Aelbert Cuyp's 'Large Dort': Colour Change and Conservation

Marika Spring and Larry Keith
Technical Bulletin Volume 30, 2009

Abstract

The recent cleaning and restoration of Aelbert Cuyp’s Large Dort presented the opportunity to explore the picture’s technique, with the aim of understanding the visual effect of changes within the original painting materials and those resulting from the picture’s restoration history. Deterioration of a yellow lake pigment has contributed to a blanched, chalky appearance which is particularly disturbing in certain areas of the green foreground landscape. The vivianite used for the milkmaid’s skirt has also degraded. Understanding the changes in the painting, particularly in the green landscape, played an important role in informing the retouching strategy.

Keywords

blanching, Cuyp, painting, seventeenth century, vivianite, yellow lake

Download article

Aelbert Cuyp's 'Large Dort': Colour Change and Conservation, Marika Spring and Larry Keith (PDF 12.1MB)

To cite this article we suggest using

Spring, M., Keith, L. 'Aelbert Cuyp's "Large Dort": Colour Change and Conservation'. National Gallery Technical Bulletin Vol 30, pp 71–85.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/technical-bulletin/spring_keith2009

---

Problems opening files? Get Adobe Reader [External link]