Restaurabits

Secrets and other curiosities

“La plaza de San Marco en Venecia” de Canaletto, después de la restauración

Behind the veil of time

Comparativa antes y después de la restauración

Did you know that the varnish used in paintings eventually degrades, darkening the colours and obscuring details? A coating of varnish is used to protect pictures but over time it can turn into a dark, opaque layer that distorts the picture’s original luminosity and hues.

The restoration process focused on this task, which was performed with precision and delicacy.  Old varnish and overpaint were removed and the areas with losses of original paint were inpainted. When the work was complete, this impressive veduta recovered the clarity and the light with which the artist devised it and its original unity was restored. 

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The secret face of artworks

Did you know that the stamps, inscriptions and labels we often find on the back of paintings reveal key aspects of the artworks? An example is Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot’s Interior of the Church at Mantes. These details, which are hidden to viewers, provide us with very valuable information.
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Shadows and secrets in St Mark’s

On the façade of the Old Procuracy building, a small detail attracts the viewer’s attention: washing hung out to dry between the arches. When we explore details of this kind using advanced study techniques, features that are imperceptible to the naked eye are revealed.
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A theatre stage

In this picture Canaletto divides the composition into two along a vertical axis, masterfully establishing two almost symmetrical parts. He employs two vanishing points located at equal distances from the middle of the work. These points guide the spectator’s gaze into the background, and create a surprising visual balance. 
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