Conservation and restoration of an easel painting ‘6th Station of the Cross: Veronica Wipes Jesus’ Face’
Studio
Conservation and Restoration of Painting on Moving Surfaces I
Head of the studio
dr hab. Anna Dorota Potocka prof ASP, Adi. dr Katarzyna Górecka, Asystent Łucja Nowak-Wróblewska
Technique
oil on canvas
Dimensions
65 cm x 79 cm
Description
The painting is part of a cycle of 14 Stations of the Cross originally kept in the former Cistercian Church of the Holy Trinity in Mogielnica. The Church of the Holy Trinity in Mogielnica is a graveyard church and the oldest object located in Mogielnica. The church was built in the 17th century and was thoroughly restored in 1820. Dated on the second half of the 19th century, Passion paintings were painted in a very similar way and were affected by similar damages. The condition of the painting was alarming. It called for comprehensive conservation. All structural layers of the object were damaged. The aim of conservation works was to prevent further degradation of the work. The main task was to reinforce the canvas and to remove numerous collapses and deformations on the face and, consequently, to prevent the flaking of the paint layer. In order to do this, it was first necessary to remove the painting from the wall and properly tighten it on a loom. Another important thing was to restore the aesthetic and artistic value of the work and adapt it for exposition in the church. The face of the painting was cleaned of casein, which was the main reason for the change of colour of the image. The warp was cleaned and straightened, and doublage was made for the reinforcement of the positive straightening effect. Missing parts of the priming paint layers and the main paint layer were supplemented. The whole work was protected with varnish.