The Restoration of Madonna and Child between Saints Rocco and Sebastian, 16th century Italy
In a document obtained from the Pieve di Santa Maria in Carraia, Italy the painting is attributed to Agnolo di Donnino (or more formally Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere) of Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio’s workshop. It was not until 1988, brothers Agnolo and Domenico del Mazziere were linked to a body of paintings and drawings ascribed to an anonymous artist called the “Master of Santo Spirito” through descriptions in archival documents of their work. Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere (1466-1513) is mentioned by Vasari in the life of Rosselli and given a brief mention by Filippo Baldinucci. According to tax documents, by the late 1480s the Mazziere brothers established their own bottega and it is believed by scholars that the workshop was a collaborative enterprise. A series of documented payments from 1490 through 1515 attest to their activity in Florence and elsewhere in Tuscany, where they produced altarpieces and fresco decorations for churches, confraternities and Florentine government. The painting “Madonna and Child between Saints Rocco and Sebastian” arrived in the Lorenzo de Medici School in Florence from Pieve di Santa Maria for restoration in 2006.
Lacune, Worm Holes and Retouching
The old varnish was removed and the painting cleaned. The lacune and worm holes were filled with stucco consisting of glue, water and gesso then scrapped down to the level of the original color. The quality of a retouched painting is largely dependent on the filler on which it lies. The surface must have the same construction as the adjacent paint layer. If this is not done, no matter how perfect the retouching, it will still be obvious from the different ways in which it reflects light. Retouching with tempera color was applied to areas of stucco but only to the upper portion of the panel, from the sky to the cornice. A layer of mastic varnish was applied to this same area in preparation for a final glazing of varnish color.
Past Intervention
There were abrasions from what appeared to be an over clean from a past intervention. Much of the original color in areas such as the baby and the left hand of Saint Rocco were “skinned” revealing original gesso ground. Caustic alkalis, soaps and abrasives were common methods for the removal of varnish in the 1700s.
Chromatic Selection
It was decided that the area of dark, black overpaint on Saint Rocco’s back would not be removed but rather disguised by covering it with the technique of chromatic selection. A system of small vertical lines consisting of a thick, pure green tone were applied to the area of black overpaint in tempera and placed at regular intervals equal to that of the width of about two lines.
Intervals
Detail after chromatic selection and tempera color was applied to integrate stucco fills. The intervals were filled with a red tone, then again with a yellow tone. Thus, integrating the area yet distinguishing it from the original painting which will make it easier to be removed should this prove desirable in the future
