Microscopically reweaving a 1907 painting | CONSERVATION STORIES

To ready Paula Modersohn-Becker's "Self Portrait" (1907) for MoMA's reopening in October, conservator Diana Hartman tackles the question of how to repair holes in the painting’s canvas. She figures out that a curved needle typically used in eye surgery might allow her to avoid removing the work from its original stretcher. And her inventiveness doesn’t end there: Using an adhesive made from a sturgeon bladder, she secures linen thread to the needle to darn the pieces back together with the help of a microscope. Hartman shows how she makes unobtrusive repairs, to keep viewers’ gaze focused on the portrait itself. “Just by doing this treatment,” Hartman says, “we’ve given a breath of fresh air to this painting.”
Artwork credits
Paula Modersohn-Becker. Self-Portrait with Two Flowers in Her Raised Left Hand. 1907. Oil on canvas. Jointly owned by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of Debra and Leon Black, and Neue Galerie New York, Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder
Hugo Erfurth. Paula Modersohn-Becker with her daughter Mathilde. November 1907. Paula Modersohn-Becker-Stiftung, Bremen/©DACS 2015
Paula Modersohn-Becker. Mutter mit Kind. 1903. Oil and tempera on canvas. Hamburger Kunsthalle, Geschenk der Freunde der Kunsthalle e. V., 1946. © Hamburger Kunsthalle/bpk. Photo: Elke Walford
Paula Modersohn-Becker. Tête d’une Jeune Fille Blonde Coiffée d’un Chapeau de Paille (Head of a Young Blonde Girl Wearing a Straw Hat). c. 1904. Tempera on cardboard. Kunst-und Museumsverein, Wuppertal. © Medienzentrum, Antje Zeis-Loi/Kunst-und Museumsverein, Wuppertal
Paula Modersohn-Becker. Porträt des Rainer Maria Rilke. 1906. Oil on canvas. Sammlung Ludwig Roselius, Bremen
Subscribe for our latest videos, and invitations to live events: mo.ma/subscribe
Explore our collection online: mo.ma/art
Plan your visit in-person: mo.ma/visit
Commit to art and ideas. Support MoMA by becoming a member today: moma.org/join
The comments and opinions expressed in this video are those of the speaker alone, and do not represent the views of The Museum of Modern Art, its personnel, or any artist.
#newMoMA #MoMA2019 #conservation #paulamodersohnbecker #art #museumofmodernart #moma #museum #modernart

[@spiderprint]

If you play this backwards it becomes a short documentary on a woman's very meticulous revenge on early 20th century art.

[@nicklewis470]

I wonder how the original artist would feel knowing that someone is painstakingly preserving their art...

[@Zero-vu7zu]

First time running into someone that's that's not Baumgartner Restoration. This is interesting

[@jennfurr]

Very nicely done, but would have been happier with a longer video, showing more of the actual restoration technique, and closeups of before and after, rather than showing just the entire painting.

[@manapond4263]

"They did surgery on a painting"

[@negritorican]

Its the worse when they dont show before and after side by side shots :(

[@Carlos-fz4md]

Paula knew that tacks are superior to staples!!!

[@meatballg8655]

Good to see tacks being used, far superior to staples, though no Belgian linen applied

[@hooriaoribia2826]

let's be honest.. we didn't search for this

[@zoed1211]

See you all in 15 years when the UA-cam algorithm unites us all again.

[@lincolnpharmaceuticals9146]

I am now convinced she originally painted herself in a halo.

[@Desi-qw9fc]

She's rightfully proud of that linen-on-needle technique, must have been a real bear to get that working!

[@embelkowitz]

If this was my job there would be a fist sized hole in the painting after 5 minutes of doing this. She is unbelievably calm

[@itsVauld]

No one:

[@milloey]

It's interesting to see how others do restorations because I am so used to seeing Baumgartner's techniques that I find it quite weird to be watching someone other than him. This video was really interesting though, I'm glad I decided to watch it, subscribed👍

[@driesketels]

Just amazing how she fixes and restores that painting. I wish someone could restore my relationship like that :)

[@noelgarland3068]

dream job right there

[@blastingoff]

This woman could repair my broken heart.

[@joemama-ow4do]

bruh imagine messing these up you would have to flee the country

[@bunnichuktube]

I am sincerely crying right now imagining her baby growing up and studying this painting of their mother. What we leave behind; the wonderful and terrible permanence of things. Thank you for treating this painting with care and grace.