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The West Gallery of The Frick Collection Peter Paul Rubens, The Holy Women at the Sepulchre Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, The Birth of Saint John the Baptist Francisco de Zurbarán, Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose Jacopo Bassano (Jacopo da Ponte), The Flight into Egypt Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino, Aldrovandi Dog
 
Special Exhibition
 

Jacopo Bassano
The Flight into Egypt

Peter Paul Rubens
The Holy Women at the Sepulchre

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri called Guercino
Aldrovandi Dog

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
The Birth of Saint John the Baptist

Francisco de Zurbarán
Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose

Masterpieces of European Painting from the Norton Simon Museum
February 10 through May 10, 2009

The Cleaning of a Masterpiece

Overview | Radiograph | Before Treatment | Varnish | After Conservation | Podcast

Following removal of the old varnish and overpaints, the composition is noticeably brighter. The wood inlays on the table’s surface and the texture of the fruits' skins are more readable. Minor losses in the paint layers (caused by flaking in the past) are visible.

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Francisco de Zurbarán’s Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose of 1633

Francisco de Zurbarán’s Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose of 1633. Photograph of the painting after removal of old varnish. Software courtesy of Magic Toolbox.

The Cleaning of a Masterpiece photography courtesy of The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.


The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated publication with an essay by Sara Campbell, Senior Curator, the Norton Simon Museum, as well as in-depth catalogue entries by Margaret Iacono, Assistant Curator, The Frick Collection. The softcover publication is available in the Museum Shop of the Frick, and by phone 212-288-0700.

Principal funding for Masterpieces of European Painting from the Norton Simon Museum  is provided by Melvin R. Seiden in honor of Colin B. Bailey. Major corporate support is provided by Fiduciary Trust Company International. Additional support is generously provided by the Thaw Charitable Trust and Mr. and Mrs. John P. Birkelund. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.