Self-portrait of Rubens under the microscope
A self-portrait of Rubens can be admired in the Rubens House, where the Antwerp master's studio was once located. In 2017, the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage was commissioned to study and conserve-restore the work. A real honour and a tremendous pleasure.
Maison Rubens
The examination that preceded the restoration revealed that the original painting was buried under a dozen layers of oxidised and shiny varnish. Using an XRF scanner, our researchers were able to identify the original paint and colour palette before starting the restoration work. The result? A reinvigorated version that brings us much closer to the painter's hand. Rubens appears more timeless than ever, to our great delight.
VERONA (Van Eyck Research in OpeN Access)
How close can you get to the creative genius of the Flemish master? The pioneering VERONA project has opened a whole new chapter in the study of the paintings of Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441). A permanent team of researchers and photographers from the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) went on site to study and document all the paintings of Jan van Eyck housed in renowned museums in Belgium and abroad, in high resolution and according to a standardised protocol. This comprehensive visual material is now available online on the Closer to Van Eyck website.
