"Working on twelve 'Bruegels' at once is truly unique and challenging"

Aline Genbrugge (KIK): "Twelve Proverbs on Wooden Plates (1558) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder comprises twelve separate plates. In the 17th century, they were set into a painted oak panel. During a 19th-century intervention, the panel was thinned down and fitted with a parquet backing. However, wood is a living material that reacts strongly to fluctuations in humidity. This has caused warping and stress, resulting in cracks in both the panel and the plates."

 

"We also observed that the paint layer has undergone several interventions in the past. These have now discoloured. Moreover, the varnish layer has yellowed. These forms of deterioration impair the legibility of the painting. That is why we are restoring the work."

The treatment begins with scientific and technical preliminary research.

 

Aline Genbrugge: "We use UV, infrared and X-ray imaging for this. This gives us a clear picture of the artwork's material history. Based on that research, we determine our conservation strategy."

 

"Next, we stabilise the panel without interfering with its original structure. We consolidate localised cracks and release the parquet backing. We also clean the paint layer, removing distracting, more recent overpainting. Historical interventions from the period when the plates were set into the panel will be retained. Afterwards, we retouch the paint layers using stable, reversible materials."

 

"Finally, we place the painting in a climate-controlled enclosure. This reduces fluctuations in humidity and helps ensure more stable storage conditions." (Read on below the image.)

Aline Genbrugge: "At the KIK, we have the privilege of working on masterpieces and technically demanding artworks on a regular basis. But this project is exceptional. It is not just a work by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but twelve distinct scenes housed within a single panel. The idea that, as a conservator, you get to work on twelve 'Bruegels' simultaneously makes this particularly unique and challenging. It is a significant responsibility, but also a rare opportunity to contribute to the preservation and renewed appreciation of a 16th-century masterpiece."

Pieter Bruegel loved depicting pieces of wisdom — but why did he choose to paint them on dining plates here? Who commissioned the plates, and what do these twelve proverbs actually mean? You can find out in the article Twelve Proverbs on Wooden Plates. (Read on below the image.)

Museum Mayer van den Bergh is being renovated and expanded. That is why we are having Twelve Proverbs on Wooden Plates restored now. This way, not only will the newly refurbished museum building shine at its reopening, but our collection will too. Read more about our renovation plans.