The installation of Murillo’s ‘The Dream of the Patrician and his Wife’ at Dulwich Picture Gallery required scaffold towers and Genie Superlifts as the work was to be displayed more than two metres high on the wall
Once the painting had been condition checked by the courier from the Prado Museum, the painting was slowly lifted into position with technicians holding the work from the scaffold towers
The painting almost in position
Inserting the painting into the recess on the wall behind a security lip, to protect the work
Securing the painting to the wall
Carefully closing the hinged doors to conceal the gilding of the lunette
Locking the doors into position
Inserting the front panels to hide the lifting points
The team, comprising ten Patina staff, one designer, one courier with two Spanish art handlers, one painting conservator, one exhibition officer and the curator
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
'Murillo: The Art of Friendship'
This exhibition gathered together paintings by the Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, many of which were commissioned by his friend and patron Don Justino de Neve, canon of Seville Cathedral.
Many of the artworks were too big to be installed in the normal exhibition space so, for the first time, the suite of rooms in the central part of the gallery were used. This made it necessary to unhang the collection works that are usually hung in these rooms and then reinstall them in the exhibition space for the duration of the Murillo show. The walls of the central gallery were then clad and painted to evoke the interior of a 17th century church.
We worked closely with the exhibitions department as they planned the layout of the exhibition space. It was clear that the most challenging part of the installation was the hanging of three large lunette paintings high up on the walls to either side of the gallery, with Murrillo’s large painting, ‘The Immaculate Conception of the Venerables Sacerdotes’ hung at one end, representing the high altarpiece.
The exhibition designer wanted the lunette paintings to be viewed without their gilded surround so we collaborated with him to suggest a solution whereby the painting was hung in a recessed section of wall so that hinged doors could be closed in to conceal it.
On arrival, the artworks were unpacked and installed with couriers from a number of loaning venues including the Prado and the Louvre. At the end of the exhibition Patina deinstalled the artworks ensuring that each one was packed as specified by the individual lenders for the return journey. We then rehung the collection works in the central gallery so that the rooms in the exhibition space could be made ready for the next show.
With thanks to:
Philippa Hemsley, Exhibitions Coordinator, Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Ian A. C. Dejardin, Director, Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Artist | Bartolomé Esteban Murillo |
|---|---|
Name | 'Murillo: The Art of Friendship' |
Client | Dulwich Picture Gallery |
Location | London |