Vienna, Kunsthistorisches starts restoration project on Rembrandt ahead of major exhibition

In Vienna, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is about to embark on a major restoration project of the work of Rembrandt (Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn; Leiden, 1606 - Amsterdam, 1669) and his pupil Samuel van Hoogstraten (Dordrecht, 1627 - 1678) in preparation for the major exhibition Rembrandt - Hoogstraten. Farbe und Ill usion (“Rembrandt - Hoogstraten. Color and Illusion”), which will be held at the Austrian museum from October 8, 2024 to January 12, 2025. The exhibition will focus on the secrets behind the great Dutch artist’s colors and Rembrandt’s influence on epigones such as Hoogstraten. To coincide with the exhibition, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is launching a large-scale restoration project that will be conducted in collaboration with international research institutes such as the Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt’s house) in Amsterdam. To conduct these restorations, the museum will deploy state-of-the-art technology with the aim of obtaining as much information as possible about Rembrandt’s painting technique, the materials used by the artist, and any subsequent reworking of his works. In addition, the museum expects that elements will emerge from this research project that can provide additional information that will enrich the attributive debate about the paintings. Among the works being restored is one of the Kunsthistorisches’s most famous paintings, namely Rembrandt’s Small Self-Portrait , a work from around 1657 on walnut panel that belongs to the full-bodied set of self-portraits by the Dutch painter.

The museum’s restoration workshop has already begun preparations for the exhibition. At the moment, Rembrandt’s works are undergoing diagnostic investigations, through which some color changes in the deeper layers of the painting have already been discovered (the causes are currently still unknown). “Analyzing and restoring these masterpieces as the next step is of utmost urgency,” the museum says. The institute also makes it known that this project represents a major challenge, so much so that it is seeking public support to carry it forward. The Kunsthistorisches Museum makes it known that in order to reach the fundraising goal for the restoration, some 13,000 euros are still missing: the museum is therefore asking for contributions from its supporters. For those who donate, the institute has also planned some gifts: for contributions of 100 euros and more, there will be a chance to attend a reception with director Sabine Haag, those who donate at least 500 euros will get an exclusive tour of the exhibition, and for donors who give at least 1,000 euros there will also be a mention in the exhibition catalog.

“With your donation,” says Sabine Haag, director of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, “you will help us unlock the secrets of Rembrandt’s painting and prepare these great masterpieces for the exhibition in the best possible way! Thanks to the support of our generous donors, many projects have already been realized that would not have been possible without financial help. I would like to thank all donors who help ensure that we can carry out our core tasks even in difficult times and make art available for all! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

“It is a great pleasure but also a special challenge,” says Elke Oberthaler, restoration project leader, “to work on these outstanding paintings. The newly acquired knowledge will help us restore Rembrandt’s works at the Kunsthistorisches Museum for the 2024 exhibition.”

The Rembrandt exhibition is the first that the Vienna museum is dedicating to the Baroque painter, and it promises to be a very rich show with international loans (the institute says some 60 works including paintings and drawings will go on display), so much so that the Kunsthistorisches itself declares it “the most important cultural event of 2024.” The exhibition will then include an in-depth look at the link between Rembrandt and Hoogstraten: the pupil in fact developed the achievements acquired from the master, particularly in relation to color and illusionistic techniques.

Vienna, Kunsthistorisches starts restoration project on Rembrandt ahead of major exhibition

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.