Collections Care

The conservation team volunteered their time to perform a condition assessment of the entire Ruspoli collection housed at Villanova University. Temporary hanging racks were used to store several of the works throughout the examination process.

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Date: 2014-08-23

Condition Reports

Project interns and volunteers performed photo-documentation of each painting and completed summarized condition reports for Villanova's archives.

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Date: 2014-08-23

Status

Performed in-situ x-radiography on entire composition with the assistance of GE Energy Management Inspection Services. Continued to apply fills and tone losses throughout upper section.

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Date: 2014-09-01

January 2014

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Date: 2014-09-01

August 2014

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Date: 2014-09-03

2014-08 IMAGE

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Date: 2014-09-03

September 2014

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Date: 2014-09-05

2014-09 IMAGE

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Date: 2014-09-05

Preparation for X-Radiography

Continued to apply fills and tone losses throughout upper section.

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Date: 2014-09-07

Preparing the Space

A team from GE Energy Management Inspection Services helped to prepare the space to ensure that all safety precautions were followed accordingly. The x-ray tube was positioned on tripod in front of the painting at a fixed distance for all 120 captures (Pictured Here: James McKinney III and Mark Shurtleff from GE Energy Management).

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Date: 2014-09-07

Preparing the Film

A special holder equipped with magnets was designed by Villanova's Instrument/Machinist expert Brad Thorstensen to hold the light-sensitive polyester film in place during each exposure. The film could be easily slid in and out of the holder while the magnets were used to suspend the film in a fixed position (Pictured Here: Project Leader Kristin deGhetaldi).

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Date: 2014-09-07

King Saul's Hand

Extremely small brushes are used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

Before

Extremely small brushes are used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

Before IMAGE

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

During

Extremely small brushes are used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-22

After IMAGE

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Date: 2015-07-22

Background Woman Figure

This female head was added into the composition during a later painting stage directly over the blue sky. Extremely small brushes were used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion, especially where hints of blue were showing through areas of the woman's face.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

Before

This female head was added into the composition during a later painting stage directly over the blue sky. Extremely small brushes were used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion, especially where hints of blue were showing through areas of the woman's face.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

Before IMAGE

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-19

During

This female head was added into the composition during a later painting stage directly over the blue sky. Extremely small brushes were used to carefully mix and apply the reversible, stable conservation paints to areas of loss and abrasion, especially where hints of blue were showing through areas of the woman's face.

timeline view   simple view
Date: 2015-07-22