The Burgos Tapestry: A Study in Conservation
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- Опубліковано 24 січ 2010
- Learn more about the tapestry, which is now on view at The Cloisters after more than thirty years: tinyurl.com/burgostapestry
This video chronicles the amazing conservation and restoration of the sixteenth-century tapestry Christ is Born as Man's Redeemer, also known as the Burgos tapestry. Conservators Tina Kane and Alice Blohm describe the more than thirty years of painstaking restoration that they, along with other members of the Met's Textile Conservation department staff, performed on this work of art, which is more than 25 feet wide and 13 feet high.
Editor - Stephanie Wuertz
Camera - Jessica Glass and Wayne De La Roche
Sound - Kate Farrell and David Raymond
Archivist - Robin Schwalb
Post-Production Supervisor - Paul Caro
Additional Photography - Andrew Winslow
Transcribers - Nadja Hansen and Maxwell Mustardo
Special Thanks - Elizabeth Weinfield
Music - Parthenia
Imagine spending your whole Professional life on one Tapestry ! then the end result no one notices, which is the point of true conservation and restoration. Wow !
Wait so these women worked one 1 piece for more than 30 years? Some of them started their careers working on this piece and it became the only piece they worked on? That is dedication! I'm so impressed. Not just by the piece, or the work that was done, but by the people who gave their careers to this one piece.
This video has given me a massive respect for conservation efforts. I never understood how things took so long to "conserve" especially when they had been previously displayed and (to my eyes) looked fine. This is absolutely amazing.
This is also why such restorations are painfully expensive, think of that cost in man hours, specialist tools, equipment and so on
@@hwguy13 In this case, it included custom shearing, spinning and plying of very specific fibers and yarns, as well. Absolutely incredible.
Amazing conservators indeed, but more than anything, amazing the faceless women of the early middle ages that constructred such a masterpiece!
Women made the tapestries? That's a big assumption!
I think the workers may have been mostly men. In those days it was men who collared a nice clean job that paid them.
Weaving is hard. Weaving according to medieval techniques is harder. Having to do so accurately, invisibly, and on tiny portions of a huge tapestry is mythic in difficulty. Major props to all involved.
A great debt and thanks are owed to these dedicated and talented conservationists,
Such respect and adoration for everyone that devoted what seems like most of their life to such a magnificent piece of art! Imagine how long it would have taken to make in the first place! Sheesh
I am thinking that it took less time to create than to repair.
THESE AMAZING LADIES AND THEIR TEAM DESERVE A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR DEVOTING A LIFETIME TO THE RESTORATION OF SUCH A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE GLORY OF WESTERN ART AND CIVILIZATION!
Works of art are one of our chief inheritances, left to us by past generations as a treasure for all humanity. It's easy to think of examples of art destroyed by the greedy, fanatical or ignorant - seeing the painstaking work put into preserving this one piece (among many) by these professionals is really powerful. Any thoughtless fool can destroy - to create and preserve is the work of true human beings.
This video restores my faith in humanity. Knowing that there are people out there who are willing to devote their lives to preserving the highest achievements of our fellow women and men - in the face of philistines so intent on debasing all aspects of our culture - is nothing short of heroic. Very inspiring!
1974! Imagine coming to work the day after ur done and ur boss walks in and says, “well we have another one, but this ones easy, it’ll only take 20 years.” Lol
40 years of work. Now that's some extreme dedication. Respect!
Rest in peace Tina Kane 💗💗
I did not realize she had passed away
Damn, at least she saw her work completed
People who dedicate and devote their lives for doing their jobs needs to earn more respect. They've been working on the same project for years, for the sake of preserving the art. They've been working on it for 1/4 of their lifetime.
More like 1/3rd!
I am in awe of the people that restored this tapestry. Amazing work!
Absolutely amazing, just superb, kudos to everyone…simply priceless…
The restoration itself is art. When looking at that piece and knowing the years, research, work, people and process involved in it ... that in itself is a piece of the art to admire.
I hope one day to see this in person.
What a tour de force by these women - so IMPRESSIVE - the focus on minutiae held in perfect balance with the 'big picture' - THIS is true artistry which interconnects so magically across time with the original creators. When I watch something like this I have a little more hope for humanity ...
