When Leenhardt regains his form
From June 16 to September 4, the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris is hosting an exhibition by Maison Chaumet titled “Végétal – L’ÉSchool of Beauty.” Among the 400 works on display are several pieces from the UM’s collection, including a painting by Montpellier artist Max Leenhardt. For this occasion, the painting underwent a spectacular restoration by Thierry Martel and Anne Baxter, who opened the doors of their studio to us.
Anne Baxter welcomes us that morning at her home in the hills above Montpellier. The temperatures are still mild, but the restorer’s studio is already buzzing with feverish activity. It must be said that the deadlines are tight. In less than a week, the large canvas she is working on will have to be packed up and shipped to the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Starting June 16, art and botany enthusiasts are invited to the Beaux-Arts and Maison Chaumet exhibition “Végétal – L’École de la beauté” (Sortir à Paris 02/14/22).
Botanical scene
Among the 400 works on display are 80 pieces of Chaumet fine jewelry, as well as photographs byRobert Mapplethorpe, a bronze sculpture of Sarah Bernhardt, paintings by Monet, Courbet, Delacroix, Arcimboldo… and a canvas by one of Montpellier’s most famous painters: Max Leenhardt. In this large painting, measuring approximately 2 meters by 1.60 meters and titled *The Laboratory of the Former Botanical Institute*, the artist depicts a man, Professor Léopold Galavielle, holding a magnifying glass as he examines botanical specimens. In the foreground are plants, including a begonia with Japanese-inspired forms, a few bottles of liquid, a microscope, and glass domes placed in front of a glass roof. In the background, a second scientist is bent over his microscope.
“This painting was created in the late 19th century, around 1890,” says Véronique Bourgade, heritage curator at the University of Marseille. In the thesis* that specialist Isabelle Laborie devoted to the subject, we learn thatit was displayed alongside its companion piece, “Students Collecting Herbs in the Scrubland,” in the vestibule of the Richer de Belleval Pavilion before being hung in thefirst-floor lobby of the Institute of Botany until the late 1990s. It was then placed in storage to ensure its preservation while awaiting restoration.” A restoration finally made possible by the House of Chaumet, which, in exchange for this loan, covered the costs amounting to approximately 18,000 euros.
Tears and cracks
It must be said that after more than a century on display, the painting had not escaped the ravages of time.“First, we had to carry out a thorough cleaning because the canvas had, among other things, suffered from moisture, ” explains Anne Baxter, a heritage conservator with a deep knowledge of Leenhardt’s works and a regular collaborator with the Fabre Museum. “ We also had to repair and conceal a 32-centimeter tear and restore several heavily damaged areas.”The colors, which had faded over time, were re-saturated using a resin that preserves the canvas’s semi-matte finish.
Another challenge was the numerous cracks caused by compression of the canvas.“Another painting had already been applied to the back of the canvas using a much thicker, opaque beige paint, which, as it aged, exerted a mechanical compressive force on the front, causing numerous cracks. ” In addition to the cracks, there were also numerous small spots that were difficult to conceal due to the chemical nature of the materials used by the painter.“In some of his paintings, Leenhardt added casein to his paint and alternated layers of varnish and paint. Here, the paint’s inconsistent composition makes retouching somewhat complex, as we must take the time to observe any chemical reactions between the products we use. This can take anywhere from several minutes to several days each time. As for retouching the matte paint, the final color is only achieved after it has completely dried, which takes a few minutes or even a few hours,” explains Anne Baxter.
Replacement of the chassis
The canvas was stretched over a brand-new frame crafted by heritage restorer Thierry Martel.“The stretcher used by Leenhardt was a salvaged one. It was too damaged to keep, so it was decided to make a new one. The reuse of the canvas and the salvaged stretcher are evidence of a frugal approach that was quite typical of Leenhardt,” continues Anne Baxter.
This work revealed an irregular cut on the right side of the canvas, evidence that part of the painting was removed to fit the dimensions of this salvaged stretcher.“In a simulation, Thierry even attempted to reconstruct the original painting by projection in what he imagines to be a square format.”
On the other three sides, the restorers uncovered the remains of a faux frame consisting of black fillets on a reddish-ochre background.“The edges of the painting are badly damaged because they were folded and nailed to the edges of the stretcher. To restore them, we applied canvas patches and filled in the gaps with white putty.” A new frame was finally crafted by Pierre Susimi of ArtProtec.
Research
After a three-month exhibition at the Beaux-Arts in Paris,“The Laboratory of the Former Botanical Institute” will soonreturn to the University of Montpellier’s collection, where it is expected to take its place at the Botanical Institute once the building has been renovated. The space occupied by “Students Collecting Herbs in the Garrigue, ”its companion piece, will remain empty.“We estimate that the costs required to restore this second canvas are roughly the same, that is, between 15,000 and 20,000 euros,” explains Véronique Bourgade.
Let’s hope a patron steps forward when the next loan request is made, so that the public can once again admire this magnificent painting. A word to the wise…
* Isabelle Laborie. The Work as a Reflection of Its Environment: Michel-Maximilien Leenhardt, known as Max Leenhardt (1853–1941). Art and Art History. University of Toulouse le Mirail – Toulouse II, 2019. French. NNT: 2019TOU20041. tel-02901646
