Parma, Giulio Carlini's Luisa Maria di Berry returns on display at the National Gallery after restoration

The painting Luisa Maria di Berry and Roberto di Borbone, painted in 1856 by Giulio Carlini (Venice 1826-1887), is now back on public view after restoration in the halls of the National Gallery of the Monumental Complex of the Pilotta in Parma. The intervention, which lasted several months, was made possible thanks to the Art Bonus contribution of Loredana Possentini and Lino Squarza, and involved both the canvas, entrusted to the care of Laboratorio degli Angeli Srl of Bologna, and the carved and gilded wooden frame, restored by Restauratori Associati Snc of Bosco di Scandiano (Reggio Emilia).

The work depicts Luisa Maria di Borbone, last regent of the Parmesan States, alongside her son Roberto I, and was conceived by Giulio Carlini as a solemn official state portrait. The depiction of the characters is enhanced by refined technical skill and careful attention to the details of the clothing, rendered through quick, textural touches. The artist was highly regarded for this as a portrait painter to an important private clientele, both Italian and international. Exhibited in 1856 at the Accademia in Venice, the painting appears to be signed in Parma, the city where it was probably executed at the invitation of Luisa Maria herself. Mentioned in an inventory of the Bourbon family compiled around 1860, the painting testifies to the duchess’s institutional role through a monumental composition and rich dynastic symbolism. Carlini’s Venetian training emerges clearly in this work, evident in the meticulous rendering of the clothing and insignia: from the embroidered, ermine-trimmed mantle worn by Luisa Maria to the decorations adorning the young Robert.

The restoration of the painting, carried out by Laboratorio degli Angeli Srl of Bologna, was mainly aimed at securing the most fragile areas of the paint film. The intervention included a dry cleaning of the surface, which was useful to reduce the chromatic alteration due to yellowing, and the fixing of the color flakes that showed lifting. Next came the consolidation of the canvas and the original frame, which, after some structural work, including the replacement of the wooden dowels inserted to compensate for the missing parts, was once again found to be suitable to carry out its supporting function.

Particularly complex were the interventions on the frame, carried out by Restauratori Associati Snc of Bosco di Scandiano (Reggio Emilia). The operations began with the stabilization of unstable parts and the cleaning of the surface, which made it possible to eliminate inconsistent paints and retouches, restoring legibility to the original decorations. These phases were followed by structural and preparatory layer consolidation, treatment against xylophagous insects, and reintegration of missing decorative elements.

Of particular delicacy and importance was the resizing of the frame, which was about 2.5 cm wider on both the right and left sides than the canvas. The adjustment was necessary to properly harmonize the frame to the dimensions of the work, while respecting the original construction techniques. The intervention was concluded with gold leaf gilding, burnishing, patination and final surface protection.

“The restoration of Giulio Carlini’s painting,” says Stefano L’Occaso, director of the Monumental Complex of the Pilotta, “restores to the Pilotta one of the most emblematic images of nineteenth-century official portraiture linked to the court of Parma. Sincere thanks go to Loredana Possentini and Lino Squarza who, through the Art Bonus, an important tool made available by the Ministry of Culture, made it possible to secure the work and its frame and fully recover their formal and symbolic quality, reaffirming their historical and institutional value.”

Parma, Giulio Carlini's Luisa Maria di Berry returns on display at the National Gallery after restoration

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