Historical story

Weekend of science visit to the Mauritshuis restoration studio in The Hague

Restoring paintings is more than applying a new coat of paint in the right place. Abbie Vandivere, Restorer of Paintings at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, tells us what it is all about.

The Mauritshuis is a well-visited museum, located in a stately monument next to the Binnenhof in The Hague. The restoration studio is located at the very top of the 17 e century building, under the heavy wooden beams. Normally it is off limits for visitors. But not during Science Weekend. Then visitors can watch the restorations. Kennislink already gets a taste.

Much more happens in the Mauritshuis than just hanging beautiful paintings and telling stories, says Geert-Jan Borgstein of the Education Department at the museum. “Scientific research is high on our list of priorities. We share the research results with visitors, such as in the research exhibition about Rembrandt's painting Saul and David." The extensive research and restoration of this painting took eight years.

Technical research

Restorer Abbie Vandivere is already waiting in the studio. She likes to show what is involved in restoring a painting. The Mauritshuis has restored several paintings in the gallery, such as Girl with a pearl earring by Vermeer and works by Jan Steen. So that visitors can see how that happens on the spot. But that is of course only a snapshot of a long and extensive process.

For example, the technical research that precedes the restoration cannot take place in the auditorium. The restorers use different techniques and devices for this. They take X-rays to get a good picture of the panel or the stretcher (the woodwork behind the canvas). In addition, infrared scans show the underlying sketches that the painter made before he started painting.

Restorers also look at paint and varnish with different types of light:ordinary light, grazing light and UV light all show different aspects. For example, grazing light 'smears' almost flat over the paint so that you can perceive irregularities in the surface. In UV light, varnish, original paint and overpaints often look very different. This allows the restorers to distinguish better than when they only look in daylight. The next step is to make paint samples, no bigger than a pinprick, which are wrapped in clear resin.

In addition to the technical research, conservators also delve into the archive. Among other things, they study the notes of previous restorations and compare the canvas with other work by the painter. The studio's library is therefore full of folders and art-historical books.

Cotton swabs with spit

When the restorer has enough background information about the painting, the big clean-up can begin. Vandivere:“I start with the removal of surface dirt. In the Mauritshuis we use special cleaning products for this, but some restorers do it with spit and a cotton swab. I also very carefully remove the yellowed varnish with solvents. I start with a small corner and look through the microscope to see how the painting reacts to this. When all the varnish and later overpaints have been removed, you can see the naked state of the painting”

Vandivere can now use infrared to see whether sketch lines of a signature can be seen. Then she applies a layer of insulating varnish to saturate the original colors and protect the old paint. As a result, everything that the restorer will subsequently apply again can be removed in the future, without damaging the original underlying layer.

The construction phase begins:any holes, missing paint particles or other imperfections caused by age are filled. After that, the retouching (update) starts. Vandivere:“We don't exactly make the paint from the 17 e century after, because that paint is very perishable. For example, we use a different binder to mix the dry pigments.” So no tubes of paint, but small jars with dry granules that Vandivere rubs even finer and mixes with binding agent. “In the 17 e century painters mixed their pigments with oil, but such oil paint discolours much faster than when you use a synthetic binder.”

Moreover, it is not the intention at all for restorers to restore paintings to their original state. Colors that have changed over the centuries are left as is. When the retouching is complete, the restorer applies a final varnish to protect the painting.

Saving data and sharing knowledge

In the Mauritshuis, which mainly has smaller paintings in its collection, a single restorer usually works on a painting from start to finish. “We work in this way because it allows you to better see the connections between the different research methods. But of course we talk a lot about the research results. We also share our knowledge outside the museum at conferences and in scientific articles. We also work closely with universities and research institutes. In addition, restoration studios have been sharing their information much more for the past twenty years or so. When I go on holiday abroad, I always visit a restoration studio.”

The documentation of the entire process is important for later restorations and research. They document everything the restorers do and the materials they use. It is kept with the painting. A good example are the chests of drawers full of paint samples. “It makes me very happy, so neat and organized! That way it is clear to everyone what has happened," she says. “This is especially true for the paint samples because they are so incredibly small. We store all X-rays and infrared scans digitally. This complete information is indispensable for scientific research.”

Future research

The conservators at the Mauritshuis do not only conduct research on the paintings they restore. They also try to answer larger research questions. For example, they are currently conducting research into the use of priming, the substrate of a painting, in various cities. Vandivere:“Painters couldn't get the same materials in every city. Jan Steen, for example, has worked in several cities. We are investigating whether this is reflected in its foundation. Does he use the same primer in every city or did it consist of different material in every city? Or did he buy ready-made primed canvases? We work together with external parties such as the Shell Technology Center Amsterdam, where scientists compare trace elements to find out where the earth comes from. In this way we learn more about the origin of our paintings.”

Own baby

Restorers who spend months intensively working on a painting develop a special bond with it. Vandivere has only been working at the Mauritshuis for a short time, but already has a favorite painting. “The bull by Paulus Potter is one of my favorites. Twelve years ago, when I was learning Dutch to read art history books, the word cow pie had a picture of this painting next to it. I thought that was so beautiful. When I'm in front of it now I would like to stroke the sheep, the texture of the paint is so refined! And it's really unbelievable that one person made this huge painting. He may have had help, but we don't know yet.”

According to Vandivere, the biggest misconception about restorers is that you have to be a very patient person to be able to do the precise work in the studio. “I'm not always patient, especially when I have to wait in a line or when people talk in the quiet compartment of the train, I say something about that right away. But I can work on paintings very patiently,” she says with a big smile.

The Mauritshuis is a participant of the Science Weekend. The Weekend of Science is the stage of the future. Various organizations – companies, institutes, research institutions, universities, museums and observatories – will open their doors on 7 and 8 October 2017 to give visitors of all ages the opportunity to experience the world of science and technology live. They organize unique and exclusive activities, such as trials, experiments, demonstrations, open days, exhibitions and more.

Everyone is welcome to go backstage at the participating organizations. Look here for all activities during the Weekend of Science.