The art of retouching in theory and practice

Predmet istraživanja u ovom radu je problematika retuširanja slika, s ciljem sintetiziranja dostupnih teorijskih spoznaja o navedenoj materiji te rasvjetljavanja nekih novijih saznanja. Analitičkom obradom pribavljene građe o metodologiji i tehnologiji, kao i etičkim i estetskim aspektima retuša, izdvojene su neke teorijske postavke te se govori o razvoju tehnike kroz povijest. U tom smislu valja spomenuti i primjere korištenih materijala i metoda retuširanja u splitskoj radionici, od njezina osnutka 1954. godine. Napokon, u praktičnom pokušaju primjene teorijskih premisa prilikom rekonstrukcija kompleksnih površina te određivanja prikladnog stupnja retuša, navedeno je i nekoliko zanimljivih slučajeva iz djelatnosti Hrz-a u Restauratorskom odjelu u Splitu.How to retouch a painting has always been a challenge for restorers as it depends on so many different factors. Every retouch can have an important effect on the overall appearance of the painting, as well as on its artistic value. What retouch techniques or what combination of different techniques will be used depends on the judgment of the restorer and the damaged areas that must be integrated. This decision is generally based on the value, function and storage of artworks, as well as the restorer’s skill and reliable sources of documentation related to the work of art. There is an evident lack of the studies of this issue in national professional literature. Even though it is common to finish the restoration by retouching, the procedure at best gets mentioned in most reports, and not described in detail. The problem is that conservation and restoration studies rarely mention retouching as a separate topic. One can therefore conclude that retouching is more present in practice than in theory, so it seems necessary to indicate theoretical preoccupations in the restoration of artworks during the past century and connect them with the practices in the world and at home. The aim of this paper is to synthesize the available theoretical knowledge on the above matter and to illuminate some recent findings. Analytical processing of acquired materials about the methodology and technology, as well as ethical and aesthetic aspects of retouching are emphasized together with its technical developments throughout history. The paper contains the opinions of art historians and restorers such as Cesare Brandi, Paul Philippot, Umberto Baldini and Helmut Ruhemann. Materials and methods of retouching in the Split restoration workshop, since its establishment in 1954 until today, are elaborated in order to compare similarities and differences with the practices of foreign restorers. As a practical attempt to apply the theoretical premise in the reconstruction of complex surfaces, and determine the appropriate level of retouch, the paper also examines some interesting case studies from the Croatian Restoration Institute – Restoration Department in Split. The two treated paintings from the 17th century, one of which is the work of Baldassare D’Anna, and the other of an unknown artist, are very large and require significant retouching in connecting the compositional elements of the lower part of the painting. However, the third painting, which dates from the 16th century, also by an unknown author from Veronese’s circle, is extremely small and calls for a completely different approach to the integration of the painted layer. Solutions were found through intensive discussions among restorers, conservators and art historians, with the aim of coming up with the best approach to restoration. The goal of this restoration was to restore the former impression that the original work had on the viewer and at the same time not disturb the integrity of the image