Restoration Thyssen

It strives to restore the integrity of works by applying treatments that prolong the life of these cultural assets and to remedy the damage caused by the passage of time and the ageing of materials.

Discover the Restaurabits

Secrets and curiosities of the works
Detalle con luz rasante de la pincelada de la obra de André Derain "El puente de Waterloo"
Restaurabit
A mosaic of brushstrokes

Derain’s Waterloo Bridge is an ensemble of vivid colours applied in a sort of mosaic of loose brushstrokes that leave the canvas with its pale ground visible in places as an innovative pictorial device.

Image with transmitted light of André Derain's “Waterloo Bridge”
Restaurabit
On the back of artworks

In this transmitted light image the reverse of the work lit from the front can be made out. It shows how the light shines through the picture and reveals the structure of the brushstrokes Derain used to compose the work. 

 

Detail of the english Winsor & Newton stamp, printed on the back of André Derain's “Waterloo Bridge”
Restaurabit
London or Paris? The origin of Derain’s painting

Derain painted Waterloo Bridge on a linen canvas, the back of which displays the stamp of the prestigious London brand Winsor & Newton. Its discovery during the technical study raised a question: did the artist paint the work in London, or did he take the canvas back with him to Paris and paint it there? 

 

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Technical Studies and Conservation Work

Conservation/restoration projects and technical studies reflect the results of the examinations carried out by the department. This work helps glean new information and rediscover the pieces in the permanent collection
Recovering the light. Restoration of Waterloo Bridge, by André Derain
Restoration and technical study
Recovering the light. Restoration of Waterloo Bridge, by André Derain
The restoration of Derain’s Waterloo Bridge was an exhaustive process which lasted 15 months and was aimed at recovering the colours and luminosity of this masterpiece. As a result, the painting has gained depth and recovered the vibrant light and vivid colours that characterise this great painter’s works.
Self-Portrait by Gabriele Münter. Technical study
Technical study
Self-Portrait by Gabriele Münter. Technical study
In connection with the Gabriele Münter retrospective at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, the department of conservation/ restoration decided to study the works by this artist in the collection to learn more about her technique.
Fra Angelico, The Virgin of Humility.
Restoration and technical study
Fra Angelico, The Virgin of Humility.
Results and conclusions of the technical studies conducted on The Virgin of Humility, one of Fra Angelico’s most iconic paintings.
Carpaccio’s Knight
Restoration and technical study
Carpaccio’s Knight
Carpaccio’s Knight is a painting that is as dazzling as it is enigmatic. We still do not know the man’s identity, even though historians have been coming up with various hypothesis for the past century. The most recent proposal, put forward by Professor Augusto Gentili, is that he is a Venetian captain stationed at a naval base in Greece who was defeated by the Turks and beheaded in Istanbul.
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Meet the Restoration team

Research projects

Approach the restoration process

Visits to the workshop
Visits to the workshop
Aimed at professionals and postgraduate and master's degree students
The visit shows how professional conservation and restoration work is carried out in the institutional environment through the various activities involved and complements academic training with a view to the students' professional future.   
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Guided virtual tour
Guided virtual tour
A virtual experience for all audiences
A tour of the works from the point of view of the museum's restoration team. You will learn about some of the treatments that are carried out on the paintings and we will reveal secrets and curiosities that hide a selection of our masterpieces.
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La obra de Ghirlandaio Retrato de Giovanna Tornabuoni, en el taller de restauración
Supports restoration projects
Collaborate actively with the museum in its studies and projects
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