Chancellor Rolin in 3.5 billion pixels. A masterpiece by Van Eyck as you've never seen it before
The Louvre in Paris recently solicited the services of KIK-IRPA for the exhibition 'Revoir Van Eyck. La Vierge du Chancelier Rolin', which runs until June 17, 2024. The painting of The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, freshly restored, was captured in images again by our teams. Moreover, it got its own section on the Closer to Van Eyck website.
The starring piece in the 'Revoir Van Eyck' exhibition is none other than Van Eyck's masterpiece, The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin. Remarkably, this is the sole painting by the Flemish Primitive housed within the Louvre's esteemed collections. The iconic artwork underwent restoration between 2021 and 2024, marking the first such endeavor since the Louvre's acquisition of the piece in 1800. Spearheaded by the Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF), this restoration project benefited greatly from the expertise garnered by our very own Institute, KIK-IRPA, particularly from our restoration of the Ghent Altarpiece over the years.
Before the exhibition commenced, the Louvre entrusted KIK-IRPA with the task of meticulously documenting the restored panel in accordance with the standardized VERONA protocol. VERONA, an acronym for Van Eyck Research in OpeN Access, represents a groundbreaking initiative. Under the VERONA project, every masterpiece by Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441), housed in prestigious museums both nationally and internationally, undergoes thorough research and documentation. This process occurs on-site, employing a dedicated team of scientists and photographers from KIK-IRPA, capturing the artworks in exquisite detail at high resolution.
The new ultra-high-resolution images of The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin are showcased on a large screen in the 'Revoir Van Eyck' exhibition. The result is breathtaking. But the KIK-IRPA team didn't just capture images of the front; they also documented the spectacular backside of the panel. These exclusive images have now been added to the Closer to Van Eyck website, where other artworks documented under the VERONA project are also accessible. A new section has been created on Closer to Van Eyck: Rolin Virgin Restored. Now, everyone can revel in the exquisite details and new object shots of Van Eycks amazing masterpiece.
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An unforgettable evening in support of the Rubens chapel
On Thursday, December 12th, 2024, heritage enthusiasts gathered at the Saint James' Church in Antwerp for a successful fundraising dinner in support of the conservation and restoration of Rubens' tomb chapel and its artistic treasures.
On behalf of the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage and the Church Board of Saint James' Antwerp, we would like to sincerely thank everyone – both those in attendance and other donors – for their support and generosity.
Conservation of the Ghent Altarpiece continues to reveal the unparalleled virtuosity of the Van Eyck brothers
As with the first two phases of the conservation-restoration project of the Ghent Altarpiece, the KIK-IRPA team has encountered extensive overpainting from the 16th century. The removal of the thick and often heavily darkened layers of paint requires significant time and concentration but gradually reveals the subtle nuances so characteristic of the Van Eyck brothers' painting technique.