The Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main has launched a new online presentation dedicated to the recently completed conservation project of the “Flémalle panels.” Zoom in – Old Masters up close provides scholars and curators with high-resolution imagery and technical documentation on these foundational works of Early Netherlandish art.
Attributed to the workshop of Robert Campin (ca. 1375–1444)—the panels serve as a key reference point for the development of oil painting techniques and spatial representation in fifteenth-century Northern Europe. The conservation campaign focused on structural stabilization, surface cleaning, and the examination of the paint layers. The project was lead by Städel conservators Linda Schmidt and Stephan Knobloch.
Screenshot of the presentation where the painted embroidery is disccused.
Through the interactive site, users can examine macro-photographs, infrared reflectograms, and detailed cross-sections that document the master’s painting technique, underdrawing, and subsequent alterations. The platform details the specific conservational interventions undertaken and contextualizes the material evidence gathered during the treatment.
This digital publication offers access to conservation data and technical research on early Netherlandish panel painting for the international curatorial community.
This project was realized by Jochen Sander and his team and is accessible at staedelmuseum.de/en/zoom-in.