BringBackJanHals | beccagoodman

BECCA GOODMAN

#BringBackJanHals

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In conjunction with the first installment of Conservation Live, Social Media Specialist Edward Adegboyega and I launched #BringBackJanHals, referring both to awareness of the artist and to the restoration of the Hals painting Portrait of a Man.

Conservation Live starts next week! Watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, treat “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals in the gallery. Every Thursday from March 7 through April 11, 2019, Becca will inpaint this work, which was damaged before it entered the DIA’s collection. She will also be giving 10-minute talks about the portrait and her progress each Thursday at 11am, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Visit https://www.dia.org/conservationlive for more details.
#BringBackJanHals #artconservation @kressfdn

It’s almost time for Conservation Live! “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals has been installed in the gallery. Come take a look or stop by on Thursdays from March 7 to April 11 to watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, treat the portrait. She will be giving 10-minute talks about the work and her progress each Thursday at 11am, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

As part of #BringBackJanHals, we’ll be posting about “Portrait of a Man,” painted by Jan Hals in 1644 over the next few weeks. This timeline shows how the painting has changed over the last century. The earliest known photo was taken in 1923. By 1935, the painting had gone through a clumsy attempted treatment, likely damaging the original paint in the process. In 1952, the DIA acquired the work, which was treated the same year by conservator Billy Suhr. When Suhr’s treatment appeared yellowed and aged in 1997, DIA conservators removed all unoriginal additions, revealing the old damage. You can watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, perform the painting’s current treatment every Thursday until April 11. See www.dia.org/conservationlive for more details! #artconservation

As part of #BringBackJanHals, we’ll be posting about “Portrait of a Man,” painted by Jan Hals in 1644 over the next few weeks. This timeline shows how the painting has changed over the last century. The earliest known photo was taken in 1923. By 1935, the painting had gone through a clumsy attempted treatment, likely damaging the original paint in the process. In 1952, the DIA acquired the work, which was treated the same year by conservator Billy Suhr. When Suhr’s treatment appeared yellowed and aged in 1997, DIA conservators removed all unoriginal additions, revealing the old damage. You can watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, perform the painting’s current treatment every Thursday until April 11. See www.dia.org/conservationlive for more details! #artconservation

As part of #BringBackJanHals, we’ll be posting about “Portrait of a Man,” painted by Jan Hals in 1644 over the next few weeks. This timeline shows how the painting has changed over the last century. The earliest known photo was taken in 1923. By 1935, the painting had gone through a clumsy attempted treatment, likely damaging the original paint in the process. In 1952, the DIA acquired the work, which was treated the same year by conservator Billy Suhr. When Suhr’s treatment appeared yellowed and aged in 1997, DIA conservators removed all unoriginal additions, revealing the old damage. You can watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, perform the painting’s current treatment every Thursday until April 11. See www.dia.org/conservationlive for more details! #artconservation

“Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals is currently undergoing conservation in the gallery! At left, the painting is pictured after Billy Suhr’s 1952 treatment. Jan was a son of Frans Hals, who specialized in portraits and is known for his loose brushstrokes. He emulated his father’s paintings but did not quite achieve the same charismatic brushwork. You can compare their works in person, since the DIA has two Frans Hals portraits on view in the Dutch galleries! #BringBackJanHals #artconservation #franshals

DIA conservators analyzed “Portrait of a Man” to determine how much of Jan Hals’s original paint remains. This diagram shows that his paint—highlighted in purple—still covers nearly 85% of the canvas. The green areas indicate where the original paint has been damaged and lost before the work came into the DIA’s collection. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

(1) Are you ready for another round of #ConservationLive? Tune in to our Instagram story at 11 a.m. to watch DIA conservator Becca Goodman as she gives a 10-minute talk about the process of restoring "Portrait of a Man" by Jan Hals.
In addition to the live stream, come see Becca restore the damaged painting in the Special Exhibitions Central gallery every Thursday through April 11, 2019.

