The restoration fund of the international art and antiques fair TEFAF provides financial support for the refurbishment of a painting by Vincent van Gogh.
It’s about The poplar avenue near Nuenen (1885) from the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. The canvas can be seen prior to the restoration during the fair, which will take place in Maastricht at the end of June. Later this summer, the project can be followed live in Depot Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
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Restoration after 140 years
The oil painting of 78 by 98 centimeters has to be restored after almost 140 years. The adhesion of the layers of paint is no longer good, partly because Van Gogh painted the work over another painting. According to the fund, the restoration process mainly focuses on consolidating loose paint and, if possible, removing varnish. If you succeed in removing the varnish, it may also become clearer about the painting that is hidden under the current image. It would be an image of a tower, which is believed to be the old church tower near Nuenen. Until now, no such in-depth research has been done before.
Nuenen
The poplar avenue near Nuenen was the first painting to end up in a public museum collection in 1903. Van Gogh (1853-1890) painted the work in Nuenen in 1885 and is said to have applied additional brushstrokes in Paris.
25,000 euros
The TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund, which supports the restoration and preservation of culturally valuable works worldwide, contributes 25,000 euros to the restoration. The fund is celebrating its 10th anniversary. “It is fitting that in this anniversary year the fund has chosen to support the restoration of a Dutch masterpiece by one of the world’s best-known artists and thus preserve it for future generations of visitors to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen,” says Hidde van Seggelen. , president of TEFAF.