So another “masterpiece” was restored by an amateur and ruined. I wrote about Elias Garcia’s “Ecce Homo” in a previous post.
This time a copy of the “The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was cleaned by a furniture restorer. “Ottomans, chaise, masterpieces, whatever! We do it all!”
Apparently the collector who owned the painting gave it to a furniture restorer to be cleaned. Why would you let a furniture restorer clean your painting? The frame, maybe. The painting? No. There are professional conservators that go to school to be able to do this. They have their own association, “ACRE” for crying out loud.
That being said, quite frankly I like the new versions. The first one is…creepy. Like the head doesn’t look like it belongs to that body. Like how old is her face in that, nine? Way too young to be getting pregnant by God at any case. What kind of pedos can look at that and think, “cool”?
Yet again we have another Christian painting with the subject gazing wistfully to the heavens above. We get it. God’s up there. Shouldn’t she be looking at her belly in disbelief and asking “I’m fucking what?!! I am way too young to have a kid! Not to mention that Joseph is going to lose his mind! I can’t even.”
The first restoration at the top right shows an ageless Mary. She is looking upwards with a more resigned “fine, have it your way” kind of look. The soft baroque hair from the original has given way to a darkened halo. Or maybe it’s an aura.
The second restoration in the bottom right has Mary confronting the viewer. She is staring directly at us. Her eyes slightly narrowed as if daring us to say anything. “What? WHAT?” she asks us challengingly. Here, Mary appears to wearing a burka. Not sure why but any attempt at hair has been abandoned. Which is probably for the best.
The upshot is now restorers are calling for regulations on who can and cannot restore paintings. Spain has seen other works “ruined” such as this 16th century statue of St. George. I put “ruined” in quotes because art is subjective.
St. George looked stoned before but is absolutely “gonzo’d” now. “Dude, where’s my horse?” And this 15th century statue of St.Anne was restored by a shopkeeper.
Personally I think ACRE was a little harsh in their criticism of the St. Anne statues. Cathedrals are large and it’s tough to see what is going on up at the altar. Especially if you don’t arrive early enough to get a good seat at midnight mass. Which is the only mass you go to because you’re a terrible Catholic!
This brightly colored piece can now be seen clearly from the back pews as well as those at the front.
And just in case you think I am full of it here are some ancient statues that were painted. Historians know from finding microscopic paint flecks that those white marble Greek and Roman statues were painted gaudy colours. So bright St. Anne might not be as far off the original as some people think.
While I am sure the results are unintended, they are equally undeniable. Knowing what I do about paint, I doubt there is anything that can be done. Art is subjective and tastes are temporary; but when it comes to restorations, leave it to the professionals.