Conservation, restoration and research

The Mauritshuis devotes considerable attention to the condition of its paintings in order to maintain the exceptional quality of its collection. The museum’s in-house team of conservators are engaged with conservation, restoration and technical research on a daily basis, which is carried out in the conservation studio.

The museum’s conservators often work in partnership with various experts and institutions at home and abroad. The Mauritshuis has entered into a long-term partnership with Shell Nederland, which makes it possible to carry out extensive technical research into the paintings of Jan Steen and his contemporaries. The museum regularly collaborates with other institutions, such as the Netherlands Institute for Art History, the Universities of Delft and Antwerp and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

One of a conservator’s key tasks is to ‘conserve’ an artwork in its present condition. This can vary from structural treatment of the artwork itself to offering advice on climate control in the museum. The projects below give a sense of some of the activities our conservators get involved in.