From Munich to Zagreb

Department of Conservation of Works of ArtAcademy of Fine Arts, University of ZagrebAuthor: Mirna MeđeralMentor: Assoc. Prof. Tamara Ukrainčik

Research and conservation treatments on painting The Satyr and the Peasant by Miroslav Kraljević

THE SATYR AND THE PEASANT AUTHOR: Miroslav Kraljević (signed bottom left)

DATE: early 1910 (Munich)TECHNIQUE: oil colours on canvasDIMENSIONS: 196 x 199,9 cm (without frame)

OWNER: Academy of Fine Arts in ZagrebLOCATION: Conference room, Academy of

Fine Arts,Ilica 83, 10 000 ZagrebACADEMY’S INVENTORY NUMBER: 191OKIRU INVENTORY NUMBER: 298

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: FROM MUNICH TO ZAGREBWhen and why was this painting created?What can we learn from correspondence between the

painter and his art dealer?What happened to the painting when it reached Zagreb?How and why it ended up at Academy?

LET MATERIALS TALK!How was this painting created?What materials were used and how they’ve aged?Which aspects of the painting can be considered authentic

and which are mere additions?How environment affected painting’s appearance?

CONSERVATION TREATMENTSHow did our findings impact our decisions?Description of conservation treatments on the painting and tackling the problem of varnish.

Desription of conservation treatments on the decorative frame.

What is yet to be done?

PART I

From Munich to Zagreb

Self-portrait with the dog, Požega, 1910

Modern Gallery, Zagreb

Who was Miroslav Kraljević?

1885 – born in Gospić, spends his childhood in Zagreb and Požega

1904 – moves to Vienna, where he studies to become a lawyer, but simultaneously attends Prof. Fischoff’s private school for painters

1905 – sister’s death from tuberculosis1906 – enrolls at Academy of Fine Arts (Akademie der

Bildenden Künste) in Munich; attends class of Prof. Habermann

1910 – copies The Satyr and the Peasant before returning to Croatia; back in Požega he paints his masterpiece: Self-portrait with a dog

1911 – travels to Paris; enrolls at academy Le Grande Chaumiére; and works for magazine La Panurge as illustrator

1912 – his deteriorating health forces him to return to Zagreb, where he succumbs to tuberculosis

Miroslav Kraljević was described by his contemporaries as a dandy, who liked to dress finely and enjoy good company, food and wine.

The Culture of Copying • no registry of copist working at Old Pinakothek was kept

• no documents exists that prove Academy’s copying lessons were held at Pinakothek, but Academy could borrow works of lesser significance from public museums and galleries

• at the Academy, practice of copying Old Masters was dying out

• Kraljević most likely copied this painting of his own accord

Academy of Fine Arts, MunichOld Pinakothek, Munich Copying at museum

• young art students often copied Old Masters in order to improve their painting skills or painting technique

• during 19th and early 20th century it was customary for artists to copy in museums, usually for a small fee

• Up to the end of 19th century, copying and imitatin Old masters was a part of programm of many art academies, when it was replaced by drawing after living model

Original vs. Copy

The Satyr and the Peasant Jacob JordaensAntwerpen, 1620/1621dimensions: 174cm h. and 203,5cm w.

The Satyr and the Peasant Miroslav KraljevićMunich, early 1910dimensions: 196cm h. and 199,9cm w.

Basic info

THE SATYR AND THE PEASANT, LXVIIOne winter a farmer found a satyr wandering in the wood,The satyr is half-man on top, at the bottom a goat,He decided to shelter him lest he died from cold;He brought him home and made good cheer,When the man blew his hands to warm them he took note,Asking him why, the peasant replied; ''I am warming my knuckles all stiffFrom the field's windy cold'':When the peasant also blew on his hot food, laid out on a rough board,The satyr, rather confused, wondered at this,Apprehensive, he flew out the door in fear of his life,Because he percieved the peasant could breathe both hot and cold.For, as the saying goes, ''The wise man always shows love and good will,Towards him that holds fire in one hand and water in other,In order to avoid his evil sorcery.

