Church of st. Mary Magdalene in Sośnica
RENOVATION OF THE PAINTING OF ST. BENNO FROM THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE IN SOŚNICA
The painting of St. Benno from the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Sośnica was painted on linen canvas with oil paints in the middle of the 18th century. The painting was very dirty with multiple wax putties, holes and cracks of the canvas were seen. The whole surface was covered with damaged and cracked varnish which had gone yellow. The wooden frame was heavily invaded by insects with multiple outlet holes.
The aim of renovation of the painting and the frame was restoring of its original aesthetics, according to the character of the period when they were made. Moreover, the processes of decay should be prevented, and the frames and canvas sterilized and disinfected. It was necessary to consolidate the layer of paint and to structurally reinforce the canvas.
Renovation procedures took one month and they encompassed sterilization, disinfection, ablation of repainting, repairs of the canvas and the frame. First, the painting was dismounted from the stretcher. The the face was cleaned with brushes, and the back mechanically with rubbers and scalpels. Wax putties were removed and the varnish and repaintings were ablated. To do so, tests with organic solvents, enzymatic and mechanical methods were conducted. Solvent provided the best effect. The whole object was cleaned with white spirit. The original layer of paint turned out to have high artistic value.
Its condition and technical state was assessed satisfactory. After cleaning, the repairs of canvas were undertaken. Tears were glued with polyvinyl acetate. Linen patches were inserted in the place of holes and bigger losses of canvas. The painting was being repaired on the guarding table on which the canvas was attached to a new stretcher. Then small losses of mortar coloured with a clay and acrylic adhesive-base paste. The losses of polychromy and abrasions were retouched with resin paints with the use of stippling. The painting was varnished with matt finish.
The frame was cleaned on the surface, loose and decayed fragments were removed, and then sawdust was removed from insect holes with a vibrating machine. Then the whole object was impregnated with a fungicide and insecticide. In the next stage impregnation was done with injection and brushing. When the solvent evaporated, multiple holes were blocked. It was done by putting black-coloured resin into each hole. When the putties were smoothed, a thin layer of mortar was applied and polished with fine sand paper. The whole object was covered with professional back finishing wax for furniture. A silver slat was cleaned and the silvering was filled with silver leaf with mixtion. The whole thing was secured and patinized. The painting was put in the frame and hanged in the church.
