Conservation of ‘The Disasters of War’, by Goya
There are all sorts of projects, and when Mr. Goya knocks at the door, the red carpet is ready to receive him at the studio: Please, come in!
The series of prints The Disasters of War by Francisco Goya arrived at the studio in a fairly intact condition, with its 80 etchings, corresponding to the very first edition (in later editions two more etchings were added, making a total of 82). This first one was edited in 1863, more than forty years after the period they witness (1810-1820), and when Goya was already dead (1828).
Title of the first edition “The Disasters of War”, by Goya
The prints reflect not only the cruelty of war, but most of all its absurdity. The critical eye of the painter, who acts also as a war reporter, makes this artwork a historical document of prime importance (we must remember that photography would burst in only a few years after): ‘I saw it’ (“Yo lo vi” caption above print #44), ‘And so this’ (“Y esto también”, caption above the next one, #45). A chilling documentation with both technical and artistic quality that I do not dare to qualify. Being able to handle these etchings, to admire them at ease and with no rush, touch them, examine them… reaffirms the feeling of privilege that is being a conservator.
But enough daydreaming, let’s focus! What shall we do to this book? Pull it?! My goodness!!!
Yes: The series came in a bookbinding that seemed to be the original, and I was asked to pull it… At first glance such a proposal didn’t shoehorn at all in any deontological code, and my fear was that the etchings were to be sold apart, disassembling the original issue for ever. I must admit that although I tried to persuade the owner not to do it, I was the one persuaded at the end. “The thing is to detach the book in order to exhibit its engravings, and bind it again in their original covers after it”, he says. Well… It’s true that 80 etchings can be observed by several people at the same time with minimum risks for the artefact, whereas a book is -in terms of exhibition- much more limited. And we cannot properly consider it an artist book, as the binding can be qualified as merely functional because it was posthumous edited, and without an expressed will from the author to collect the series in a book, and even less with that particular bookbinding. Moreover: books are often pulled to be bound again in order to do conservation treatments… let’s make it worth it, then, and exhibit the etchings during this time lapse so that we can all admire them!
Etching #51 by Goya before and after conservation
If it has to be pulled, let it be in the more careful way possible, and let the etchings be exhibited with all their dignity, splendour and best condition. While I meditate whether I will go to the hell of conservators, or maybe to its purgatory, all surrounded by bibliopaths; I focus in applying the most conservative treatment possible, and maybe that shortens the purgation.
Prints number 49, 50, 52, 53 and 54 (right to left). They had synthetic glue stains that might have been added in a former intervention (left edge), intending to attach the loose sheets. Left image: after removing animal glue residues, with water, that left unaffected the synthetic glue. It was necessary to make a solvent treatment for these residues as they were drying the paper and prevented its natural hygroscopicity.
Print #68 ‘What madness!’ (“¡Qué locura!”) There is a bleaching stain which is the result of a previous intervention, that apparently tried to erase the ownership stamp of a former collector. After the wet cleaning and deacidification the discolouration due to bleaching is far less evident and the white hues are more even. No further bleaching as been done, in order no to damage paper fibres (photomerge with both images from the previous stage to conservation -top- and after conservation -bottom-).
Print #59: ‘What help can a cup do? (“¿De qué sirve una taza?”). Images corresponding to the flattened of the prints. In order not to modify the original mark of the etching, we used the flattening under tension, a technique which takes advantage of the natural shrinking of the paper while drying out. Left: Moisturized paper. Right: the same paper about one hour later, dried and flat.
This project has been a real pleasure to work at, not only because of the beauty of these etchings; we must admit that it caused not much trouble. First of all because the prime media is noble: a good engraving paper, but also because they suffered not much damages while ageing. That has been so, that the conservators involved in it (Márk Somogyi and I) didn’t expect a significant change after the cleaning, and surprisingly the improvement has been notorious.
‘The Disasters of War’ by Goya (private Collection). Image corresponding the bath and deacidification treatment (with calcium hydroxide), in the sink.
First edition (1863) of ‘The Disasters of War’ (“Los desastres de la guerra”), a series of 80 prints by Francisco Goya. Detail of print #52: ‘They are not on time’ (“No llegan a tiempo”).
During the wet cleaning the cellulose swells, and the mark of the etching breathes life, as if it just came out from the etching press: the inked in lines scratch the paper with renewed intensity, bringing the paper this particular relief of chalcography. While we remain enthralled with every hatch and every detail, the paper dries out slowly and the whiteness increases and reflects the light more strongly, making the blacks seem more powerful… What a spectacle!
Do not hesitate to visit the exhibition and enjoy it in person (Art Areté Gallery, Escaldes, ANDORRA).
PS: And for technical details of the conservation treatment, click on each image.
Tear repair on and infilling the gaps and losses due to the sewing of the book. In fact, this was not a proper sewing, as the sheets were all loose and independent, instead of forming quires in groups of pairs. In order to attach all the sheets in a book, when there are no quires, some holes are made some millimetres after the joint (or where the fold between two sheets would be found). The conservator Márk Somogyi mending these losses with washi paper.
Other links:
Press relaease at the Diari d’Andorra: Art Areté dedicarà una retrospectiva a Sixeart, patum de l’street art català
Literature:
“Goya, chronicler of war. ‘The Disasters’ and war photography”. BORDES, Juan; MATILLA, José Manuel; BALSELLS, Sandra. Ed.: Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno. 2009, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. ISBN: 978-84-92579-01-3 (book in English and Spanish).
