“Grisaille reconstitution” as a colourless visible retouching method: the case of Les Puys d’Amiens, a set of paintings dating from the 16th century

  • Séverine Françoise freelance conservator
  • Laurence Mugniot freelance conservator
  • Frédéric Pellas Freelance restorer of paintings
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v18i1.826
Keywords: grisaille, reconstruction, discernible retouching

Abstract

An innovative visible retouching method was successfully attempted on a set of seven paintings, the Puys d’Amiens, amongst which three of them presented large losses. The challenge was to find a retouching solution that would enable presenting all seven paintings together, improve understanding of the damaged paintings while maintaining discernibility of the retouching. After several digital simulations, the most promising ones were attempted on the loss of the Puy 1518. Based on archives, the agreed solution was baptised “grisaille reconstitution” and consists in reconstituting figures, outlines and values of the original painting whilst purposely omitting multi-colour restitution. This method has been carried out onto the three damaged paintings.

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Author Biographies

Séverine Françoise, freelance conservator

With a Master’s degree in conservation-restoration from the National Institute of Heritage (INP, Paris), Séverine works as a freelance conservator of easel paintings, with a specialisation in old master panels, at different French museums. Over the last ten years, she has worked at various French museums and has collaborated on multiple projects with the French Museums Restoration Research Centre (C2RMF), based in Paris. More recently, she has led and coordinated a team of 9 conservators in charge of the conservation of the Puys d’Amiens.

Laurence Mugniot, freelance conservator

Laurence graduated from Ecole du Louvre (Paris) in history of art, and in conservation-restoration of paintings (INP, Paris). She works today as freelance conservator of easel paintings in French public collections. She has collaborated several times with conservators of metal, furniture or sculpture to treat objects which need specific or atypical solutions of reintegration. Thus she has developed a great interest for these questions.

Frédéric Pellas, Freelance restorer of paintings

Having obtained a degree from the Fine Art Academy Paris and a master’s degree in restoration at the National Institute of Heritage (INP), Frédéric works in Paris since 1989 as freelance restorer of paintings, especially for C2RMF and the Louvre museum. He has developed a specialised background in reconstitutions of large losses and restored artworks in respect of their aesthetical and historical understandings based on archives.

References

DURAND, G. (2019). Monographie de l’église Notre-Dame, cathédrale d’Amiens. Edition Atlas, 1901- 1903. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k63272737. (acessed December 15, 2019).

GIUSIANO M (2014). La restauration des tableaux de la confrérie du Puy Notre-Dame, mémoire d’étude de 1ère année 2ème cycle de l’Ecole du Louvre, non published.

NICOLO SALMAZO (de), A.; SPIAZZI, A. M.; TONIOLO, D. (2006). Andrea Mantegna e I Maestri della cappella Ovetari, Milano, Skira.

PICHORE J. (1517). Chants royaux en l’honneur de la Vierge au Puy d’Amiens.1517. Illumination by Jean Pichore, from a manuscript commissioned by Louise de Savoie, duchesse d’Angoulême, régente de France. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Département des Manuscrits. Français 145. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8426257z/f80.image. [acessed December 15, 2019).

RODRIGUES FERREIRA, C.; PEREIRA, F. A. B.; CANDEIAS, A.; LORENA, M. (2017). « Fernando Mardel, a Portuguese painter-restorer. Retrospective of his retouching work”. In RECH4 Postprints. Official website of IV International Meeting on Retouching of Cultural Heritage. http://rechgroup.pt/postprints.html (acessed December 16, 2019).

SCAILLIEREZ C., (dir) (2017). François 1er et l’art des Pays-Bas. Exhibition catalog: Paris, musée du Louvre, 15 octobre 2017-15 janvier 2018. Paris: Somogy 2017.

Published
2020-12-10
How to Cite
Françoise, S., Mugniot, L., & Pellas, F. (2020). “Grisaille reconstitution” as a colourless visible retouching method: the case of Les Puys d’Amiens, a set of paintings dating from the 16th century. Ge-Conservacion, 18, 207-215. https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v18i1.826
Issue
Vol. 18 (2020): Ge-conservación Nº18
Section
Suplemento
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