SAN DIEGO, CA.- For the past five months, the Timken Museum of Art’s 18th-century painting, Lovers in a Park (1758), by Rococo artist François Boucher has been undergoing an unprecedented transformation by a team of expert conservators from the Balboa Art Conservation Center (BACC) as part of the Timken’s Boucher: Conservation in a Park exhibition. This partnership between the Timken and BACC has allowed the two organizations to showcase how a precious masterpiece is restored. At the same time, the detailed and precise restoration process has given the public a rare opportunity to observe the scientific examination and professional conservation of a major work of art—the first public conservation at the Museum in more than half a century.

Instead of a formal winter/spring exhibition, which is always part of the Timken’s ongoing, year- round schedule, the Museum curatorial staff and the BACC conservators took on the daunting task of demystifying the world of art conservation—making this ambitious endeavor an extraordinary, one-of-kind exhibition. Together, the two leading arts organizations transformed the Timken’s temporary Exhibitions Should it be Exhibition Gallery, meaning singular “Exhibition?” Gallery into an art studio, science lab, classroom delete comma after classroom…a comma before “and” with a series of qualifiers or adjectives is an old rule that generally no longer applies and interactive space where they welcomed the public to observe the restoration process and ask questions of the conservators while this massive undertaking took place.

François Boucher’s Lovers in a Park was among the very first works acquired after the Timken opened in 1965. Due to the painting’s large size, 232.4 x 194.9 cm, (91.5 x 76.75 in.), Lovers in a Park has rarely left the Museum.

In the 59 years since the Timken became home to the impressive Boucher artwork, the painting’s protective varnish layer had naturally yellowed. The varnish discoloration is common in historic paintings. Conservators applied the same analysis and conservation methods on Lovers in a Park that other great museums around the world use to ensure the longevity of their precious artworks. As the restoration of one of the Timken’s most popular paintings enters its final phase, the Timken and BACC are proud of the work they have accomplished and are eager to have the public see the painting’s original, vibrant appearance.

During this final restoration stage, the Timken continues to welcome the public to the Museum to observe the conservation and restoration process on Thursday afternoons and to ask questions and interact with the conservators on Friday afternoons through April 2024.

Upon completion of the restoration, François Boucher’s Lovers in a Park will return in all its brilliance to the Timken’s French Gallery.

“This project has been a bold demonstration of what caring for a collection means to great museums, stated Derrick R. Cartwright, PhD, the Timken’s director of curatorial affairs. “When the Timken initiated this conservation effort, our intention was both to restore Lovers in a Park as close as possible to its original splendor and to share that process from start to finish with the public.”

Cartwright continued: “Thanks to the talented team at BACC, we are seeing Boucher's work refreshed to its mid-18th-century appearance, and it looks tremendous. Never have our visitors had the opportunity to study the work quite like they can now. The conservation project and the accompanying public participation represent huge successes, not just for the Timken but for the broader community.”
Understanding Conservation

Conservation is an interdisciplinary profession that combines art, history and science to preserve art and cultural materials for the future. Conservators employ a variety of tools to complete their tasks including X-radiography and multi-spectral imaging to see through a painting’s layers. These highly trained professionals possess a specialized suite of skills to address technical challenges, be it a painting just in need of minor structural repairs or more intensive rehabilitations. In the case of Boucher’s painting, the conservators have applied modern science to a precious artwork that is nearly three centuries old.

"I thoroughly enjoy using advanced tools to determine the artistic process and evolution of the painting, which guides our treatment decisions," commented Alexis Miller, head of paintings conservation for BACC. "The restoration of the Boucher painting involved removing dust, aged varnish, old grime and glue and mismatched restoration paint, followed by applying a new varnish and inpainting old losses and abrasions. Once completed, the painting will exhibit vibrant colors and enhanced depth.”

Miller concluded: "The public's interaction during this process emphasizes the importance of making conservation accessible to everyone. The care of cultural heritage is vital, whether it's a masterpiece like the Boucher painting or a cherished family heirloom."