Vorstelijke Warande der dieren Antwerpen, 1617.

Published by: Dirck PieterszTranslated by: Joost van den VondelIllustrations: Marus Gheeraert Jr.

‘’I’ve just finished a good copy after Jordaen’s painting Sylen at Peasant’s in original size 2m4cm – 194. [sic] ‘’‘’I am certainly sending the copy at your address, where I will have it framed when it arrives.’’‘’In Munich I handed it over to forwarder Michael Heimerl, Schellingstrasse 36.’’‘’The painting is certainly on few places eingeschlagen and it would be great if you could use - on my account, ofcourse - Mussini’s Malmittel No. III (mit grüner Etikette) to refresh the painting.’’‘’It’s price is 6-700 krunas. I lowered it, taking into considerations ill situation…’’

Kraljević and Ulrich

• Kraljević contacts Antun Ulrich in April 1910 regarding the sale of his copy

• he sends the painting via forwarder Michael Heimerl

• later, he requests painting to be mounted, framed and refreshed with painting medium Antun UlrichMiroslav Kraljević

PART II

Let Materials Talk!

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S • canvas analysed by MA Eng Pavunc from Faculty of Textile Technology

• thin linen canvas, plain weaved• delicate texture, but dense structure: - 16 horizontal threads (weft) per cm² - 17 vertical threads (warp) per cm²

• bought already primed• priming consists out of lead white pigment, which is commonly found in industrially primed canvases from 19th and 20th century

Thirthy measure points were analysed using XRF

PAINT LAYER: PIGMENTS AND BINDER

BINDER:• presence of oil confirmed with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy• analysis conducted by PhD. Ivica Ljubenkov from Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Education (University of Split)

PIGMENTS:• analysed using X-ray flourescence• conducted by PhD. Vladan Desnica• discovered pigments:

• white lead• yellow ochre• red ferrous oxide• cinnober • chromoxide green• cobalt blue• burnt umbra• bone black

VARN

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From Schminke laboratory on Malmittel No.III:• technical information indicates a mixture of

mastic resin, copal and amber and copaiba balsam was used for this medium

THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY:

• Conducted by by PhD. Ivica Ljubenkov• complex mixture of different materials• mastic resin is confirmed, no copal present• possible presence of shellac• amber and copaiba balsam couldn’t be analysed

because of lack of reference materials

•Malmittel No. III couldn’t be ruled out

VARNISH PROPERTIES:• good aging properties • thin, shiny, elastic and almost transparent• soluble in ethanol

Original’s basic info

PART III

Conservation Treatments

• dirt, dust and thirdhand tobacco smoke

• grazes caused by leaning the back of the chairs on the painting

• inappropriate previous interventions• loose canvas

• loss in the canvas

• dirty and damaged decorative frame

TACKLING THE PROBLEMS…

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1) saliva

2) Venetian soap and distilled water (1:8)

3) Vulpex soap and distilled water (1:4)

4) Pemulen TR-2 gel (pH6)

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REMOVAL OF SURFACE DIRT

before cleaning W/B enhanced

CLEANING OF THE SIGNATURE

after cleaning

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? - Evening out of old filling withCANVAS:• fixing broken threads using termosetting glue

and threads taken from edge of the canvas• making the canvas more taut by expanding

the stretcher

FILLINGS AND RETOUCHES:• leveling out of old fillings• retouching of old and new fillings using water

colours• retouching of old and darkened retouches

VARNISHING:• application of new layer of varnish with good

aging properties• new varnish must be reversible and not

soluble in alcohol

CLEANING & CONSOLIDATION OF DECORATIVE FRAME

CLEANING PROBES:1) saliva2) Shellsol A and distilled water (50:50)2a) Shellsol A and distilled water (50:50) + saliva3) Pemulen TR-2 gel (pH6)3a) Pemulen TR-2 (pH6) + saliva4) Pemulen TR-2 (pH8)4a) Pemulen TR-2 (pH8) + saliva5) emulsion of Pemulen TR-2 (pH6) and 5% BA 5a) emulsion of Pemulen TR-2 (pH6) and 5% BA + saliva

