Restaurabits

Secrets and other curiosities

Radiografía de la obra “Cristo abrazando la cruz” c.1587‐1596, de El Greco

A transformed canvas

X-Ray of the painting “Christ with the Cross” c.1587‐1596, by El Greco
Radiografía de la obra “Cristo abrazando la cruz” c.1587‐1596, de El Greco

The X-ray of this painting offers us a secret glimpse into the work’s past, revealing a story hidden beneath its surface. In the central part of the canvas the trace of serious damage is visible: a tear likely caused by a heavy impact. What is most surprising is its shape, an almost perfect cross. Was it a coincidence or a gesture laden with symbolism? This tear also runs parallel to the painted cross to which Christ clings, establishing an unsettling dialogue between the painting’s real wound and the image depicted.

But the X-ray not only reveals scars: it also tells us about creative decisions. At some point during the process, the painter altered Christ’s gaze. Initially directed towards the left, it was finally raised towards the heavens in a modification that seems to have sought greater spiritual intensity. The painting therefore not only shows an image but also the evolution of an intention: to elevate the scene from the earthly to the divine realm.

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Detail in macrophotography of the painting “Christ with the Cross” c.1587‐1596, by El Greco
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El Greco the expressionist

En Cristo abrazando la cruz, El Greco, construye la figura de manera magistral. El tratamiento pictórico de las carnaciones forma un juego de colores y matices realizados con veladuras sueltas, en las que el dibujo se pierde paulatinamente.
Infrared image detail of the incision lines made by Pier Francesco Foschi in the work “Portrait of a Lady”
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Hidden architecture

The incisions in the architectural background of Portrait of a Lady are key to understanding how the space was constructed. The artist incised lines in the support to serve as a guide for the distribution of the forms and volumes of the composition.

 

 
Detail of the gold applications in Pier Francesco Foschi's painting “Portrait of a Lady”
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The technical language of gold in painting

One of the most fascinating features of this Portrait of a Lady is how the artist uses powdered gold to highlight details in: the chain with a cross, the tiara, the rings, and the book’s gilt edges. He applied fine gold using a brush with great precision, to convey to us what these objects would really look like if they were in front of us.

 
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