Restoring the Gallery's oldest painting | Behind the scenes in Conservation | National Gallery

Kristina Mandy shows the steps involved in restoring a painting that is over 750-years-old.
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The National Gallery houses the national collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum is free of charge and open 361 days per year, daily between 10.00 am - 6.00 pm and on Fridays between 10.00 am - 9.00 pm.
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Пікірлер: 74

  • @graphite2786
    @graphite27863 жыл бұрын

    I'm also a restorer...but only of frames, mainly commercial and domestic. I wish I had unlimited time like you have! Most clients want the restoration done yesterday! If we do get an historically important frame, we tend to make a reproduction of it for the client and reframe and leave the original as is. The provenance of the aging is very important;, old glass for example, with all its bubbles and discoloration, is still a significant artifact. However you can see the art work refreshed and revitalised when rehomed under pristine new artglass. Personally I would love to see a reproduction of this work restored to as it was when first painted. To show all the details of the work that the centuries have erased. With the way technology is progressing, one day we will have 3d printers on a nanoscale that could reproduce the smallest brushstrokes in 3 dimensions. How wonderful would it be to see the original time ravaged painting next to a 21st century copy rendered just as the artist created it.

  • @billhaigney5080

    @billhaigney5080

    2 жыл бұрын

    That is a Capitol idea! If Conservators don't wish to, say restore the Azurite blue in one of the frames, then Make a Copy with all the colors as the artist painted them originally, so people have a much better idea of the original look!

  • @IncongruousFox
    @IncongruousFox3 жыл бұрын

    I only have one complaint - make the videos longer! I really enjoy learning about the conservation process and the history of the works, and I would love to hear the conservators go more into depth about the reasoning behind their choices and the steps they took.

  • @dmcgee3

    @dmcgee3

    3 жыл бұрын

    I’d recommend the channel Baumgartner Restoration. Everything you’ve asked for he covers

  • @jacekolender1139

    @jacekolender1139

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@dmcgee3 Baumgartner's work goes against professional standards of conservation. The NG conservators are among the best in the world. There is no equivalence.

  • @gleelee2008

    @gleelee2008

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jacekolender1139 YES, thank you for posting this comment, as tho I love watching and listening to him, as I was imagining HIM working on this, i immediately understood that he has a different set of criteria, much? different than NG's. wish to learn more about this, if you would be open to sharing links/info. tho i can guess at: preserve the aged look of the work to the highest degree, as one tenet?

  • @cutienerdgirl

    @cutienerdgirl

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jacekolender1139 They didn't compare Baumgartner and NG, they recommended him for longer Art Restoration videos. Also, I would like to know where you're getting the information from that his work is unprofessional because he seems to be a very detailed and good job. He also stresses that conservators follow the top conservation guidelines.

  • @FlourescentPotato

    @FlourescentPotato

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@dmcgee3 He is a commercial worker who shouldn't be compared to the museum-grade conservation shown on this channel.

  • @anne-mariehuggon4552
    @anne-mariehuggon45523 жыл бұрын

    Can we 'revisit' the painting from time to time to see how the restoration is progressing, please?

  • @jhb1493
    @jhb14933 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing this, National Gallery - and thank you so much to Kristina and her coworkers. Their efforts to preserve and protect these beautiful works of art for us, and for those generations to come, are so important and appreciated.

  • @owenbarnes773
    @owenbarnes77319 күн бұрын

    thank you ... another brilliant National Gallery project

  • @leora_in_london
    @leora_in_london3 жыл бұрын

    Forever in awe of conservators!

  • @michaelfaulkner6607
    @michaelfaulkner66073 жыл бұрын

    Please make another video revealing the painting restored. Thank you. This was fascinating.

  • @laurinbartel640
    @laurinbartel640 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much. Das Video ist faszinierend. Wir erhalten Einblicke in Ikonographie, Restauration und nicht zuletzt Hängung. Es ist beeindruckend, mit welcher Professionalität in diesem Haus gearbeitet wird.

  • @geoffreykeane4072
    @geoffreykeane40723 жыл бұрын

    Thankyou, I like this format. Great presentation.

  • @278iota
    @278iota3 жыл бұрын

    Amazing! I learned a ton! Art conservation is so cool!

  • @davidstevens7018
    @davidstevens70183 жыл бұрын

    I agree with Cait as 9 minutes is far too short considering the Art presenters get 30 minutes ; some of us are seriously interested 👍

  • @liviia305
    @liviia3052 жыл бұрын

    Marvelous. Thank you for engaging in this important and wonderful work.