I love the fact that they actually used Renaissance music to present this in the video.
Incredible work - both the original and the meticulous repair and conservation.
Holy God, haute couture has got *nothing* on textile restoration. This campaign appears to have spanned Alice's entire conservation career. I feel honored to have even seen documentation of this titanic effort. 🙏
What an amazing moment for all those involved finally seeing all your hardwork on display.
I can't believe how long this has taken. These people have SUCH dedication to their work!
I understand the detail that must have gone into it, BUT man 20 years? i think they Milked it.
it takes way less time to Build a House or a tall Building
seeing her so happy in the end made me incredibly happy, even if for a brief moment.
My absolute deep and sincere respect for the restoration team. Such a great work!
Magnificent! The conservators are pleased and proud of their work. The world rejoices with you.
The restored work is almost as beautiful as the story of the people who worked on it. Thanks for sharing this tale.
These two conservators are my heroes, what an incredible achievement! Hooray indeed ! :D
These women are fantastic, thank you for your many years of work, love, and devotion to preserving such a wonderful piece of history.
Why would anyone cut such a masterpiece? What did they gain? Thank heavens for these ladies who did this amazing job!
I knew from this video that these tapestries are big but I don't think I fully realized just how big until I visited Burgos cathedral and saw some with my own eyes. I can't imagine the loom.
Congratulations! Thanks for your patience and passion. It's amazing...
Imagine, about 35 years to restore! I wonder how long the original took to weave?
Actually 50 years. The restorer who began in 1978 said that it had already been worked on for 20 years prior to that.
Holy wow. Just....folks, you outdid yourselves and everyone else! SO well done. ***applause***
The tapestry is the star of the show...but it was a well-oiled background crew that sprinkled fairy dust. Moving forward their names will be remembered with this piece for future conservators. Well Done!!
Wonderful video wonderful work and dedication I loved the detail and clear explanation of progress
Who the hell would vandalise a centuries old item of art?
The restored tapestry is beautiful.
Vandalizing religious items with which one disagreed was very much part of the whole religious war picture--reliquaries, art, graves, churches, and people were all defiled and destroyed in the name of belief through the centuries.....
Whoever cut it roughly followed the borders of each "scene". Granted they did a poor job, but it looks like most of it could be re-framed and presented as separate smaller pieces. I think a vandal would have destroyed the scenes, the symbols, the main characters, their faces, meaningful elements. Whoever did that avoided them instead, so they probably intended on repurposing it as separate pieces (perhaps for lack of proper restoration, or with the intent to sell it without it being recognized as easily).
P.S. Just a personal guess, I'm not an historian or a qualified expert in any way
Its amazing how detailed these are.
This is a wonderful piece on a great project -- inspiring!
The tapestry is as magnificent as the work done to restore it.
It must be such a cool feeling for these conservators that, as they add woolen threads to this ancient tapestry, that they are permanently adding a piece of themselves to it just as the original weavers did centuries ago.
Wow! I know that is not a very sufficitacted reaction but it amazes me that such an amazing tapestry can be restructured after being sliced into pieces. I recognize the expertise of the those who put it back together--ib my mind they are as skilled as the original weavers In order to re-weave it!
I have to say I'm not a fan of restoring, I'm a fan of conserving, as I like the idea of adding as little as possible to the original, but this is outstanding and amazing work. Life dedication to one piece of tapestry, and although I would have preferred conservation only, I can imagine that the artists and craftmans that created the tapestry would be very very honoured to know that other people taking so much time and effort to restore their work of art and craftsmanship with so much attention to detail and skill.
Brilliant, brilliant and brilliant.
Thank goodness for people like you . Who will spend 20 years of their lives with great skill and patents. To preserve wonderful works of art like this so we and future humanity may enjoy !
welshpete12 ...thirty+ years
This did not receive the recognition it deserved. Those women should have been awarded for spending their literal lives on restoring that monstrosity. Incredible
I am amazed thinking about the nameless men and women involved in making
the original tapestry. I wonder how much time would have been required in
creating a tapestry of this size. The restorers did an outstanding job.
these experts are so humble
Incredible!
well done ladies, thankyou for sharing.
