Restoration of the paintings from the War Gallery of 1812

In the years 2001 - 03 in connection with the reconstruction of the War Gallery of 1812, the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Easel Painting (headed by R.T. Grunina) carried out a unique project. The aim was to restore the 329 portraits created for the gallery by George Dawe, Franz Kruger, Johann Peter Krafft and two artists from Dawe's studio - Alexander Poliakov and Vasily (Wilhelm) Golicke.

The portraits of participants in the Patriotic War of 1812 were painted on dense, grainy linen-weave canvases coated with a thick layer of oil-based primer. Almost all the works presented the same type of damage: deformation and separation of the base, strong, raised cracking, losses and abrasions at the edges, deformation of the paint layer. However, the paintings were in different conditions and required a differentiated approach.

In 2001 a complex restoration of the portrait of Alexander I was carried out by A.V. Kuznetsov, V.V. Shatsky and A.N. Smirnov. Alexander I (1777 - 1825), Russian emperor from 1801, is depicted on Eclipse, a horse given to him by Napoleon. The Emperor is presented in the Russian common general's uniform with the sash of the Order of St Andrew the First-Called and badges of the Orders of the Garter (England), the Sword (Sweden) and St George, 1st class (Russia), the medal "In Memory of the Patriotic War" and other foreign decorations. This portrait, painted by the Englishman George Dawe, was installed in the Gallery in 1837. Contemporaries considered the work a triumph on the part of the artist and noted the amazing similarity with the late Emperor.

The only restoration of the painting had taken place in 1937. In 2001 all the necessary restorative measures were carried out: the stretcher was strengthened, the paint layer and primer reinforced twice across the whole surface, deformations eliminated. Restoration primer was applied in areas of loss and the original varnish was restored and levelled out. The painting was covered with fresh varnish and areas with numerous losses shaded with oil paints.

One of the most complicated and important elements of the project was the restoration of Dawe's portrait of Kutuzov by A.A. Osetrov and V.A. Khudiakov. Field Marshal General Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov is depicted in the common general's uniform and greatcoat with the sash and star of the Order of St Andrew the First-Called, the stars of the Orders of St George (1st class), St Vladimir (1st class) and Maria Theresia (Austria) and a portrait of Alexander I. Documents found in the archive of the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Easel Painting testified to previous restorations. The most important of these was the record of the 1947 restoration. This document provided the restorers with an idea of the origin of the thick, yellowed coating of varnish. The task of reducing the thickness of this layer and evening it subsequently proved their most difficult problem.

Since the artist's original base remained stable and firm, the following work was carried out: reinforcement of the paint layer and primer across the whole surface; elimination of deformations; removal of surface grime. In areas of loss a restoration primer of chalk and fish glue with honey was applied. The old varnish was reduced in thickness and levelled out before the application of new varnish. Areas of the loss of the paint layer were shaded. All these operations were carried out with constant monitoring of the surface of the canvas using ultra-violet rays.

Between 1998 and 2003 a whole range of restoration work was carried out in the War Gallery of 1812: the roof was mended; the skylights restored; extremely complicated work was performed to restore the grisaille painting on the barrel vault; the artificial marble and patterned parquet floors were restored.

Engineering work was also carried out in the Gallery for the installation of combined lighting. The lamps of the upper tier, lost in the course of time, were recreated and a soft even illumination created. The company MESI installed special light-reflecting shafts developed by the Stroifizika Institute in Moscow above the lower row of skylights.

The restoration work was carried out by specialists from the Hermitage's Special Scientific Restoration Production Workshops under the leadership of the museum's Chief Architect, V.V. Yefimov.

The restored War Gallery of 1812 was reopened on 26 May 2003, during the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of the foundation of St Petersburg.

The War Gallery of 1812 during the restoration work
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Portraits will be installed in the frames
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The War Gallery of 1812 after restoration
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