Presentation of the Project of Restoring Hugo van der Goes’s Adoration of the Magi triptych

11 November 2010 the presentation of the project of restoring the Adoration of the Magi triptych by the prominent Dutch artist of the 15th century Hugo van der Goes was held at the Hermitage Theater by the State Hermitage with the support of the National Reserve Bank.

M. Piotrovsky, Director of the museum, A. Manoilo, Chairman of the Board of the National Reserve Bank, S. Ilchenko, Manager of St Petersburg subsidiary of the bank participated in the project presentation.

N. Zykov, research associate of the Department of Western European Visual Arts, guardian of the Dutch painting, shared about the triptych restoration project.

Adoration of the Magi is one of the masterpieces of the Hermitage collection of early Dutch paining. It is a big three-part altar icon. The altar theme is an evangelical legend about Christ’s childhood. The artist depicted separate episodes of this legend in a chronological order. The plot begins on the left part where a meeting of Mary and Elizabeth and a scene of  circumcision of the baby Christ are shown. The central part contains the main scene, Adoration of the Magi, where a meeting of the magi at the  Calvary and the annunciation to shepherds are shown. The final scene of massacre of the innocents is shown in the right part. The work is characterized by narrativeness, attention to detail and bright coloration, which makes it a typical piece of Dutch painting of the 15th century.

Adoration of the Magi was first mentioned in the Hermitage 1797 catalog as the work by Albrecht Durer. Such authentication existed until late 19th century. The authorship issue is being debated now as different researches ascribe the triptych to Hugo van der Goes himself or disciples of this great artist.

The painting was badly damaged due to the time and its transfer from wood to canvas in 1815. Breaks and deformations were found along the lines of previous board joints. Some parts of the painting became dull and discolored; multiple old restoration tinting coatings changed their color, tint and texture. Irregular varnish coating turned yellow.

Presently, the Laboratory of Scientific Restoration of Easel Oil Painting (headed by V. Korobov) started the implementation of the triptych restoration project. The project provides for the preparation of restoration documents, performance of engineering and technology research, photofixation of the  item at all stages of restoration process, application of the preservation procedure, consolidation of the paint layer over the entire surface, removal of the varnish which changed its tint and old foreign tinting, application of restoration primer in points where the paint layer was lost, applying fresh varnish on the painting, restoring the painting losses (tinting).

The artist-restorer V. Brovkin performed the varnish film thinning and the removal of records made at different times, widely put and overlapping the author’s painting. The painting recovery is carried out using a microscope.

Adoration of the Magi triptych
Late 15th century
Hugo van der Goes
Canvas, oil
Painting transferred from wood to canvas
Larger view

Triptych fragment under restoration Larger view

A. Manoilo, Chairman of the Board of the National Reserve Bank

S. Ilchenko, Manager of St Petersburg subsidiary of the National Reserve Bank