  • @susanhepburn6040
    @susanhepburn60403 жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much.

  • @gerryholden
    @gerryholden3 жыл бұрын

    Interesting, informative, engaging; just what we want in lockdown. Thank you.

  • @tfairy7499
    @tfairy74993 жыл бұрын

    I absolutely love art conservation videos like this! Its so interesting! 💕

  • @jeanneblondewomanstamping9788
    @jeanneblondewomanstamping97883 жыл бұрын

    I love learning about the conservation process and the decisions that go into conservation strategy for a particular piece. Thank you. 🙏

  • @petenicholson1323
    @petenicholson13232 жыл бұрын

    Another fascinating video. You have amazing patience. Thanks Kristina and everyone who put this insight together

  • @vivette8944
    @vivette89443 жыл бұрын

    Very well presented.

  • @theviper1999uk
    @theviper1999uk3 жыл бұрын

    Amazing video! So much to learn in a painting, so many peoples lives intersecting who never met, but all conserve the same painting. Thank you for your work and insight into this mysterious process!

  • @stevenedwards4470
    @stevenedwards44703 жыл бұрын

    I think it's pretty amazing that a painting so old can be attributed to a specific artist. His history and the story of the acquisition would have been interesting too.

  • @MademoiselleNuna
    @MademoiselleNuna3 жыл бұрын

    I would love to see more content like this video. It's such a laborious process!

  • @naedolor
    @naedolor3 жыл бұрын

    MORE. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOREEEE!!!!!!!

  • @MrSteamDragon
    @MrSteamDragon Жыл бұрын

    What a fascinating and rewarding vocation.

  • @lususlove
    @lususlove3 жыл бұрын

    She did a great job 💙

  • @MrY1313
    @MrY13133 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @queerulantin6431
    @queerulantin64313 жыл бұрын

    So interesting! Thank you

  • @DV-dt9sq
    @DV-dt9sq3 жыл бұрын

    FANTASTIC!! 🏵️🏵️🏵️ THANK YOU.

  • @MeaveChan
    @MeaveChan Жыл бұрын

    I just came from the conversion reveal video and hanging. Seeing where it came from is really interesting.

  • @opera93
    @opera933 жыл бұрын

    Thanks, unusually interesting......interestingly, some of my paintings/creations have changed over some 40 years, and/or were incompatible, etc. ....nice to see the ages shown......

  • @songOmatic
    @songOmatic3 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for defining 'cotton swab' for us! 👏👏👏😋 Just kidding, great content!

  • @cowboyhenkcomic7677
    @cowboyhenkcomic76773 жыл бұрын

    a note about the subtitles: when she says about the painting methods: 'egg tempera', it is translated as 'egg tempura', a Japanese way of deep frying...

  • @janecarleton8013
    @janecarleton80133 жыл бұрын

    Fabulous work, on such a beautiful piece of art.

  • @davidevans3227
    @davidevans3227 Жыл бұрын

    ..and doing all this with a view to the future, that maybe others will come along with different/better techniques.. fascinating, thankyou..

  • @jeanross7430
    @jeanross74303 жыл бұрын

    I would love to have been a conservator, maybe in my next life.

  • @maurizio7209
    @maurizio72093 жыл бұрын

    Grazie!

  • @meggallucci5300
    @meggallucci53003 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting.

  • @williamconcepcion4635
    @williamconcepcion46353 жыл бұрын

    Excellent example

  • @robinbest4786
    @robinbest47863 жыл бұрын

    Ms Mandy, would you recommend the headband magnifier that you use ?

  • @mountainman9167
    @mountainman91673 жыл бұрын

    Love the Titian next to you

  • @dcaudinmj1321
    @dcaudinmj13213 жыл бұрын

    My last seen like totally same that image at the house of the sisters like churches year 1999 like nun in the province of Philippines❤

  • @massimosquecco203
    @massimosquecco2033 жыл бұрын

    Hi Cristina. Did you know that "Mandy" means "Hello" in Friulano ( not sure if written with an I or with a Y...)?

  • @ummherekittykitty6988
    @ummherekittykitty6988 Жыл бұрын

    ❤ wow. that really is amazing, especially the painstaking and exacting care and attention to every possible detail :) also, i like that cute lil dragon in the far lower right, and would like to have it, so if the museum decides to make and sell temporary, but quality long lasting temporary tattoos of it, maybe in the gift shop or something, please notify me so i can buy a handful (maybe more if i get a bundle discount price) :)

  • @rexroganblat2690
    @rexroganblat269020 күн бұрын

    It would seem if you do a good job that you don't need to make it "reversible". I think the painter would have appreciated your hard work, even applauded it.

