France, version of Guido Reni's Atalanta and Hippomenes resurfaces: search to see if it is autographed

A version of Guido Reni ’sAtalanta e Ippomene has resurfaced in France that, according to the museum that owns it, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Libourne, Aquitaine, may be an autograph by the great Bolognese artist who, as’is known to have painted at least two versions of the work, one preserved at the Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte in Naples and the other at the Prado in Madrid, both recently exhibited together in Bologna at the Pinacoteca Nazionale exhibition. A recent inventory of the museum’s works enabled staff to rediscover a painting initially recorded as a late copy of the Atalanta. Museum director Caroline Fillon and restorer Sophie Jarrosson , however, decided to investigate the work further, and thanks in part to scientific analyses carried out by the entre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF, “Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France”), new elements arrived that, according to the museum, could point to the autograph.

Doubts arose when, during the work’s restoration operations, Jarrosson realized the quality of execution of the hand of one of the characters, once a layer of Japanese paper applied in the past to protect the work was removed. Then, there is a document, discovered during cataloguing carried out by Estelle Moulineau, the museum’s conservator, that mentions the work as a deposit from the Louvre, although the Parisian museum has denied this information since the work is not listed in the inventory. Archival research eventually unraveled the little mystery: a municipal resolution was identified attesting to a donation made in 1949 by a private individual to the municipality for its museum. The resolution specifies that it is a “très belle copie de 2mx3m d’un Hippomène et Atalante de Guido, dont l’original se trouve au musée de Naples” (“beautiful 2m x 3m copy of a Hippomenes and Atalanta by Guido, whose original is in the museum of Naples.” This “copy” would have been painted in the 19th century.

Analysis and restoration

Parallel to the historical research carried out on the painting, it was necessary to improve the legibility of the work. Therefore, a restoration financed by the City, the Friends of the Museum, and the DRAC of New Aquitaine (the DRAC is the French counterpart of our superintendencies) was initiated. The restoration entrusted to Sophie Jarrosson first removed the Japanese paper. After this removal, the varnish that had oxidized and prevented the true colors from being seen was also removed. This uncovered a painting of great quality, despite numerous reworkings and more recent repainting (sandals were also added to the characters). Jarrosson draws particular attention to a preparatory layer of red ochre visible at the level of a lacuna, which could indicate an older date. The director therefore decided to discontinue the restoration and contact the C2RMF to conduct further research on the materials.

C2RMF is a national service dependent on the Ministry of Culture of France. Its main missions are twofold: scientific research, focusing on knowledge of the works and their materiality, and conservation-restoration, carried out in its laboratories or through scientific checks carried out on site. C2RMF brings together the cross-disciplinary skills of art historians, physicists, chemists, curators, archaeologists, restorers, preventive workers, photographers, documentarians, administrators and technicians. Its scientific equipment allows for very in-depth analyses and studies of materials and fabrication techniques. The Libourne Museum thus entrusted the painting depicting Atalanta and Hippomenes to the Research and Restoration Center of the Museums of France for analysis, which took place between July and December 2024. The goal of the study, which is still ongoing, is to answer several questions regarding the contribution of elements that might lean toward an attribution, the possibility of dating, and the assessment of its state of preservation. At the same time, the results of this study will provide essential answers for the continuation of the restoration. Since the painting is neither signed nor dated, further examination will be necessary to confirm its attribution. However, the current findings, the museum reports, contribute to the rediscovery of this work on the theme of Atalanta and Hippomenes, as well as to the confirmation that it is not a late copy, but rather a coeval version of other similar works.

The work was first subjected to infrared reflectography and radiography: the analyses revealed changes in composition and execution both at the level of the bodies and some details of the clothing added later and then removed (the cuirass and sandals). The results of the reflectography reveal a background drawing that could be characteristic of an original work, due to the presence of pentimenti (modification of a detail made by the author during the development of his work with the same materials as the work). In addition, the results obtained from the examinations make it possible to correct the current dating of the work (19th century). Indeed, the X-ray shows the use of a herringbone weave, characteristic of 17th-century Italy. Studies on repainting (pictorial material added after completion on an original layer) will be necessary to identify later interventions. The dating to the 17th century may also be confirmed by further examination, particularly by samples of the pictorial layer. It then emerged that the work is affected by numerous alterations. Radiography then revealed deep gaps. The examination of the different mastics used to fill the gaps in the preparation, the presence of late pentimenti, as well as the images obtained by X-ray fluorescence mapping make it possible to attempt to delineate a relative chronology of the restoration interventions.

Next steps

Currently, informs the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Libourne, a scientific committee is being formed to support this study and the second phase of restoration that will result. The goal, the institute reports, is to continue the study and analysis in order to place this painting in the context of Guido Reni’s work and relate it to the Madrid and Naples versions.

Based on the C2RMF studies, new restoration work began in early February. They will last about five months and involve first cleaning up the old invasive restorations to locate the original paint under the repainting and stucco. Then will come the time for chromatic reintegration of the alterations.

The second phase of the restoration is also entrusted to Sophie Jarrosson, who has already carried out the first operations to remove Japanese paper and oxidized paint. The different interventions are submitted to the opinion of the Regional Restoration Commission and monitored by a scientific committee composed of members from the museum, C2RMF, DRAC, and professionals specializing on the painter or the period. This committee is informed about the status of the research, contributes to its interpretation, and is required to decide on certain interventions (complete removal of repainting, limits of reinstatement interventions, etc.). It will meet in the spring to discuss recent findings and the conclusions that can be drawn from them.

All historical and scientific research conducted over the past two years, as well as the continuation of the restoration, will be accessible to the public from March to June 2025 in Libourne. Visitors will be able to witness the restorer’s work live and keep abreast, day by day, of the discoveries made, the questions asked, and the progress of operations.

France, version of Guido Reni's Atalanta and Hippomenes resurfaces: search to see if it is autographed

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