(2) “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals has an inscription, which is very difficult to see in normal light. Scanning X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a technique used to detect the elements in pigments that are used to make paint. It forms elemental maps so we can better visualize what pigments are present and where they were used. The Latin inscription, composed of iron and copper pigments, indicates the man in the portrait was 31 or 37 years old in 1644. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

(2) “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals has an inscription, which is very difficult to see in normal light. Scanning X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a technique used to detect the elements in pigments that are used to make paint. It forms elemental maps so we can better visualize what pigments are present and where they were used. The Latin inscription, composed of iron and copper pigments, indicates the man in the portrait was 31 or 37 years old in 1644. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

The x-ray shows that the size of “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals was altered, likely to fit a frame that was already chosen for the portrait. The strip at the top of the image is brighter, or more “radio-opaque,” than the rest of the work, confirming that it is a later addition to extend the painting’s height. Records indicate that this change occurred before the 1920s. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation #xray

(2) Jan Hals, like his father Frans, used brown brushstrokes to sketch the composition of “Portrait of a Man” directly onto the canvas. This “under-painting” is not usually visible because even fancy imaging techniques have trouble seeing through black pigments. However, the expressive underpainting is apparent in exposed, damaged areas. We can see that Hals likely changed the position of the hand! #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

(2) Jan Hals, like his father Frans, used brown brushstrokes to sketch the composition of “Portrait of a Man” directly onto the canvas. This “under-painting” is not usually visible because even fancy imaging techniques have trouble seeing through black pigments. However, the expressive underpainting is apparent in exposed, damaged areas. We can see that Hals likely changed the position of the hand! #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

Are you enjoying Conservation Live? Good news – as part of our ongoing series with DIA art conservator Becca Goodman treating “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals, we will be answering submitted questions about the process through our social media platforms.

Submit questions you may have about the conservation process using the hashtag #AskAConservator to have Becca answer your questions related to art conservation (or "the treatment")! Questions and answers will be posted onto our Twitter feed this Wednesday, March 27 at 12 p.m.
#AskAConservator #ConservationLive #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

The first step to #BringBackJanHals was to varnish “Portrait of a Man.” The varnish isolates the original paint from materials the conservator adds, and it makes the colors look richer. Better yet, it can be removed easily with appropriate solvents if necessary!
Curious about the varnishing process, or any other step in the restoration of “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals? You still have time to submit questions for #AskAConservator, as DIA conservator Becca Goodman will answer all of you questions tomorrow, March 27 at 12 p.m. Make sure to visit our Twitter page (@DIADetroit) and IG story to view the answers to your questions! #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

The second step to #BringBackJanHals is inpainting “Portrait of a Man.” Inpainting is the process of adding color to the areas of the work with no original paint left. Since the portrait was done in oil paint, inpainting will be done in water- and resin-based paint. That way it can easily be removed in the future without causing new damage to the original paint. #artconservation @conservationcolors

Great news! Conservation Live has been extended! Stop by on Thursdays until April 25 to watch Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, treat “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals. She will give 10-minute talks about the work and her progress each Thursday at 11am, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Please note that on the 18th and 25th, talks will only be held at 11am and 2pm. Outside of these times, visitors are welcome to ask questions. See you there! #artconservation #BringBackJanHals

Tune into #ConservationLiveDIA today at 1 p.m. for a Facebook live stream of DIA conservator Becca Goodman as she talks about the process of restoring "Portrait of a Man" by Jan Hals.

In the sixth week of Conservation Live, we are highlighting progress that’s been made to “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals. Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, has been adding color to the areas of loss in a process called “inpainting.” She is using water- and resin-based materials rather than oil paint so it can easily be removed in the future. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

In the sixth week of Conservation Live, we are highlighting progress that’s been made to “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals. Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, has been adding color to the areas of loss in a process called “inpainting.” She is using water- and resin-based materials rather than oil paint so it can easily be removed in the future. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

Ethics are very important in art conservation. Conservators strive to respect all cultural heritage, make informed decisions, use reversible materials, and document all of their work. By choosing non-fluorescent inpainting media, it is easy to see the difference between the original paint and the conservator’s interventions in ultraviolet light. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

Ethics are very important in art conservation. Conservators strive to respect all cultural heritage, make informed decisions, use reversible materials, and document all of their work. By choosing non-fluorescent inpainting media, it is easy to see the difference between the original paint and the conservator’s interventions in ultraviolet light. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

It’s almost the end of Conservation Live! This Thursday will be your last chance to see Becca Goodman, Samuel H. Kress Fellow, treat “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals in the gallery. Stop by any time or catch one of her 10-minute talks about the portrait and her progress at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. #BringBackJanHals #artconservation

Thank you for all of your support of Conservation Live! We’ve appreciated all of your fabulous questions and comments over the last 6 weeks. “Portrait of a Man” by Jan Hals is on the way back to the lab for final stages of and framing, but stay tuned for future Conservation Live! projects.