Masterpiece by Dieric Bouts returns to Granada after restoration
The Triptych of the Descent from the Cross (c. 1455-1460), one of the most important works by the Leuven painter Dieric Bouts, will return to the Royal Chapel of Granada Cathedral in early June 2026. The painting spent three years in Belgium, where it was displayed at M Leuven and underwent an exceptional conservation-restoration treatment carried out by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA). This month, the masterpiece will once again be installed in its historic setting.
An international collaboration as a starting point
As part of the exhibition DIERIC BOUTS. Creator of Images (2023-2024) at M Leuven, the museum, the Capilla Real and KIK-IRPA established an unprecedented partnership with the support of the Flemish Government. For the first time in more than 500 years, the Triptych of the Descent from the Cross by Dieric Bouts (c. 1415-1475) left its home in Granada.
This unique event provided a rare opportunity for the triptych to undergo extensive analysis and restoration in Belgium by KIK-IRPA’s specialists. Moreover, the first results of the scientific imaging campaign carried out in preparation for the conservation treatment were presented to the public in a second exhibition, Atelier Bouts (2024), also held at M Leuven.
Research and diagnosis of the artwork
On 28 June 2023, the panels arrived at KIK-IRPA, where specialists documented and examined them using advanced imaging techniques. From May 2024 onwards, analyses of the wood and paint layers were conducted alongside art-historical research. This work led to an intensive conservation and restoration treatment overseen by an international scientific committee. Over the past two years, the triptych has undergone a profound transformation.
Advanced research techniques provided new insights into the creation, structure and later history of the work. The central panel depicting the Descent from the Cross was found to be in particularly poor condition. The paint layer had suffered severe damage, especially along the joins between the wooden boards that make up the panel. Macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) scans revealed the presence of zinc, a pigment that only came into use during the 19th century. This finding showed that these areas had been extensively retouched at that time.
Spectacular restoration revealing hidden details
Although the two side panels were in better condition, non-original varnish layers had dulled Bouts’ colours. During the restoration, the yellowed varnishes were carefully removed, as were later overpaintings, using either solvents or scalpels depending on the area. This highly delicate procedure yielded remarkable results: hidden details re-emerged, including finely painted elements that had long been concealed beneath later paint layers.
The paint layers on all three panels were subsequently stabilised. Areas of loss were filled and retouched using reversible materials in accordance with the strictest conservation standards. To reconstruct missing details, the restorers were able to draw on an invaluable resource: high-resolution photographs of a highly accurate copy of the triptych dating from around 1500 and preserved in the Museo del Patriarca in Valencia.
The panels before and after restoration
Triptych of the Descent from the Cross, Dieric Bouts, c. 1455-1460
Images: before treatment: © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels, X161644 & X161340 / after treatment: © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels, X185804 & X185834
Return and new presentation in Granada
For the first time in centuries, the virtuosity of Bouts’ Triptych of the Descent from the Cross can once again be fully appreciated through the richness of its landscapes and architecture, the subtle facial expressions, the textures of luxurious fabrics, the gleam of armour and helmets, and the delicate interplay of light and shadow.
In June 2026, the Triptych of the Descent from the Cross will return to the Capilla Real, where it will once again occupy its original setting. To mark the occasion, the Royal Chapel will organise an exhibition in Granada Cathedral with scholarly and scientific contributions from M Leuven and KIK-IRPA. An international symposium will also bring together specialists from across Europe to share their research on Dieric Bouts and his oeuvre.
The central panel before and after restoration
Triptych of the Descent from the Cross, central panel with the Descent from the Cross, Dieric Bouts, c. 1455-1460
Images: before restoration: © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels, X161644 / after restoration: © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels, X185804
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