Retouching takes place after dirt- and (possibly) varnish removal. At its core, it is the careful application of colour to areas of a painting that have been damaged or lost over time. This process is not about repainting or altering the original work; rather, it is about restoring the artwork to a state closer to the artist’s original intention, aiming at a better readability of the painting.
The goal of retouching is to reintegrate a loss or damage in a reversible manner. For this, we use stable, modern materials that can be easily removed, ensuring that future restorers can re-treat the artwork without complications. Usually, retouching is applied on top of an intermediate varnish to improve the reversibility.
Occasionally, damages or paint loss disrupt the surface texture of the painting. Even the best-matched retouching will not disguise this texture difference. In these cases, a filling is applied before retouching. This filling has to be carefully sculpted to mimic the texture of the surrounding area to be successful.
Examples from my practice
Before retouching
After retouching
The dark yellow patches seen in the left image became visible because of a paint loss in the final upper paint layer. Even though the paint underneath is original, it was meant as an underlying layer, and its visibility disturbs the image. For this reason, the revealed patches of paint were covered with local retouching.
Before retouching
During retouching
An ill-fitted frame possibly caused this paint loss. Losses in this shape often cross through different colour areas in the painting and thus involve colour matching many different colours and continuous re-evaluation and adjustment to make them blend in.
Before filling
After filling and varnishing
After filling
After retouching
This hole of approximately 0,7 cm to 0,7 cm was carefully filled and sculpted to imitate the impasto of the disrupted brush stroke. Without this filling, the later reintegration of this loss would have been impossible.
Workshops
Boat-studio Paul Versteeg, Amsterdam.
https://paulversteeg.eu
Workshop on Colour Theory and Perception by Paul Versteeg
University of Amsterdam, November 2022
This workshop took place in the studio of the well-known painter Paul Versteeg, known for his work inspired by the old masters and his assistance to Marc Chagall in creating the ceiling painting of the Opera Garnier in Paris.
The workshop focused on colour theory, an essential concept for understanding the current condition of paintings and anticipating the optical effects of conservation treatments.
This two-day, practice-based workshop was designed to sharpen our visual skills, particularly in colour interaction. We delved into concepts such as tonal values, lightness, hue, and colour contrast. A significant part of the workshop was dedicated to practical experience in colour mixing, using either acrylic paint or watercolour. This session served as an introduction to the art of retouching.
By the end of the workshop, we had gained a fundamental understanding of colour theory and learned to apply these principles practically.