This is utterly amazing and so worthwhile, thank you everyone involved - those lovely, talent, dedicated ladies are wonderful. However! Those windows with all that light pouring down on the fabric does concern me, and they *are* going to put it behind glass, aren't they? Please tell me they did. If they'd spent all those years getting it ready, surely an appropriate case to show it in would be a given?
WHAT an amazing job.
This shows the unsung hero’s of art, women! Men get all the credit in art; when it’s women who go unnoticed sadly!
Amazing work...
"This is the castle where are the tapestries?" - Dr. Jones (Colorised)
Magnificent job
The work they put into it was way more valuable than the tapestry itself.
Amazing.
Devoted patient talented people conserving historic art works always incites immense admiration. Just out of interest for those who do not know . But many years ago the Queen Margareth of Denmark commissioned . A series of immense Tapisseries From THE GOBLIN TAPISSERIE FRENCH MAKERS; depicting the history of Denmark in which she and her husband Prince Henrik, are included in the design, by a Danish modern artist . Cost, Colossel, and debated as to the result. Non the less they all hang in the Dining Great Hall in Frederiksborg Palace in Copenhagen
Awesome work…
Brilliant video thanks you so much for sharing 😀 😊 😍
Saving a priceless and historical treasure. Those working on it are artists also. God bless then. I hope the criminal was caught and imprisoned.....for life would be good!
How long time did it take to weave the original in the 16th century?
A life's work - in one tapestry...
Was this weaved (like a carpet) or embroidered on a base cloth? Looks weaved?
maravilloso
Well done magnificent 👏👏👏👏💗🇦🇺💕💗
👍 Nice!
That is a tapestry? Wow. I don't think that that level of tapestry art can ever be achieved even with the modern revival of tapestry as an art form.
For one thing, no one has the room size to do such a thing unless they've access to a private gymnasium or auditorium--for years. I suspect that it IS possible, but we're most likely to see it done in sections rather than all of a piece.
It took 30 years to restore, so how long did it take to create?
It took 50 years to restore. The one who began in 1978 said it had already been worked on for 20 years.
Are the other 9 still extant?
incredible women!
what happened to the quality the met used to have?
It took 32 years omg!
50 years. In 1978 they had already been working for 20 years.
Could it have been cut due to divorce?
It was made in 4 separate pieces.
No. It was made in 1 piece and vandalized for some reason.
What do you call this type of biblical scene? ua-cam.com/video/6MC-5ivcepA/v-deo.html
Her whole career
I read this as the Bogus Tapestry. Ooops!
Je suis restauratrice de tapis et tissages
Am I the only one that thought that was Steve Erwin in the thumbnail
EXPLORE GOLGUMBAZ
🇧🇷🇮🇱🇺🇸🇧🇷🙏😃
Not a single staple to be seen
Over 30 years to finish? whose pocket did that line...
50 years, in 1978 it had been worked on for 20 years. You obviously do not understand restoration.
its new home is not the best...
I cannot decide whether this is the most honorable enterprise or the biggest waste of life to ever take place.
All work that is not a personal joy can be considered a waste of life, but often times personal joys won't provide you with food and shelter unless you happen to be an outlier. At least it was work they were presumably trained for and had a passion for- they could have just as easily toiled in a field or factory for 80 hours a week for far less pay.
Life is such an abstract thing. To find meaning in minutiae is they key to being content, if that is what you seek.
There are probably people sleeping on the sidewalk in front of that museum but this is a much better use of resources.
Yeah it is, why shelter responsibility from full grown adults?
Ah, a rare occasion where 2 horrible people on either side of the spectrum think the other is wrong!
The money donated to fund museums comes predominantly from private donations with specific rules and limitations as to how and where the funds are allocated, so your noble observation is not well informed unfortunately. It is also sad that you cannot see the value and impact the past and its remnants have on the present and future.
So when are you going to fund those homeless people?
Coservation is just a job, you should do it in the wright way. No women involved here neccecaraly
And when will it be returned to the Cathedral of Burgos where it belongs,It is primarily a religious work not an art work
Burgos' Cathedral sold it to a particular. So don't know why it has to be returned.
Maybe you can ask the cathedral to buy it back instead, if they can pay for the restoration.