  • @StrawberryLegacy
    @StrawberryLegacy3 жыл бұрын

    Those poor sea creatures. This is why I'm so paranoid about only using lightfast paints 😂 Though the highest ratings are usually at 100+ years, not 700+ years, lol. Also no one's gonna look at my art in the future anyway... but okay. Who knows. In case they do, I damn well want them to see my sea creatures!

  • @RealSalica
    @RealSalica3 жыл бұрын

    If you don't restore the inscriptions ,they might disappear , aren't they ?

  • @stinew358
    @stinew3582 жыл бұрын

    I love that the sea creatures are astrological

  • @nicolajaner3808
    @nicolajaner38083 жыл бұрын

    Is there anything that can be done about the blue azurite that degraded, hiding the sea creatures?

  • @oksanatulpa7984
    @oksanatulpa79843 жыл бұрын

    I have restored monuments from 1981 officially thank you a lot /

  • @petenicholson1323

    @petenicholson1323

    2 жыл бұрын

    I have t shirts older than that :)

  • @janeknight3597
    @janeknight35973 жыл бұрын

    Was it actually necessary to remove the c19 gilding? Surely this had become part of the story of the painting over the last century however much it does not appeal to our current taste?

  • @nationalgallery

    @nationalgallery

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi Jane, no, it was not necessary for the painting’s longevity for the 19th century re-gilding to be removed. The 19th century restorers made a subjective decision to remove the original gilding and replace it with new, solid gold. We are also making a subjective decision: to remove this re-gilding and offer a different interpretation that we believe is more sympathetic to the rest of the painting. Often old restorations are retained, especially when they add value to the knowledge or history of a painting. We made this decision as we felt that there was a disunity between the frame and the rest of the painting, and our plan is to restore it in a way that is more in keeping with similar works that are in better condition, and will allow the frame to be reunited with the painting aesthetically. Thanks

  • @Trixtah

    @Trixtah

    3 жыл бұрын

    other than the fact, as they state, it doesn't look in keeping with the original work at all. It adds nothing, and detracts plenty. The worst thing, by far, is that awful red border obscuring the beautiful detail that was originally in that area. It's going to look so much better when complete.

  • @gleelee2008

    @gleelee2008

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@nationalgallery I'm extremely curious as to the original background color which is now a lovely stained yellow, was it once white? would it ever be considered: removing old varnish and restoring brightness? (tho the red gown looks pretty vibrant!). if not, why? in the video you can see close-up parts of it and it looks caked with grime/old varnish, etc..

  • @renzo6490
    @renzo64903 жыл бұрын

    The National Gallery is in London. The National Gallery of Art is in Washington DC. Watching, I was curious to know the fate of the gilding that was removed from the frame.

  • @Baronstone

    @Baronstone

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thrown away with the rest of the trash. I mean you do understand that you're talking about $50 worth of gold at the very most, don't you?

  • @bkenglandUTube
    @bkenglandUTube3 жыл бұрын

    I'm puzzled. Why did we see only part of the restoration process here?

  • @k.s.k.7721

    @k.s.k.7721

    3 жыл бұрын

    Probably because it's been worked on for years already, and will continue to be restored for several more. They have to stop work whenever there's a issue that needs to be discussed on the preservation of the wood, gesso, paints; as well as the overall aesthetics and ultimate goals, etc. And this is only one of many works that are being restored at the same time. I've seen videos on restoring museum tapestries that can take up to 30 + years to complete. It takes as long as it takes.

  • @sassyalbatross2933
    @sassyalbatross29333 жыл бұрын

    Ide rather see a painting as it was originally meant to be seen

  • @austind3459
    @austind34593 жыл бұрын

    I am thinking it should remain more of a relic..

  • @k.s.k.7721

    @k.s.k.7721

    3 жыл бұрын

    That's what they are trying to accomplish, with the goal of allowing to remain intact for another 750 years. Nothing lasts forever, and this old painting will continue to flake and deteriorate over time, so preserving it and repairing damage from sunlight, moisture, pollution and simple age is an ongoing process.

  • @Contact_Info
    @Contact_Info3 жыл бұрын

    Robots will restore paintings in 90 years.

  • @wierdo225
    @wierdo2252 жыл бұрын

    Why compleatly remove 19th century guilding, to reapply new guilding with an aged look? Couldnt you have just aged the original reguild?

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