The Madonna of Saint Sebastian

The Madonna of Saint Sebastian was painted by Correggio for the confraternity of Saint Sebastian in Modena around 1524. Historical records show that the panel painting was already damaged in the possession of the brotherhood and its condition deteriorated in the following centuries. Today, the most noticeable alteration is the painting’s washboard-like surface, which can be attributed to the use of unsuitable boards. Due to the boards’ convex warping, the lifting of paint layers and corresponding losses have occurred especially along the joins.

The richness of colour

The richness of colour and detail in Correggio’s painting will once again be able to be experienced fully, thus enabling the rebirth (It. rinascita) of this masterpiece. Due to its high fragility, Correggio’s work cannot leave the gallery. It will therefore be treated in a temporary public conservation studio set up for the project. This will give visitors the opportunity to witness the progress of the conservation.

Besuch

Visit the conservation studio

The conservators work mainly from Tuesday to Friday during our opening hours in the conservation studio. A view into the studio is possible at any time during opening hours (daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Mondays).

Correggio in Dresden

Antonio Allegri (c. 1489–1534), also known by the name of his birthplace Correggio, is most famous for his dome frescoes in Parma, which were especially important for the Baroque art. There, in the 1520s, he decorated the Parma Cathedral and the church of San Giovanni Evangelista with revolutionary ceiling paintings that expanded the boundaries of what could be depicted. The intense relationship with the viewer forged by his works, and his talent for depicting emotions, also provided important inspiration for subsequent generations of artists. In the centuries to come, he was regarded as one of the most renowned artists of the Renaissance, alongside Michelangelo (1475–1564), Leonardo (1452–1519) and Raphael (1483–1520). Today, Correggio’s fame is disproportional to that of his renown contemporaries.
 

With a total of four altarpieces

With a total of four altarpieces by Correggio, the Gemäldegalerie owns the world’s largest collection of his altarpieces. Together with the three other works, the Holy Night (c. 1528–30) was purchased from the Ducal collection in Modena in the eighteenth century. Upon its arrival, it was mentioned by the gallery inspector as ‘the picture known throughout Europe as the famous Night by Correggio’. It is the artist’s most celebrated altarpiece and is one of the most influential works in the history of Western art. The earliest documented altarpiece, the Madonna of Saint Francis (1514–15) and what is generally accepted as his last altarpiece, the Madonna of Saint George (c. 1529–30), are also in Dresden. This unique collection provides a remarkable overview of Correggio’s early to his late work. 

First steps of the conservation

Before the conservation of Correggio’s Madonna of Saint Sebastian began, various technical examinations, such as X-ray, UV fluorescence analysis and infrared reflectography, were carried out. The results of these examinations provide important insights into the technical structure of the painting and the current condition of the painting layer and the wooden support. Along with other sources, they form an important basis for the conservation concept.

Currently, the front of the painting is being conserved. This is done because heavily yellowed, unevenly applied layers of varnish, aged fillings, and colour-altered retouching and overpainting from past centuries limit the painting’s aesthetic effect. Before their removal could begin, solubility tests were first carried out on individual, small sections in the painting. Using the most suitable method, the varnish layers and overpaintings are now gradually reduced without affecting the original paint layers underneath. The original colourfulness of Correggio’s painting, which seems to have been largely preserved, will increasingly become visible again.