While Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt's giant works that have attracted the attention of art lovers are being restored in front of visitors, the experts who carry out this process find this unique experience "inspiring and stressful".
Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" and Peter Paul Rubens' "Enthroned Madonna Adored by Saints" stand out as two giant works of art history.
The paintings are examined in detail.
Rubens' work exhibited in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp in Belgium is 6 meters by 4 meters, while Rembrandt's masterpiece in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is striking with its dimensions of 3.63 meters by 4.37 meters. The restoration of these giant works, which stand out with their rich details, dramatic light-shadow plays and dynamic compositions that draw the viewer in, open to the public also offers viewers the opportunity to closely observe the conservation process of the works of art. In the first step of the restoration, art historians investigate the history of the painting, the techniques and materials used by the artist, while scientists conduct various analyses to determine the current state of the work. While the lower layers of the painting and previous interventions are examined in detail with X-ray and ultraviolet light scans, chemical analyses help understand the composition of paints, varnishes and primers.
Both visual integrity is ensured and protection against possible future damage is provided.
Following the tests, a restoration plan is created and appropriate methods are determined. The dirt and old varnish that have accumulated over time are cleaned under a microscope, and cracks and missing parts are filled in accordance with the artist's style. Finally, the work is covered with a protective layer of varnish, both visual integrity is ensured and protection against possible future damage is provided. Nienke Woltman, an art conservation specialist from the Night Patrol restoration team, emphasized that the challenges they faced in this project stemmed from the size and importance of the painting, and described working in front of an audience as "inspiring and stressful." Woltman said that although they could not hear the visitors' voices, they felt their eyes on them, and said, "We had to get used to this situation. As you can see, they made a beautiful glass wall in the museum. The place where we work is very quiet. This is very important because if it was not quiet, we would not be able to focus to do our job in the crowded Rijksmuseum." Woltman, who said that the painting was hung on a special canvas that could be moved right, left, up and down for the restoration process, noted that they could reach remote areas with two separate elevators in front of the canvas.
source: https://www.izmirdesondakika.com.tr/rembrandt-ve-rubensin-tablolari-yeniden-hayat-buluyor