The restoration of Johannes Vermeer’s 'Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window'.
A status report, January 3rd 2020
Press conference, May 8th, 2019
What makes today such a special day?
Why did we invite you here for a press conference to present a status report?
Only half of the Cupid on the room’s backwall has been uncovered.
But we can already tell that this will radically change the whole painting effect.
By presenting a status report to the general public and unveiling a only partial uncovered painting,
we are doing a significant exception.
Mr. Schölzel, I would like to ask you to unveil the painting, please
[...] The Dresden Old Master Picture Gallery […]
[…] hides many treasures, including 'Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window', an oil painting […]
[…] whose current status is not the one painted by Jan Vermeer.
Since the press conference on May 8th, 2019
when we experienced a great international response,
and after the exhibition about the restoration in the Gemäldegalerie,
the restoration has been carried on.
I have uncovered a significant part of the Cupid and removed the overpainting.
It is now clear that he is the god of love – and not a goddess.
Meanwhile, I have reached the horizon in the painting,
where a small group of trees has been uncovered.
This marks a difference between the Dresden Cupid
and the one in the London painting 'A Young Woman standing at a Virginal',
where the trees on the painting left border are hidden by the young woman's head.
