Gift of Larry Hartford and Torleif Tandstad, 2016.1.12

In 2016 the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art took possession of a promised gift from the Hartford-Tandstad Collection. A stand-out work, a 17th century portrait by Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569-1622), portrays the French King Louis XIII as a young boy. In December 2016 the work was removed from the Gallery for conservation treatment. In February 2017 the newly conserved returned to the gallery.

Pourbus came from a family of painters and is best known for executing portraits and portrait groups of the European Royal Court. Our Pourbus painting was purchased at Christie's Auction House sale in London in 1966 from the collection of Captain E.G. Spencer-Churchill.

The painting is composed of oil on wood panel. Wood panels can expand and contract with fluctuations in humidity and temperature. At some point in the history of this painting the panel cracked, creating a long vertical split and unstable paint. In addition to this disfiguring crack, the painting's varnish layer had darkened and discolored over the years. These issues put the painting in jeopardy of losing paint and and obscured the artist's hand and intentions. The physical problems also inhibited research on the work and an understanding of the stylistic aspects of the artist and time period.

The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art is committed to best-practices in collections care, including preserving works of art for the future. The museum has a long-term conservation plan that identifies and prioritizes works of art needing conservation.