Immaculate Cartuja canvas restoration detail

Restoration of the canvas The Immaculate Conception of the Charterhouse of Talamanca de Jarama

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Located in the chapel of La Cartuja. Attributed to Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra

The work is located in the chapel of the Cartuja de Talamanca de Jarama, which depended on the Carthusian monastery of Santa María de El Paular, founded in Rascafría on the initiative of Juan I and Enrique II on August 29, 1390. Initially, in the place it now occupies the canvas of the Immaculate Conception, There was a work representing Saint Bruno, founder of the Carthusian Order, which could not be recovered due to its irreversible deterioration.

The Cartuja de Talamanca chapel has mural paintings on the ceiling and walls that represent, in addition to the Immaculate Conception, the Holy Trinity, Pentecost and the Mystical Lamb. On the sides there is a simulated marble plinth on which Saint Hugo, Saint Telmo and the Magdalene, the emblem of the House of Bourbon and the Carthusian shield are represented.

The Immaculate Conception of Mary canvas

The canvas is attributed to Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra, due to its compositional characteristics, although it lacks a signature, like other paintings made by the same author. The model of the composition is reminiscent of that of the Granada painter Alonso Cano, which hangs in the Oratory of the Sacristy of the Cathedral of Granada. The Immaculate Conception by Cano was made during the artist's prime, in the 60s of the XNUMXth century. The success of the composition was such that it became a model to follow in representations of the Virgin in the XNUMXth and early XNUMXth centuries.

The absence of documentary evidence does not allow us to know how the picture of Immaculate arrived at the Charterhouse of Talamanca, although the most plausible thing is that the Carthusians had requested an Immaculate Conception from their colleagues at the Granada Charterhouse and that they had commissioned the image from Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra, who had worked for the Charterhouse of Granada between 1670 and 1676.

Images of the canvas before and after its restoration:

Immaculate canvas detail after restoration

Description of work

The figure of the Immaculate Conception is represented standing in the center of the composition. The Virgin appears dressed in a white tunic and a large blue cloak, which widens to the height of her waist, with the lower left peak protruding from the central sphere.

The head, wrapped in rays of light among which are twelve stars, appears tilted and looking to the left, with lowered eyes. His hands, joined in prayer, are oriented slightly to the right, generating a slight and harmonious contraposto. The figure places its feet on a silver-hued moon and three cherub heads. On the sides of the Virgin, there are four angels, two on each side, carrying roses, lilies, lilies and a palm, symbols of Mary's purity and the Laurentian litany.

The background of the brown canvas represents the sky, from which the figure of Mary emerges among white clouds, also framed by clouds, hinted at through a very diluted white oil paint.

The author: Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra

The author of the canvas, the aforementioned Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra He was one of the most direct disciples of Alonso Cano. He was born in Granada in 1638, which allowed him to make a qualitative leap as a painter. The influence of the work of Van Dyck and Rubens is reflected in his work, which can be seen especially in his more marked folds and in the color of his paintings. Cano's teachings permeated the works of Bocanegra, who painted the Virgin of the Cartuja following the model of his teacher, although he included his own variants such as the use of more marked and rigid folds than that of his teacher. . Another of the elements that most distinguishes the Immaculate of Bocanegra is the brownish background in which the figures are suspended.

Bocanegra became one of the best interpreters of Alonso Cano, although his works reflect greater mannerisms and less vigor and grandeur of the figures. The iconography is where the influence of Cano is most reflected, while the influence learned from the Flemish artists, especially from Van Dyck and Rubens, will be seen in the coloring.

After the death of Alonso Cano in 1677, Bocanegra began to receive important commissions such as decorating the Charterhouse of Granada with large scenes about the life of the Virgin, being appointed on June 13, 1674, senior master of painting at the Cathedral of Granada. , where he would carry out a good number of works. In 1676 he traveled to Madrid, achieving the appointment of painter to the king. His stay in Madrid was short, and he carried out very few works during this period.

Previous state of conservation

The canvas was in a delicate state of conservation, with the loss of polychrome, especially in the lower part of the canvas and the marked cracking, being the main problems affecting the work. The canvas was dismantled in the chapel, to be later transferred to the restoration workshop.

From a structural point of view, the surface of the canvas was stretched. At the time, one might think that the frame is the original since it is made of pine wood, assembled at the corners.

Once the canvas was removed from the frame, it was observed that it was cut into the frame, possibly to adapt to the frame, and was nailed to it around the entire perimeter on the front of the pictorial film. On the surface, the accumulation of dirt and the different layers of oxidized varnishes could be seen, which significantly affected the work, preventing optimal reading.

The iron nails holding the canvas together could also be seen on the front of the pictorial film. The entire work was dotted with stains, which suggests that it could have been near candles.

Detail of previous Immaculate polychrome

restoration project

The restoration conforms to the principles of reversibility in the treatments applied. Stable materials and products compatible with the work have been used without altering its physical and aesthetic characteristics to prevent and neutralize any degrading action.

Disassembly, protection and fixing of the polychrome

First, it was necessary to remove each of the iron nails that held the canvas to the stretcher on the front. After separating the canvas from the stretcher and placing it on a flat surface, it was wallpapered with organic glue and Japanese paper.

Once the canvas was wallpapered, using pressure and heat, it was ironed to ensure that the pictorial film settled again on the support and preparation.

Support treatment

The support was in perfect condition, not showing any type of break or tear. The painting is made up of two canvases joined by a seam vertically, its measurements being one meter on the left side and 0,40 cm. the right wing. Originally, the size of the painting was somewhat larger, since it is cut around its entire perimeter.

In order to reassemble the canvas, perimeter bands were added that allow it to be correctly braced and tensioned on the frame structure. The pine frame, formed by a single horizontal crossbar, has been preserved. At the ends of the crosshead it was reinforced with T-shaped plates.

Also carried out was manual cleaning of dirt remains on the edges of the canvas prior to placing perimeter bands.

Removing wallpaper and cleaning the pictorial film

After removing the Japanese paper, the cleaning process began, previously carrying out the pertinent analytical and solubility tests with the appropriate solvents.

First, the layer of dust and pollution was removed with an anionic soap diluted in water. Old and rusty varnishes were removed with a mixture of solvent and alcohol.

Coated

The leveling of unpreparedness was done in the same tone as the original.

the immaculate Japanese paper restoration

Chromatic reintegration and final protection

Two coats of varnish were applied to protect the pictorial film. The reintegration was carried out with imitative and differentiable criteria in the small gaps and finally another protective layer of varnish was applied.

In the frame, the gold was first fixed to the wood and the decorative pieces were attached. Both the polychrome and the gilding were cleaned with a mixture of soap and alcohol and a layer of protection.

With these interventions the canvas The Immaculate Conception of Mary, of great pictorial quality, it has recovered its original attractiveness.

Technical data

General data

Technical data

Work team: ALBAYALDE ARTE Y RESTAURACIÓN SL
Date of the intervention: 2023
Protection of Good: The Charterhouse of Talamanca del Jarama is a Cultural Asset with the category of Monument, declared by Decree 129/2022, of December 7, of the Government Council (Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid of December 15, 2022)
Bibliography:

-Azcárate, José M. “Artistic inventory of the Province of Madrid.” National Artistic, Archaeological and Ethnological Information Service. 1970. P. 271.

-Pérez Sánchez, Alfonso E. (1992). Baroque painting in Spain 1600-1750. Madrid. Ediciones Cátedra SA

-Gila Medina, Lázaro. (1997) “New data on the life and work of the royal painter Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra - Testament, codicil, inventory and appraisal of his artistic heritage”. Art Notebooks of the University of Granada 28. pp. 87-103.