Conservation/Restoration
New Light Shed on Restored Flemish Paintings in Romania
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| Frans Pourbus the Elder (Flemish, 1545-1581). Portrait of a Fair-haired Man (1569). Oil on wood. 46 x 34 cm (18.1 x 13.4 in.). Muzeul National Brukenthal, Sibiu, Romania. |
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| Frans Snyders (Flemish, 1579-1657). The Cook. Oil on canvas. 213 x 102 cm (83.9 x 40.2 in.). Muzeul National Brukenthal, Sibiu, Romania. |
By STAN PARCHIN
August 12, 2009
The Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu, Romania announced on August 12, 2009 discoveries made by restorers Ioan Muntean and Andrea Popa during their cleaning and technical analyses of two Old Master paintings.
After the careful removal of a 19th-century layer of paint from the upper left-hand corner of the formal Portrait of a Fair-haired Man (1569) by Flemish artist Frans Pourbus the Elder (1545-1581), a coat of arms (possibly a clue to the sitter's identification) and the work's date were revealed.
The second painting, The Cook (undated) by Flemand Frans Synder (1579-1657), was a genre scene before its cleaning. After treatment, the composition took on a religious meaning. In its background, a room representing the Supper at Emmaus became visible.
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