The Conservation of "Salvator Mundi" by Leonardo da Vinci

A conservator may face many challenges when working on a painting—ranging from old varnish and surface grime to areas of lost paint, superficial damage, previous restoration attempts, and even major structural failures. Sometimes, all of these issues must be addressed at once.

Though the artist is unknown, this version of Salvator Mundi dates back to the early 1600s. In the 400-plus years since its creation, it has undergone numerous interventions—with mixed results. In addition to extensive inpainting, the wooden panel has suffered repairs and even splitting due to poor framing choices.

This video takes us through the conservation process: cleaning the artwork, removing overpainting, addressing structural damage, and developing an innovative solution to a recurring framing problem.