Revealing Rembrandt: the Art and Science of Conservation
Lecture by Shan Kuang
"Dynamic Conversations," January 23, 2021, Allentown Art Museum
In February of 2018, Portrait of a Young Woman came to the Conservation Center at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU to undergo routine study and conservation treatment. When the two-year project was completed enough evidence and opinions had been gathered to reassert the traditional attribution to Rembrandt himself, rather than a follower. The painting - a tronie - is in excellent state. The face of the sitter is nearly pristine, though the costume had been largely toned and overpainted. Its attribution to Rembrandt was only first questioned in the late 1920s by Alan Burroughs based an old x-radiograph, and subsequently by the Rembrandt Research Project upon examination in 1969. Their main criticisms were directed to the perceived absence of distinct brushwork in the face and the lack of clarity in the depiction of clothing. Many observations were likely incorrectly influenced by muddied repainting in the costume and excessive amount of darkened opaque varnish throughout. Despite prior confusions, the signature is indeed genuine. Cleaning led to a dramatic unveiling of subtle alternating hues, clear brushwork, and pictorial details. Technical examination and the removal of unoriginal overpaint over the costume provided fresh insights into the painting’s execution and, crucially, corrected some prior observations and misinterpretations regarding the nature and facture of this sketch.
