02/12/2025
Recently, my team and I completed an extraordinary project at Teylers Museum in Haarlem.
Jan van Pelsdonk, curator of the numismatic collection, discovered a photograph from 1892, on which a faint outline of a painted ceiling could be seen. I was called in to see if this artwork still lay hidden beneath layers of white overpaint. And — much to our delight — it did!
The painting, however, had seen better days. It was in poor condition due to water damage and to cracks caused by movement in the building’s foundations (which was probably the reason it was overpainted in the first place). We decided to reveal only one quarter of the original painting, leaving the rest untouched. We restored this quarter, made templates and carefully reconstructed the remaining three quarters of the ceiling. Our intention was that the difference between original and reconstruction would be invisible at first glance, revealing itself only to those who take the time to look.
This project encompassed everything a conservator dreams of: the excitement of a discovery, the removal of overpaint, careful cleaning, filling losses, endless retouching, vanishing, painting a large reconstruction, and even some gilding. Through constant collaboration with the museum and fellow professionals, we recreated the room’s original splendor from 1888 — one of the most inspiring experiences of my career.
What once was a modest white room has now been transformed into a treasure box, revealing the grandeur of Teylers Museum at the close of the nineteenth century, and showcasing its remarkable numismatic collection in all its glory.
Thank you to Teylers Museum for your trust and of course to my dream team!
