A triptych by painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp's Cathedral of Our Lady is being restored. The artwork, which Rubens painted on site in 1611 and 1612, today displays cracks in the panelling and the paint layer is no longer properly fixed. A photographic print of the triptych will temporarily fill the empty space in the cathedral, while the baroque masterpiece is restored.
A triptych is a work of art, usually a panel painting, which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open.
The tomb above the grave of printer Jan Moretus and his wife Martina Plantin will not be on display in the church for two years due to the restoration. A photographic print of the artwork will temporarily replace it. On its central panel the work depicts the “Resurrection of Christ”, flanked by paintings of John the Baptist and Saint Martina, the patron saints of the Moretus and Plantin families.
According to the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IPRA), the triptych, or more correctly, epitaph triptych, was in need of major refurbishment.
An epitaph triptych is a specialised funerary painting (or sculpture) commissioned to adorn a tomb, chapel, or burial space in a church or cathedral, serving as a permanent, visual memorial to the deceased.
A team of international experts will draw up a step-by-step plan for the restoration and analyse Rubens's technique. The knowledge gained during the restoration will also be shared with other researchers worldwide.
Financial support from the Flemish government
The Flemish government will finance 80 per cent of the project. The triptych is included in the Flemish Community's list of masterpieces.
‘I am delighted that this triptych is being thoroughly restored and that we are able to provide financial support to Antwerp Cathedral's church council,’ says Flemish culture minister Caroline Gennez (socialist Vooruit).
The remaining 20 per cent of the costs will be covered by the Friends of the Cathedral fund of the King Boudewijn Foundation.