Altarpiece of the Virgin [predella]: The Virgin and Child with the Fourteen Helpers in Need

- transferred to a new panel

- the frame with an inserted gilded profile is not original, but probably 19th century

- width of the frame, left and right 9.3 cm, top and bottom: 10 cm

- the frame is 2.5 cm thick, 1.4 cm at the outer edge

- the fluting on the frame is 2.2 cm thick

The condition of the altarpiece varies considerably from panel to panel. The wing panels painted on both sides appear to be less problematical. Many of the panels transferred to new supports exhibit more recent damage (paint loss and tenting).

See [Matauschek 2016, 116-118] for a full report.

Description of the damage caused by the burst pipe

[Matauschek 2016, 114, 115]

Riemann reports on the condition of the panel after its return from Wiesbaden: the paint layers were without losses, but in some places no longer attached to the fibreboard.

[Matauschek 2016, 114]

Evaluation of the condition:

the altarpiece was moved to accomodate Hübner's new altarpiece: the wing panel depicting St Catherine and both sides of the panel depicting St John and St Maurice exhibited bands of flaking and paint loss. Conservation and reinstallment was recommended.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

Evaluation of the condition regarding the possible loan to the Dresden Cranach exhibition in1899. According to W. Böhm (restorer at the Gemäldegalerie, Königliche Museen Berlin) the panels exhibited splits and blistering that were limited to the draperies and background. However, should the panels be lent this damage could extend to the faces and hands.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

Conservation treatment

[Matauschek 2016, 123, Fn. 110]

Paint layers:

• surface cleaning and consolidation of flaking paint

[Matauschek 2016, 116]

Paint layers:

• consolidated with wax

• old retouches and varnish removed

• losses were filled and retouched

Varnish:

• dammar and wax brush appplication

Frame (not original):

• surface cleaning

• losses filled and retouched

• dammar varnish application

[Matauschek 2016, 15]

The blooming of the varnish caused by the excess moisture in the atmosphere after the pipe burst was regenerated using the Pettenkofer process (whereby the blanched painting was exposed to alcohol vapour and copaiba balsam).

[Matauschek 2016, 115]

• consolidation with casein

[Matauschek 2016, 114]

During this treatment campaign the predella was transferred to hardboard. The wood of the original support was removed,wax and mastic was used as an adhesive and gauze as an interlayer. The treatent proved very problematical. In addition the paint layers of the wing panels depicting Sts John and Maurice [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001b] and Sts. Alexander and Augustine [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c] were consolidated.

[Matauschek 2016, 113]

In preparation for the Cranach exhibition in Dresden (1899) at which selected component parts of the altarpiece were exhibited. The treatment included further thinning of the central panel and a new cradle was attached to the reverse.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

Support: problems along the joints of the wooden boards, particularly those already treated in 1839

Ground and paint layers: lack of adhesion between the ground and wooden support, blistering and tenting, flaking paint and paint loss

Varnish and old retouches:the oil varnish had dulled, the retouches discoloured

Conservation carried out by Carl Martin Schirmer:

Support: cradled (central panel); the fixed wings [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001f and DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001g] were transferred to canvas.

Ground, paint and varnish layers: consolidation, varnish removal and retouching

[Matauschek 2016, 111, 112]

Altar removed from original position in the church; the frame was then replaced; open joints on the central panel were reglued, filled and retouched.

[Matauschek 2016, 111]

First reference to an intervention employing gold, silver, varnish and paint; apparently the water gilding on the central panel was at this point renewed and replaced with oil gilding.

[Matauschek 2016, 111]