Uncovering Brueghel's 'A Village Fair' - An insight into the work of conserving a masterpiece

Over the last three years the Auckland Art Gallery’s conservation team has been working on a major project to restore Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s A Village Fair (Village Festival in Honour of Saint Hubert and Saint Anthony) dated circa 1615–20.

We are fortunate in having the opportunity to invite a small group into the Conservation Laboratory, to join Painting Conservator Genevieve Silvester as she shares her insights into this fascinating project and the stories it has uncovered about this beloved artwork in the Gallery’s collection.

This event is in association with the Mackelvie Society’s Fundraising Campaign for the purchase of a handmade bespoke frame for A Village Fair before it goes on display in October.  

Tuesday 20 June at 10.30am, Auckland Art Gallery

Limited to 12 attendees. Tickets are by donation towards the fundraising campaign. Full details on our Fundraising Campaign page. Contact renee@mackelviesociety.com to learn more and to RSVP.

GENEVIEVE SILVESTER is a paintings conservator working primarily on treatments and care of Easel Paintings. She trained in the UK and Europe and has a strong interest in the technical analysis and technical art history of paintings using cutting edge scientific tools to understand art works.

Reading:
Traces in Time: Uncovering Brueghel’s A Village Fair. In this interview painting conservator Genevieve Silvester shares her insights into this fascinating project and the stories it has uncovered about this beloved artwork in the Gallery’s collection. Read here.

Artwork caption: Pieter Brueghel the Younger, A Village Fair (Village Festival in Honour of Saint Hubert and Saint Anthony), oil on panel, Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1961. During retouching February 2023.