Oil Painting Copy of Murillo's Madonna and Child

Art

Historic Charleston Foundation

Name/Title

Oil Painting Copy of Murillo's Madonna and Child

Entry/Object ID

96.3.30

Description

Oil Painting Copy of Murillo's Madonna and Child, mid 19th century Seated Madonna in Red Gown with Blue Drape and Thin White Veil Holds Naked Christ Chld Standing on Her Lap. in Elaborate Gilt Frame with Flourishes and Anthemions.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Collection

Acquisition

Accession

96.3.30

Source or Donor

Charleston Museum

Acquisition Method

Ar Transfer From Cm

Credit Line

Charleston Museum Purchase From Mrs. Robert Kennedy

Made/Created

Date made

1825 - 1875

Place

Location

Italian

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Painting

Nomenclature Class

Art

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

26-1/2 in

Width

19-1/2 in

Dimension Notes

Frame: 37" (H) by 29.5" (W) by 2.5" (D)

Location

* Untyped Location

109 Aiken - Rhett House - Art Gallery

Moved By

Red

Date

April 23, 1998

Notes

Until: / /

Location

Building

AR WEST PARLOR

Condition

Notes

Katherine Rogers Surveyed 1998. Has Been Cleaned in Past But Could Be Improved. Probably Lined. Probably Didn'T Fully Clean Background. Halo Is Too Light. Accretions Not Touched Out When Cleaned. Estimate of $2,000 To Improve.

Notes

The painting is an oil on canvas. The canvas has been lined to a secondary fiberglass fabric support with wax-resin adhesive. The original canvas is an open tabby weave while the lining fabric is a more closely woven fabric. The original tacking edges have been cut from the painting. The lined painting is attached to an expasion bolt wooden stretcher. The stretcher is not beveled on the front or the reverse. A layer of dust and grime covers the reverse of the painting. A protective cardboard backing is tacked onto the reverse of the stretcher. The ground is dark red in color and is visible in the areas of paint loss. The paint layer appears to be oil and is medium in application. Slight impasto is visible in the highlights of the drapery. Medium to large age and mechinal cracks are located throughout the ground and paint layers. The painting was previously restored and the cleaning appears uneven. The lighter areas of the painting were overcleaned while the darker areas do not appear to have been cleaned. There is no signature visable on the painting. Damage Information: An old tear approximately 1" in length is located in the upper right quadrant in the background area. There is debris between the canvas and the lower stretcher members. Minute losses are located throughout the painting in noticeable cupping in the ground and paint layers. There is a natural resin varnish which has discoloured and yellowed with age. It is not the original varnish as the painting has been restored. Numerous fly specks cover the surface of the painting. There is a layer of dust and grime on the surface of the painting. Halo is too light. Accretions not touched out when cleaned in the past. Frame fragile at left side. Loss of gilding at the nailholes of the frame.

Conservation

Treatment

Conservator

Catherine G. Rogers

Notes

Scope of work: The painting will be photodocumented. Areas of loose or flaking paint will be consolidated using an appropriate adhesive. The surface grime will be removed and the varnish layer reduced using organic solvents that are safe for the paint layer. The debris will be dislodged between the stretcher bars and canvas and the reverse of the painting will be vacuumed. The painting will be removed from its stretcher and the fiberglass lining canvas will be removed from the original canvas. The excess wax-resin lining adhesive will be removed from te reverse of the origianl canvas. The painting will be lined to a new polyester fabric support with Beva 371 as the adhesive on the vacuum hot table. The lined painting will be attached to a keyable wooden stretcher with Beva film. Copper tacks will be added to the tacking edges for added protection. The painting will be keyed out. An isolating varnish of MS2A or Acryloid B-72 resin will be brush applied to the painting. Areas of ground and paint loss will be filled with gesso. Losses and abrasions will be inpainted using Golden MSA and Lefranc & Bourgeois pigments to match the surrounding areas of loss. A final spray coat varnish of Acyloid B-72 will be applied to the painting. The rabbet of the frame will be lined with black felt to protect the front of the painting with direct abrasion from the rabbet of the frame. A protective backing board will be attached to the reverse of the stretcher with washers and screws. The painting will be installed in its frame with metal plates. New hanging hardware and wire will be attached to the reverse of the frame. Cost: 3000

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Aiken, William (Jr.) (Gov.)

Person or Organization

Aiken, Harriet Lowndes

Person or Organization

Rhett, Henrietta Aiken

Provenance

Notes

Originally purchased by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr. most likely during one of their Grand Tours prior to 1859. The painting descended in the family and lastly belonged to Mrs. Robert Kennedy, Sr. (Elizabeth Parker Rhett (b. 1913 - d. 2004)), daughter of Edmund Rhett and Loti Moultrie Ball.

General Notes

Note

Notes: Note Maker Is Who This Is After - This Is Not an Original Murillo. the Original Was Probaly Painted C.1650-60 Status: OK Location Details1: 1

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

April 23, 1998

Updated By

museumsintern@historiccharleston.org

Update Date

June 23, 2025