Conserving Flowers in a Glass Vase


Flowers in a Glass Vase is a beautiful still life painted by the Dutch artist Jacob van Walscapelle in 1667 — the earliest known signed work by this artist. We don’t believe that the painting has been treated since it was bequeathed to the V&A in 1900. Over time, the oil paint has started to flake, and the natural varnish has become discolored. The painting is now undergoing thorough conservation work, which includes carefully reattaching paint flakes, removing discolored varnish, applying new varnish and retouching. Transformed, the painting will go on display in Room 81 of the V&A Paintings Galleries.

Video from the Victoria and Albert Museum

Cite this page as: Victoria and Albert Museum, London, "Conserving Flowers in a Glass Vase," in Smarthistory, May 6, 2017, accessed March 28, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/conserving-flowers-in-a-glass-vase/.