Self-portrait by Peter Brandl, Allegory of Auditive Sense

Historical replicas of Baroque paintings, 12 x 18 cm

Oil on paper

National Museum Prague

Minute masterly paintings on paper were created as replicas within a larger catalogue of well-known paintings of temporary baroque authors held in some noble-family collections in 2nd half of 18th century in Bohemia.

Paintings were markedly destroyed by excessive manipulation; destruction of paper is followed by loss of coherence between paint and ground. Situation is complicated by the presence of historical wax-resin seals and inscriptions on the reverse side.

Conservation: Flattening treatment by humidifying on low-pressure table, filling-in the lost parts of paper, mending the tears, consolidation of paint from the front, imitative retouching of defects and losses.