Blog posts from the DAM staff

Conserving a Canaletto

DAM Blog Post Series Documents Masterwork's Restoration

August 5, 2012 by Lindsey Housel

February 16, 2013, update: The Canaletto artwork is now fully restored an on view on level six of the North Building.

Denver Art Museum staff are publishing a multi-part series on a long lost painting recently located in our collections.

Upon examination, an artwork turned out to be a very important painting by the Italian master, Canaletto. Venice: the Molo from the Bacino di San Marco has never been exhibited due to its condition and years hidden away in storage. Thanks to a generous grant from The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) Restoration Fund, the entire Canaletto masterwork is now undergoing conservation treatment. The conservation work is expected to span the remainder of 2012. After, the canvas and original frame will be exhibited for the first time for all to see at the DAM.

Follow the blog and be there with us every step of the way as we carefully X-ray examine, Q-Tip clean, and debate treatment options to ready this painting for its public debut.

Part 1: Discovering a Long Lost Masterwork, and the Road Ahead by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 2: Even Unknown Masterworks can be Found in Museum Storage by painting and sculpture curator Timothy J. Standring
Part 3: Painting in Better Condition Than Anticipated by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 4: Techniques Reveal Location, Extent of Damage by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 5: Cleaning Decisions Videos—2 two-minute videos of Timothy and James discussing the artwork
Part 6: Considerations in Our Cleaning Decisions by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 7: Turret We Discovered Has Us Wondering by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 8: Cleaning Complete by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 9: Beginning the Structural Work by paintings conservator James Squires
Part 10: Lining the Painting by paintings conservator James Squires

Image credit: Giovanni Antonio Canal, called il Canaletto. Venice: The Molo from the Bacino di S. Marco, about 1724. Oil on canvas. Bequest of Charles Edwin M. Stanton, 2009.336.

Discovering a Long Lost Masterwork, and the Road Ahead
Part 1 of Conserving a Canaletto

I was happy to hear from Timothy Standring, the curator of European painting and sculpture, that the Denver Art Museum was awarded the TEFAF grant to treat a long lost Canaletto picture, Venice: the Molo from the Bacino di San Marco.
Even Unknown Masterworks can be Found in Museum Storage
Part 2 of Conserving a Canaletto

My story is about the discovery and subsequent process of reaching consensus on the attribution of an unpublished early work by the Italian veduto (vista or views) painter Giovanni Antonio Canal, called il Canaletto I 1697 – 1768 at the Denver Art Museum.
Painting in Better Condition Than Anticipated
Part 3 of Conserving a Canaletto

I’ve finally been able to more closely examine the Canaletto to gain a better understanding of its present overall condition and treatment history. Generally, the picture is in better shape than I anticipated. To come to that conclusion I used a variety of evaluative and analytical techniques to assess the painting’s structural and aesthetic state.
Techniques Reveal Location, Extent of Damage
Part 4 of Conserving a Canaletto

In this post I will review (with pictures!) my findings. The techniques discussed were: normal, raking and specular illumination, ultraviolet-A radiation, and x-radiation. I was able to gather useful information from all of the techniques for my assessment.
Cleaning Decisions Videos
Part 5 of Conserving a Canaletto

Now that the painting has gotten a thourough check-up and health assesment by the curatorial and conservation teams, it is time to decide how best to treat it.
Considerations in Our Cleaning Decisions
Part 6 of Conserving a Canaletto

It's likely you have a photograph, painting, illustrated card, or drawing that just doesn't look the same as it did when you first brought it home.
Turret We Discovered Has Us Wondering
Part 7 of Conserving a Canaletto

I’ve been cleaning the Canaletto, taking my Q-tips to the surface and gently removing all of the restorer-applied discolored varnish and overpaint.
Cleaning Complete
Part 8 of Conserving a Canaletto

After many hours and consultations with Timothy, cleaning is complete. I am always amazed at how much more one sees of a picture once the discolored varnish is removed—subtle details in the composition become visible and the picture's overall sense of depth is enhanced.
Beginning the Structural Work
Part 9 of Conserving a Canaletto

It’s now time to move onto the structural phase of the conservation treatment for the Canaletto work. Structural work entails further securing of any loose media, such as paint or ground, and any repairs if necessary to the canvas and stretcher.
Lining the Painting
Part 10 of Conserving a Canaletto

Now that I’ve reduced the distracting bumps caused by the previous lining adhesive, I must now re-line the picture to another auxiliary canvas support.
The Cosmetic Phase
Part 10 of Conserving a Canaletto

The idea of reversibility is a very important concept in modern conservation practice. I chose materials with good and known aging characteristics, understanding that my work may need to be removed and/or redone, in the future. It is important that my conservation treatments are reversible.

Lindsey Housel is the manager of digital engagement programs and master teacher for architecture, design, and graphics in the education department. Lindsey has been at the DAM since 2002 and her two favorite exhibitions that have been on view here are Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective and the photography exhibition Robert Benjamin: Notes on a Quiet Life.

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Conserving a Canaletto

DAM Blog Post Series Documents Masterwork's Restoration

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