The exhibition presents the remarkable conservation-restoration treatment of Dieric Bouts’s Triptych of the Descent from the Cross, which has been housed since 1521 at the Capilla Real in Granada. Organized by M Leuven, the Capilla Real of Granada, and the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA, Brussels), and curated by Bart Fransen, the exhibition highlights both the conservation treatment and the research carried out during the two-year restoration project.
Visitors are invited to discover how interdisciplinary research uncovered new insights into the history, technique, and material condition of the triptych. A documentary film retraces the restoration process, while an interactive touchscreen allows visitors to explore high-resolution images revealing the extraordinary transformation of the panels before and after treatment.
Dieric Bouts (1415-1475), Triptych of the Descent from the Cross, (detail of right panel), ca. 1455-1460, after restoration © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels
A unique feature of the exhibition is the opportunity to view the three panels at eye level, allowing visitors to appreciate the exceptional quality of Bouts’s painting and the results of the restoration. Following the exhibition, the panels will be reinstalled in the monumental altarpiece of 1521, of which they have been an integral part for more than five centuries.
The results are truly spectacular. For the first time in centuries, the richness of Bouts’s painting can once again be appreciated in all its subtlety, from delicate facial expressions and luxurious textiles to the intricate landscapes and effects of light. This landmark conservation-restoration treatment undoubtedly represents a major milestone in the study and appreciation of Dieric Bouts’s oeuvre.