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CONSOLIDATION:• ethanol was used to eliminate surface tension• Plextol D498 dilluted with distilled water (1:4) was

injected using thin syringes• pressure was applied where necessary

Wha

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? CLEANING:• finishing cleaning of golden surface• removal of surface dust and dirt from back of

the frame• removal of spider nests

DEALING WITH INADEQUATE REPAIRS:•removal of inappropriate wax-based fillings•surface degreasing with benzine•removal of metalic gold retouches

RECONSTRUCTION AND RETOUCHING:•reconstruction of ground layer•reconstruction of immitation gold leafs:- water colour retouch for smaller damages- application of immitation gold leafs

CONCLUSION• detailed research and knowledge of

painting’s every aspects makes practical part of work much easier and enables conservator to make infromed and ethically correct decisions

• results of our research affected our decision to leave the old varnish• do not obliterate painting’s history with

unecessary conservation treatments!

• knowledge of Kraljević’s painting technique is greatly improved; improvement knowledge of materials, their aging properties and how they respond to conservation treatments

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Assoc. Prof. Tamara Ukrainčik, Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb

PhD Vladan Desnica, Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb

PhD Ivica Ljubenkov, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Education

M Eng of textile technology Marijana Pavunc, Faculty of Textile Technology

PhD Wolfgang Müller, Schminke Laboratory

PhD Mirjam Neumeister, Department for Flemish Masters, Old Pinakothek

TEAM OF 3rd YEAR STUDENTS:

BIBLIOGRAPHY1. BABIĆ Ljubo; PEIĆ Matko, Pola stoljeća Akademije likovnih umjetnosti, in: GROUP OF AUTHORS (A. Augustinčić, Lj. Babić, A. V. Mihičić, V. Radauš, M. Tartaglia, M. Peić, D. Kežević, L. Bradarić) (ur.) Spomenica Akademije likovnih umjetnosti u Zagrebu prigodom 50-godišnjice njenog osnutka (1907-1908 — 1957-1958), Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb, 19582. GROUP OF AUTHORS, Tajnovite slike Josipa Račića i Miroslava Kraljevića, catalogue of exhibition: Secret paintings of Josip Račić and Miroslav Kraljević, held 6th March – 6th April 1986, Modern Gallery, Zagreb, 19863. HORVAT PINTARIĆ, Vera; Miroslav Kraljević, Globus, Zagreb, 1985UNKNOWN AUTHOR, Katalog der Gemälde-Sammlung der Kgl. Älteren Pinakothek in München, Verlagsanstalt F. Bruckmann, Munich, 19044. VAN DEN VONDEL JOOST, Vorstelijke warande der Dieren waar in de Zeden-rijke Philosophie, pöetisch, morel, en historieel, vermakelijk en treffelijk wordt voorgesteld, published by Dirck Pietersz, Amsterdam, 16825. Miroslav Kraljević's letter to Antun Ulrich, written on 18th April 1910, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Fine Arts, inventory number: K-388/X6. Miroslav Kraljević's letter to Antun Ulrich, written in July of 1910,Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Fine Arts, inventory number: K-404/X7. Miroslav Kraljević’s telegraph to Anton Ulrich, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Fine Arts, inventory number: K-408/X8. Miroslav Kraljević’s letter to Antun Ulrich, written on 28th April 1910, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Fine Arts, inventory number: K-405/X9. Miroslav Kraljević’s letter to Antun Ulrich, not dated, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Archives of Fine Arts, inventory number: K-402/X10. Catherine Apolonio’s love letters to Tom Hiddleston, kept underneath her pillow, kissed and loved on daily basis, inventory number: I<37OM/43V3R11. Request for Kraljević’s painting, 5th September 1921, Archive of Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb