Leseprobe

69 Cross section of flesh tone passage (breast area) (ills. 8–9): 1. Bright, medium rich layer (ground 1) 2. Bright, warm-gray layer (ground 2) 3. Lead-white pigmented layer with red pigments (flesh tone, painting surface) 4. Lead-white pigmented layer with few red pigments, cooler than 3. (flesh tone, painting surface) 5. Light-yellow layer with lead-white, yellow and few red pigments (overpainting) 6. Lead-white pigmented layer with individual, fine red pigments (overpainting) The white dress The white dress is executed in an stong painterly fashion – almost alla prima – as one recognizes from the X-ray image. A distinctive quality in the surface structure reveals an old retouching, showing the re- construction of the folds in the skirt section of the dress. These soft-edged cracks extend only to under- lying gesso-fill, that compensates for a former – rela- tively large – loss. Cross section, white dress (ills. 10–11): 1. Medium-rich, non-homogeneous layer (ground 1) 2. Light, warm-gray layer (ground 2) 3. Lead-white pigmented layer with blue and black pigments 4. Varnish The fan The rhombic-shaped ornaments, within the fan, have only partially survived and lack form and definition. Thick, yellowed layers of varnish masked the actual state of preservation within this passage. Once again, previous cleaning attempts are likely the reason for the work’s present condition (ill. 12). The background The cracking pattern within the – rather dense – paint film (composing the background) clearly shows a dif- ferent quality of craquelure then that of the original paint film – an indication of overpaint. These types of cracks had only formed in this overlying, more recent layer. If one follows how far this layer extends, it be- comes apparent that the figure of the young lady was consciously omitted and that, along the contours of the figure, one can see a slight encroachment of the overpaint into the body of the sitter. The examination of a cross-section from the background reveals a dark Ills. 8–9 (upper right) Cross sections (QS) QS 9267, Incident light Image width corresponds to 0.54mm LB 35/06, sample 8 Photo 09/07-25 QS 9267, UV fluorescence (Filter block A) Image width corresponds to 0.54mm LB 35/06, sample 8 Photo 48/06-3 Ills. 10–11 (lower right) Cross sections (QS) QS 9288, Incident light, Image width corresponds to 0.54 mm LB 20/06, sample 4 Photo 31/06-11 QS 9228, UV fluorescence (Filter block A) Image width corresponds to 0.54 mm LB 20/06, sample 4 Ill. 12 The fan was omitted from the back- ground overpainting. Rhombic-shaped ornaments only fragmentarily preserved due to improper cleaning attempt. 1 2 3 5 4 6 1 2 3 4