A collection of images were being flipped through by Ulrich Birkmaier as the soft afternoon light penetrated the Getty’s workshop for painting conservation.
He paused and shook his head when he found the image he was looking for. The picture depicted a lavish, sizable room with a chandelier, sloping ceilings, and framed paintings all over the walls. The floor was covered in smashed furniture and glass. The windows were shattered. There are rips and pock marks in the wall murals.
Birkmaier raised an eyebrow at the location in the image where the large artwork was hanging. All that is visible at this time, according to Birkmaier, is the horrifying damage the painting sustained after the explosion.
On August 4, 2020, a double explosion in Beirut’s waterfront utterly destroyed the city. Sursock Palace, a 19th-century palace that functioned as a lavish showcase of Beirut’s cosmopolitanism and wealth, was among the many buildings that were destroyed, and more than 200 people were killed. The roof of the mansion was largely demolished, and hundreds of pieces of furniture and works of art were broken.
One of the many artworks in the building that was destroyed was a wonderful painting by Artemisia Gentileschi that depicted the Greek tale of Hercules and Omphale.
The incident occurs after Hercules unintentionally killed Iphitus, the young son of the King of Oechalia. The Delphi oracle sentences Hercules to a year of servitude as a slave, performing tasks for women and dressing in women’s clothing.
The artwork was seriously damaged as glass and debris from shattered windows tore through the canvas.
Birkmaier noted that there were a number of substantial paint losses. “The image is marred by tears. One huge rip is clearly visible through the Hercules figure.
Before the piece of art was delivered to the Getty for repair, Birkmaier traveled to Beirut to assess the damage. In that area, he fought to sort paint shards from the explosion’s debris.
Each piece included insights about the artist’s work and technique, from the ingredients in the paint she employed to the materials used for the canvas.
Conservation efforts have just begun. The canvas’s front and back will be worked on, and any paint that has been lost will be restored as conservators continue to assess the damage.
He continued, “It’s a very, very intricate form of treatment. The artwork will need to receive conservation treatment for at least a year before it can be presented at the Getty before being sent back to Beirut.
According to Birkmaier, the goal is for viewers to once again be able to experience the image in its original form.
