MASP completes conservation and restoration project of Frans Hals' works

It's not easy to do the work of preserving renowned works of art , but it's a job that many museums have to do on a regular basis. To show how this happens, MASP released a video showing the restoration carried out on the works of artist Frans Hals throughout 2022. The restoration was done in partnership with paint manufacturer AkzoNobel . The three works, Maria Pietersdochter Olycan, Captain Andries van Hoorn and The Seated Officer , dating from the 1630s, were donated to MASP in 1951 and were produced in the 17th century, the so-called " Dutch Golden Age ".

All paintings involved a complex process, starting with cleaning old varnishes, touch-ups and repainting, and new touch-ups, applied using specific restoration resins using pigments similar to the originals . During the research process for the work Captain Andries van Hoorn, the coat of arms in the upper right corner caught our attention . It is a non-original element, added later to the painting. Even though it was not part of the artist's original intention, the conservation team decided to keep the element due to its historical and visual importance in the composition — including in its relationship with the public of São Paulo. The process, accompanied by an international scientific committee, composed of experts from different museums and institutions, included the work of two curators from MASP — Aline Assumpção and Sofia Hennen — and curator Liesbeth Abraham, from the Frans Hals Museum.