to sample 9 after cleaning test were performed. It demonstrates that the Carbopol gel can remove both multiple (Sample 10) and singular layers of varnish without damaging the original paint layer.

Treatment Steps Completed:

Before treatment photography and documentation, including UV, X-Ray, and IR imaging.
Cross-section samples taken to better understand the layered structure and artist material. While the majority of samples only showed 1 layer of synthetic varnish, possibly PVA, a sample taken from a noticeably more yellowed section showed up to 9 layers of varnish, overpaint, and dirt.
Cleaning tests were conducted and both toluene and 2:1 Ethanol:Shellsol D38 Carbopol Gel were found to be most effective at removing the varnish layers. The Carbopol gel was chosen as the ideal candidate for varnish removal as it has less negative health and safety concerns.
Two additional cross-section samples were taken after cleaning tests using Carbopol gels. These samples were immediately adjacent to previous samples and used to compare not only the efficacy at varnish removal, but also ensuring that the cleaning did not damage the original layer of paint. This was done due to the variable number of varnish layers throughout the painting.
In preparation for a facing, all areas of color were tested for solubility in aqueous solutions, with no negative effects found.
A facing of hide glue and Japanese tissue was applied. This was done as a protective measure before structural work (removal of strainer and linings). Hide glue was decided on as it is a traditional material that this painting has likely encountered in the past, so no new material is was introduced to the structure. The water content of the hide glue also relaxed the painting slightly to lessen its convex distortion.
A pillow of Volara and polyester batting backed with blue board and wrapped in linen was made to conform to the canvas’ structural deformations. This allowed access to the back for the following structural work.
The tacks were mechanically removed, and the strainer lifted from the painting once all attachment points were removed.
The outermost lining canvas was mechanically removed.
The inner most lining canvas was mechanically removed, with small areas of canvas that were too well adhered to remove mechanically.
The small stubborn “islands” of lining material were removed by locally humidifying them using a 2% 2:2:1 Xantham:Konjak:Agarose (XKA) hydrogel infused with a DTPA and sodium deoxycholate solution at pH 8.5.
Once softened, the lining material was gently scraped off.
With the removal of the lining material, it uncovered overpaint and fill material from previous treatments that had either been pushed through the canvas weave or wrapped around loss edges. This excess material created bulky passages throughout the back of the canvas that were mechanically removed before full humidification.
For safer handling and treatment, the painting had to be brought back into plane. The distortions had relaxed greatly after the lining layers were removed, however there was still enough planar distortion to warrant humidification and flattening. A saturated salt (NaCl) solution was used to prevent the relative humidity from surpassing 75%. The painting was in the humidification chamber for 11 hours (monitored).
Once the matrix had softened enough, it was removed from the chamber and placed between layers of blotter and under gentle weight to flatten overnight.
Once the painting was in plane, mechanical removal of the excess adhesive was safe to do. A dull scalpel (#15) was used to delicately scrape over the surface and remove/reduce the adhesive crust, being sure to pay special attention to areas around tears and losses.
As found on the inner lining, the original canvas is riddled with insect damage. This damage is localized to the canvas and in most instances has not extended into the paint layer. However, this has left areas of paint unsupported. The areas of canvas loss exposing unsupported paint were filled with a 1:1 Lascaux 498:Lascaux 303 mixed with linen fibers.
Overpaint that had seeped onto the back from around the edges of previous tears that had to be mechanically reduced with a scalpel under magnification.
More uncovered fill material was also reduced after testing negative for lead. The fill material was not soluble in any solvents tested (a range of ketones, alcohols, and aromatics). Once it was reduced as much as possible from the back, it was decided necessary to approach the overpaint and fill material from the front.
The facing was partially removed, only in the areas of known over paint.
Solubility testing of the area was conducted. Varnish removal was started using 2% Pemulen TR2 adjusted with NaOH with EDTA at pH 8.5 , sodium deoxycholate, and 15% benzyl alcohol. This uncovered overpaint that fluoresces green under UV which may indicate a mastic-based paint.