Restoring Former Glory with Cotton Buds and a Microscope
The Princely Collections of Liechtenstein
Contact and Information
Ruth Klebel, Restorer, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
r.klebel@sfl.li
Lichtenstein Museum
www.liechtensteinmuseum.at
Image Gallery
Images 1 – 6: © Leica Microsystems
Images 7 – 14: © Sammlungen des Fürsten von und zu Liechtenstein, Vaduz-Wien
- 1: Ruth Klebel works as a restorer for the art collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein.
- 2: Impression of the restoration studio
- 3: Impression of the restoration studio
- 4: Impression of the restoration studio
- 5: Impression of the restoration studio
- 6: Impression of the restoration studio
- 7: Willem van Honthorst (1594-1666) “Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Plumed Hat in his Right Hand”. The almost life-size portrait dating from the first half of the 17th century requires extensive restoration.
- 8: Detail of the Honthorst’s painting
- 9: The microscope examination shows the rough granular surface of the Honthorst’s painting which is a result of a later application of varnish with poorly dissolved components.
- 10: Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750), “Flowers in a Vase”, ca. 1700. Here, the severely damaged canvas was restored, the degraded varnish reduced, non-original layers removed and damaged paint layers retouched.
- 11: Detail of the Ruysch’s painting
- 12: After uncovering the original paint layer of the still life, details of a campanula become visible under the microscope.
- 13: To repair tears in the original canvas, threads are individually inserted and adhered to the intact fabric under the microscope.
- 14: The repaired canvas
