State Russian Museum Restores Aivazovsky's“The Ninth Wave”

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Saint Petersburg's State Russian Museum has completed the restoration of Ivan Aivazovsky's 1850 seascape,“The Ninth Wave,” in anticipation of a major retrospective dedicated to the Russian artist. The exhibition is scheduled to open on October 16, according to Russian state media LenTV24.

Restoration work on the painting began in June, and the artwork will be displayed in the museum's Benois Wing. The museum noted that in the 120 years it has owned“The Ninth Wave,” only minor conservation efforts had been undertaken previously.

Alla Manilova, general director of the Russian Museum, stated in June that while no canvases were in unsatisfactory condition, it was recognized that a painting over a century and a half old would eventually require comprehensive scientific restoration, especially given the institution's high conservation standards. Manilova added,““The Ninth Wave” is the most beloved painting among our visitors, according to our attendants. We are fully aware of the immense responsibility, the public is eagerly awaiting the results.”

“The Ninth Wave” depicts the sea following a night storm, with sunlight breaking through. Its title is derived from an old maritime belief that the ninth wave in a series is the largest and most powerful. Museum specialists repaired areas of peeling, applied primer and paint across the canvas surface, and finished the restoration with a varnish coating. Additionally, the painting's linden wood frame was restored by replacing over 100 missing fragments and covering it with gold leaf.

The upcoming retrospective will feature“The Ninth Wave” alongside more than 200 other works by Aivazovsky, including“The Creation of the World” ( 1841 ) and“The Flood” ( 1864 ).

Source: ARTnews

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