Circe and Odysseus

Jacob Jordaens (Antwerp 1593-1678) Circe and Odysseus oil on panel, stamped with the Antwerp hand and the panel-maker's mark of Gillis Aertsen 29 1/8 x 41 7/8 in. (74 x 106.3 cm.) We are grateful to Thomas Art Conservation for providing the following condition report: This picture is in good condition overall. The horizontally grained wood panel support is comprised of four boards and retains its original thickness and bevels on the reverse, as well as a series of stamps: the Antwerp joiners’ guild marks showing pair of hands above a castle and the monogram of panel maker Gillis Aertson. Patterns of discoloration on the reverse suggest the panel originally had two vertical crossbattens. Strips of wood have been glued to the reverse to repair the bottom join and a portion of the top join, and a crack is visible only from the back towards the top left (when viewed from the back). The panel displays a moderate convex vertical warp, and a curved liner has been made for the frame to properly support the panel. Much of the paint film is well preserved. Losses appear to be located along the joins, where narrow strips of restoration are visible under ultraviolet illumination. Isolated areas of restoration have been somewhat liberally applied to compensate for thinning in some of the upper glazes, including in the green glazes used in garments, where thick strokes of restoration create stark contours along the folds. Retouching has also been applied to some brown passages that display normal age-related increased transparency in the paint and/or where thinly applied brushwork is meant to have variations in opacity. The purplish-maroon textiles have been loosely glazed with more than one campaign of retouching, suppressing the modeling of the forms. Retouching in the sky has altered in tonality over time, imparting an unevenness to this passage. The varnish is glossy and even, and slightly discolored. While the painting can be displayed in its current state, cleaning and a new restoration to more carefully knit together broken glazes without concealing the original paint would improve the appearance overall.