The Prado Museum presented its restoration this Wednesday.Hypomenes and Atalanta‘ (1619) by Guido Reni to appear in a special installation in the Central Gallery. It is, in the words of the deputy museum director Andrés Ubeda, one of the “most important” of the institution.
this restoration Praising the restorer’s work, according to Ubeda, it will allow attendees to appreciate the composition designed by the Italian master. Almudena Sanchez and your team.
“The works have been carried out every year within the scope of the support given by the Presidency. Iberdrola Foundation and one great brilliance and expressive power, It’s far from the ‘caravaggiesque’ look it’s gotten over time,” she explained.
The business will remain at the Prado until now. First week of November 2022, will later participate in the Guido Reni exhibition by the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. Already in 2023 he will return to the Prado for the “big” exhibition about the artist.
“Guido Renee means the enrichment of an artist. extraordinary personality creating unforgettable physical patterns and attitudes,” commented the deputy director.
Main goals of restoration As detailed by David García, head of Italian and French painting, it was on the one hand the elimination of oxidized varnishes that gave the paint a yellowish tint, and on the other, the replacement of modified and opaque. fields.
During final stage of restorationThe professionals chromatically reintegrated all the damage and color deficiencies that appeared after the old repainting was removed.
“The restoration managed to save sense of depth and the earthly realm is separated from the celestial. In short, it is one of the most relevant works that has a commitment to beauty and can be seen in the anatomy of the characters.”
The seized artifacts
Prado Museum director, Miguel Falomir, In his presentation, he assured that they had the will to “own nothing illegal” regarding the “many” documented artifacts seized from the Civil War, and argued that they would act accordingly. decency” and “maximum transparency”.
“Our obligation is to document everything and we have the will to do that. not legally owning anything that isn’t here. It’s time to step up the investigation,” he said.
Falomir predicted they could have it at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. a comprehensive list of all such illegally seized artifacts to present to their original owners.
On September 20, the Prado Museum registered a total of 25 documented artifacts. ‘Probably’ seized by Art Treasure Confiscation and Conservation Board during the Civil War. However, this number has increased after the recent work of Arturo Colorado Castellary, professor and emeritus professor of heritage and Civil War, but could not be specified by Falomir.
He also confirmed that they have both paintings in their possession. rich peterThe mayor of Madrid, whose assets were confiscated in the Civil War in the 1930s, left open the possibility of a third job.
At this time, as announced, they have not yet received any claims in this regard. Same way, The first 25 artifacts documented to be seized, 22 of which were clearly mentioned in their records posted on the web. In the three cases where the information does not appear on the web, this is because the paintings are in poor condition, meaning that although they are cataloged in the Museum’s collection management system, they do not have a file on the collection access portal. .
From these studies, 17 pictures It was handed over to the Prado Museum by the National Commissioner for Artistic Heritage between 1940 and 1942; 5 pictures Delivered from the National Commissioner for Artistic Heritage to the Museum of Modern Art (1942), 1 picture It was handed over to the Museum of Modern Art from the National Commissariat for Artistic Heritage (1943), but remained in the Museum of Contemporary Art and went to the Reina Sofia National Art Center Museum, where it was attached to the Prado. The museum in 2016 by reordering the collections. also listed a fruit plate and a clock From the National Commissioner for Artistic Heritage.
Arturo Colorado, who chaired the international ‘Museum, war and post-war’ congress held at the Prado National Museum in 2019, is the expert in charge of coordinating the work of researchers who will examine the Museum’s different archives and records. In depth on this very specific topic. This work will be carried out in cooperation with. Library, Documentation and Archive Area.
Inside interim report Regarding these works, consulted by Europa Press, it was pointed out that Prado currently preserves a total of 62 works related to the National Commissioner for Artistic Heritage (established in 1939) during the Franco regime. Preservation Board Historical (established 1936).
Thus, along with the specified 25, it shows 11 paintings stored between 1936 and 1939 26 paintings, often heavily corrupted, deposited at an unknown date by and by the Art Treasure Seizure Board.