Filter post by:
Conservation of ‘The Disasters of War’, by Goya
There are all sorts of projects, and when Mr. Goya knocks at the door, the red carpet is ready to receive him at the studio: Please, come in!
The series of prints The Disasters of War by Francisco Goya arrived at the studio in a fairly intact condition, with its 80 etchings, corresponding to the very first edition (in later editions two more etchings were added, making a total of 82). This first one was edited in 1863, more than forty years after the period they witness (1810-1820), and when Goya was already dead (1828).
Title of the first edition “The Disasters of War”, by Goya
The prints reflect not only the cruelty of war, but most of all its absurdity. The critical eye of the painter, who acts also as a war reporter, makes this artwork a historical document of prime importance (we must remember that photography would burst in only a few years after): ‘I saw it’ (“Yo lo vi” caption above print #44), ‘And so this’ (“Y esto también”, caption above the next one, #45). A chilling documentation with both technical and artistic quality that I do not dare to qualify. Being able to handle these etchings, to admire them at ease and with no rush, touch them, examine them… reaffirms the feeling of privilege that is being a conservator.
But enough daydreaming, let’s focus! What shall we do to this book? Pull it?! My goodness!!!
Yes: The series came in a bookbinding that seemed to be the original, and I was asked to pull it… At first glance such a proposal didn’t shoehorn at all in any deontological code, and my fear was that the etchings were to be sold apart, disassembling the original issue for ever. I must admit that although I tried to persuade the owner not to do it, I was the one persuaded at the end. “The thing is to detach the book in order to exhibit its engravings, and bind it again in their original covers after it”, he says. Well… It’s true that 80 etchings can be observed by several people at the same time with minimum risks for the artefact, whereas a book is -in terms of exhibition- much more limited. And we cannot properly consider it an artist book, as the binding can be qualified as merely functional because it was posthumous edited, and without an expressed will from the author to collect the series in a book, and even less with that particular bookbinding. Moreover: books are often pulled to be bound again in order to do conservation treatments… let’s make it worth it, then, and exhibit the etchings during this time lapse so that we can all admire them!
Etching #51 by Goya before and after conservation
If it has to be pulled, let it be in the more careful way possible, and let the etchings be exhibited with all their dignity, splendour and best condition. While I meditate whether I will go to the hell of conservators, or maybe to its purgatory, all surrounded by bibliopaths; I focus in applying the most conservative treatment possible, and maybe that shortens the purgation.
Prints number 49, 50, 52, 53 and 54 (right to left). They had synthetic glue stains that might have been added in a former intervention (left edge), intending to attach the loose sheets. Left image: after removing animal glue residues, with water, that left unaffected the synthetic glue. It was necessary to make a solvent treatment for these residues as they were drying the paper and prevented its natural hygroscopicity.
Print #68 ‘What madness!’ (“¡Qué locura!”) There is a bleaching stain which is the result of a previous intervention, that apparently tried to erase the ownership stamp of a former collector. After the wet cleaning and deacidification the discolouration due to bleaching is far less evident and the white hues are more even. No further bleaching as been done, in order no to damage paper fibres (photomerge with both images from the previous stage to conservation -top- and after conservation -bottom-).
Print #59: ‘What help can a cup do? (“¿De qué sirve una taza?”). Images corresponding to the flattened of the prints. In order not to modify the original mark of the etching, we used the flattening under tension, a technique which takes advantage of the natural shrinking of the paper while drying out. Left: Moisturized paper. Right: the same paper about one hour later, dried and flat.
This project has been a real pleasure to work at, not only because of the beauty of these etchings; we must admit that it caused not much trouble. First of all because the prime media is noble: a good engraving paper, but also because they suffered not much damages while ageing. That has been so, that the conservators involved in it (Márk Somogyi and I) didn’t expect a significant change after the cleaning, and surprisingly the improvement has been notorious.
‘The Disasters of War’ by Goya (private Collection). Image corresponding the bath and deacidification treatment (with calcium hydroxide), in the sink.
First edition (1863) of ‘The Disasters of War’ (“Los desastres de la guerra”), a series of 80 prints by Francisco Goya. Detail of print #52: ‘They are not on time’ (“No llegan a tiempo”).
During the wet cleaning the cellulose swells, and the mark of the etching breathes life, as if it just came out from the etching press: the inked in lines scratch the paper with renewed intensity, bringing the paper this particular relief of chalcography. While we remain enthralled with every hatch and every detail, the paper dries out slowly and the whiteness increases and reflects the light more strongly, making the blacks seem more powerful… What a spectacle!
Do not hesitate to visit the exhibition and enjoy it in person (Art Areté Gallery, Escaldes, ANDORRA).
PS: And for technical details of the conservation treatment, click on each image.
Tear repair on and infilling the gaps and losses due to the sewing of the book. In fact, this was not a proper sewing, as the sheets were all loose and independent, instead of forming quires in groups of pairs. In order to attach all the sheets in a book, when there are no quires, some holes are made some millimetres after the joint (or where the fold between two sheets would be found). The conservator Márk Somogyi mending these losses with washi paper.
Other links:
Press relaease at the Diari d’Andorra: Art Areté dedicarà una retrospectiva a Sixeart, patum de l’street art català
Literature:
“Goya, chronicler of war. ‘The Disasters’ and war photography”. BORDES, Juan; MATILLA, José Manuel; BALSELLS, Sandra. Ed.: Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno. 2009, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. ISBN: 978-84-92579-01-3 (book in English and Spanish).
