DUBAI: When Ulrich Birkmaier, a senior conservator of paintings, first laid eyes on the damaged artwork by renowned Baroque-Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi, recently discovered in Beirut, he was shocked to say the least.
“To see the painting in this condition was pretty much awful and very shocking. I’d never seen a painting with this extent of damage ever before,” said Birkmaier, who works at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
The painting featuring mythological figures, entitled “Hercules and Omphale,” had been hanging at the 19th century Sursock Palace in the Lebanese capital. It has been part of the Sursock family’s art collection for nearly a century.
Art experts claim that there are about 60 known paintings in the world executed by the hand of Gentileschi. Consensus appears to have emerged that “Hercules and Omphale” is one of the artist’s creations — a rare occurrence. “She’s on everyone’s minds these days,” Birkmaier told Arab News. “Everyone wants an Artemisia Gentileschi.”
The palace and the painting were damaged by the massive Beirut port explosion of Aug. 4, 2020. “We were all shocked when the blast in Beirut happened,” said Birkmaier. “We immediately thought there might be a way we could help by offering this conservation treatment, which is part of the Getty’s mission to do philanthropic work.”
The painting featuring mythological figures. (Supplied)
Birkmaier travelled to Beirut in January 2022, inspecting the work and carefully removing bits of glass stuck between the canvas and stretcher. It is scarred with several holes and large tears, with one over 50 centimeters long. Transported to the museum’s conservation lab a few months ago, Gentileschi’s masterpiece is undergoing meticulous restoration.
“We’re doing very thorough documentation,” he explained. “So we do extensive photography and technical investigation to analyze all the materials and identify the various pigments involved. This helps us in devising a conservation treatment plan.”
The first part of the structural restoration process is addressing the physical damage. This entails protecting the surface and original paint layers with durable tissue paper. The old canvas is removed and canvas inserts are placed at all the holes. Eventually a new lining will be attached to the painting. The team aims to complete the work by the end of 2023.
Birkmaier travelled to Beirut in January 2022, inspecting the work and carefully removing bits of glass stuck between the canvas and stretcher. (Supplied)
“We work on so many paintings all the time. But this one is really special,” remarked Birkmaier. “Not only is it connected to this very sad and terrible moment in the history of Lebanon, but it’s such an important discovery. It’s such a great painting by one of my favorite artists. It’s very exciting to me to be able to help her shine again.”
Restoration of the large artwork is being carried out free of charge, however the Getty Museum will display it in its new condition for several months in Los Angeles. “It’s really a thrill to us,” said Birkmaier. “It’s such a pleasure to be able to work on this painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most famous artists of the 17th century. I think she’s finally receiving, at long last, much-deserved attention.”
