Preliminary study to a conservation-restoration treatment of the Fountain of the Three Graces, c. 1545, Brussels, City Museum | Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage
The Fountain of the Three Graces is one of the rare examples of 16th-century marble sculpture conserved in Brussels. The pre-study that will be carried out by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) will focus on the conservation state of the work, the materials and techniques used, and its place in art history. More information on the website of the Brussels City Museum.
Photo: KIK-IRPA, Brussels
Update: May 2021
As part of the preliminary study to the restoration of the 16th-century Fountain of the Three Graces from the collections of the Brussels City Museum, the findings of KIK-IRPA’s interdisciplinary team made it possible to attribute the artwork to one of the major sculptors of the Italian Renaissance: Guglielmo Della Porta (1515-1577). The white marble used by the artist, the iconographic theme of the fountain and the mythological scenes on its pedestal all seem to point to the Italian sculptor. Comparisons with the fountain at Boussu Castle, a well-known work from the sculptor’s workshop, bring the Three Graces even closer to Della Porta. The upcoming restoration of the fountain should enable the restorers to support this attribution.
The Three Graces, Brussels City Museum