Portrait of Maria Elsevier, unknown author, private collection, second half of the 17th century
Studio
2nd Studio of Conservation and Restoration of Painting on Moving Surfaces(Professor J. Czernichowska)
Head of the studio
Technique
oil on canvas
Dimensions
124 x 96,5 cm
Description
The conservation of the portrait of Maria Elsevier dated at the second half of the 17th century is carried out under a regular course by Rufin Podleśny, a student of the 2nd year. The animation presents the process of cleaning the painting of varnish and overpaint layers, observed step by step on photographs in ultraviolet. Greenish fluorescence visible on individual shots results from the presence of resin varnish – the material that has been commonly used for protecting the surface of paintings for centuries. The observation of work progress in UV rays allows us to ascertain the degree of cleaning of the painting and helps the conservator control the entire operation.
