73

As mentioned above, following its acquisition in 1962, the painting could

no longer be presented in the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches

Museum from 1976 due to severe damage. The poor condition of the

monumental altarpiece (acute lifting of the paint layer, yellowed varnish,

earlier water damage, etc.) made a comprehensive conservation treatment

necessary, which was guided by an interdisciplinary team of curators,

conservators, and scientists.

5.1 CONSERVATION HISTORY

Conservation reports from shortly after the purchase of the altarpiece in

1962 already detail its poor state of

preservation.49

Damages listed include

severe woodworm activity with numerous visible worm channels and a loss

of adhesion in the paint layer. As a result, initial consolidation measures

were undertaken and a comprehensive conservation treatment

begun.50

The

following interventions to the support were presumably also begun during

this first phase of conservation: the insert on the reverse of the panel at the

lower-right corner, in the area of the signature (executed in okoume

wood51),
and the affixing of 10 mm wide strips to stabilize the open-pored, wormdamaged

 edges of the poplar panel at the left and right edges and the semicircular

 top

(fig. 37).52
Another

entry,53

already from the next year, documents the unsatisfactory

results of these first conservation measures. It was thus again attempted to

secure the loose areas of the paint layer. The conservation documentation

unfortunately gives no information on the methods employed or the

consolidation materials. That the second treatment likewise failed to stabilize

the painting in the long term is indicated by another entry, from

1976:54
after only ten years, acute lifting and blister formation were again observed.

49	 Purchase documents (Zl. 9/Gal/1962, Acquisitions: Section XIV, Garofalo, Resurrection

 of Christ Altarpiece) indicate that there was no right of return after the
purchase, as the painting was bought for half of its actual value. This observation
can also be seen as an indication of the painting’s extremely poor condition.
50	 Conservation treatment from spring 1963 to 1965 (Franz Sochor, Valerie Raschka,

Josef Kimmel): ‘Condition of the picture: Very blistered. Worm-eaten. Overpainted.
 Yellow varnish. Measures undertaken: Covering, setting down numerous
blisters [Zustand des Bildes: sehr blasenkrank. Vom Wurm zerfressen. Übermalt.
Gelber Firnis. Vorgenommene Arbeit am Bild: Abdeckung, Niederlegen von
zahllosen Blasen].’
51	 Dendrochronological investigation by Peter Klein, Universität Hamburg, Institute

 of Wood Biology, report from 10 June 2012: ‘The later

20th century

additions
are made of the tropical wood “okoume”. Okoume comes from Africa and was
certainly not used in Europe before the

19th century,

availability only in the
20th century

is even more likely.’
52	 The large insert in this area was probably undertaken because of the severe insect

 damage. Both interventions occurred after 1963 and were probably carried
out in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Unfortunately, there are no detailed notes
on the structural work on the support in the museum’s documentation, however
the choice of materials and execution are similar to conservation practices in the
museum at the time.
53	 Conservation treatment in November 1965 until autumn 1966 (Franz Sochor,

Valerie Raschka): ‘Condition of the picture: The entire panel is sewn with blisters.
 Numerous losses (through lost blisters). Shrinkage along the grain direction.
Measures undertaken: Setting down blisters, closing of losses [Zustand des Bildes:
 Die ganze Tafel von Blasen übersät. Zahlreiche Fehlstellen (durch bereits
abgefallene Blasen). Schrumpfungen längs der Holzfaserrichtung. Vorgenommene
Arbeit am Bild: Niederlegen der Blasen, Schließung der Fehlstellen].’
54	 1976 (Josef Kimmel): ‘Condition of the picture: Recent severe blistering. Measures

undertaken: Comprehensive setting down [Zustand des Bildes: neuerlich starker
Blasenbefall. Vorgenommene Arbeit am Bild: durchgehende Niederlegung].’

5. CONSERVATION OF THE  
	 PAINTING

RESURRECTION

OF CHRIST