Masterpieces of world art after restoration at an exhibition in the Winter Palace

ST. PETERSBURG. Two halls of the Winter Palace - Stamp and Picket, were occupied by the exhibition "Restoration in the Hermitage. In total, the masters of the department of scientific restoration presented about 260 exhibits, with their help they received a new life. Its creators dedicated this exhibition to a jubilee date - 250 years have passed since the founding of the Hermitage.

The painstaking work on the restoration of masterpieces from the museum’s collection was carried out by 14 laboratories. Restorers worked on some works of art for several years. For example, for the monumental stained glass window “Mourning of Christ”, created in the 16th century, the audience could see, the staff spent three years. In this case, the stained glass window was first dismantled into small fragments, and then assembled in its original form.

Sometimes restoration work can help clarify the authorship of the exhibit, as happened with Rembrandt’s painting “Portrait of a Young Man”. After clearing the canvas, doubts about his belonging to the great painter completely disappeared. And during the restoration of the painting “Madonna” written by Lorenza Lotto, an image of three angels was discovered.

The real gem of the Hermitage collection is the triptych “Adoration of the Magi”, created by the Dutch artist Hugo van der Gus. Its restoration took more than five years. Russian icons are highlighted in a separate section of the exhibition. Old manuscripts were also presented at the exposition, one of which is dated to 1665.

Thirty years have passed since the show of an exhibition of a similar scale. Restorers showed restored masterpieces in 1984, however, the opened exhibition is even more diverse in the genres of the presented works. The exposition even includes the works of masters of antiquity. Updated exhibits of the Hermitage collection can be seen on February 22

Ludmila Trautmane © Gallerix.ru