J.CAC VOLUME 35 (2010)
Le Triomphe de la Vierge de William Berczy : une renaissance !
In 1810 William Berczy (1744-1813) painted the tondo, Le Triomphe de la Vierge (The Triumph of the Virgin) to decorate the ceiling of the first Church of Notre-Dame in Montreal. Measuring four metres in diameter, it was designed to imitate a cupola. The painting was in an extremely poor condition. It had been detached from its original location and removed on two occasions. It was almost entirely overpainted, and it had been heavily damaged by water during a fire. The conservation treatment consisted of consolidating flaking paint, removing the discolored varnish and overpaint, flattening canvas distortions, repairing damage to the canvas, lining, and filling and inpainting the countless areas of loss. The treatment presented numerous technical and logistical challenges due to the painting’s large size and its shape. For example, a combination easel/table equipped with two Sonotube rollers was used to facilitate operations and provide easy access to all parts of the painting. Mounting and framing were particularly complex operations. Not only did the requirement for framing need to respect the painting’s circular shape, but it also had to allow for ease of removal and future installation. The conservation treatment also provided an opportunity to study the artist’s materials and technique. Analyses of the ground and paint layers were carried out at the Canadian Conservation Institute. The work is now installed in the Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal.
Download: JCAC35 Roberge & Forest