Newfields’ Madonna and Child painting, from 1600s, conserved with science

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Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber, left, and Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith stand beside the Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar

This Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), has been chosen as one of the images included in the 2024 winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber shows images of the various stages of conservation on this Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

This Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), is seen on display Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

This is a detail of the Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), as it was found before conservation at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. A tear in the painting on the Madonna’s forehead shows an earlier repair that discolored at a different rate from the original. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.

These images show three steps in the conservation of this Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The first image shows the discoloration of the original state of the painting before conservation began. The second image shows when the varnish is removed. The third shows what the painting looked like before the conservator started inpainting.

This is a detail of the Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), seen on display after it was conserved, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

This is a detail of the Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), seen on display Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber shows a painting she is currently working on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. She also conserved a Madonna and Child painting which has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber shows a microscope that allows her to see enlarged portions of paintings she works on, to help the fine detail of conservation, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber shows some of the tools she uses when she does conservation work Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber, left, and Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith look at Smith’s collection of pigments, in his analytical lab Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith shows pigment ground from aquamarine rock that is mined in Afghanistan. Natural aquamarine rock was used centuries ago for making pigment for artists to use in painting. The original was so valuable and followed an amazing trade route to get to artists. Since the 1820s, there is now a chemically identical synthetic version than can be made in labs. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber shows natural aquamarine rock, left, and a synthetic version, right, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The rock, mined in Afghanistan, was used in making pigment for artists to use in painting. The original was so valuable and followed an amazing trade route to get to artists. In the 1820s, there was a competition to see which chemist could make a chemically identical synthetic version in their lab. They came up with this version, on the right, so it can be made in any lab anywhere.

These are a few of Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith’s collection of pigments, in his analytical lab Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The Lapis Lazuli comes from aquamarine stone mined in Afghanistan.

Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith shows his analytical lab and shows a 2010 photo of what it looked like when he first started working at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.

These are some of Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith’s collection of pigments, in his analytical lab Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. He has a full range of pigments, organic and inorganic, neolithic era to 2014. These run the gamut of colors available through the centuries.

Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith shows an X-ray florescence analysis machine in his analytical lab Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. It will pass over the surface of a piece of artwork scanning and collecting a full spectrum of information on the elements found in locations all over the work. This can help with time dating and authentication of artwork.

An X-ray florescence analysis machine passed over the surface of this Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi). The scan of the artwork collected a full spectrum of information on the elements found in locations all over the work. This photo shows where iron is found in the painting. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

An X-ray florescence analysis machine passed over the surface of this Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi). The scan of the artwork collected a full spectrum of information on the elements found in locations all over the work. This photo shows where potassium, manganese, mercury and lead elements are found in the painting. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Clowes Conservator of Paintings Roxy Sperber, left, and Senior Conservation Scientist Greg Smith stand beside the Madonna and Child oil painting, from the 1600s, from the Workshop of Sassoferrato (Giovanni Batissta Salvi), Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. This painting was conserved and has been chosen as one of the images included in this year’s winter holidays’ collection of postage stamps at the United Postal Service.

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Category: Science and HealthBy beatriceco December 18, 2024