Professional experience  /  Clients in Germany and abroad  / 
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Professional experience

After training as a paintings conservator at the Österreichische Galerie in Vienna and the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum in Braunschweig (1979 - 1980) I concentrated on glass conservation, working for three years at the Restaurierungszentrum, Düsseldorf (1981 - 1983), followed by voluntary work conserving glass vessels at the Römisch-Germanisches Museum in Cologne and the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg (1983/ 1984). My knowledge and experience of conservation and restoration of paint on canvas and on glass constituted a solid basis for treating reverse paintings on glass (Hinterglasmalerei). I acquired technical skills in this field in 1984 at the workshop of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich, and in 1985 became a self employed conservator specializing in the conservation/ restoration of reverse paintings on glass.
I have restored more than 500 reverse paintings on glass for major museums and private collections in Germany and other countries including the U.S.A., Great Britain and Switzerland. After years of conservation in the field of folk art - reverse painted glass of the 18th and 19th centuries, I was experienced enough for highly demanding restoration work. These included first quality objects from the 14th through the 17th century, which were presented in the following exhibitions on reverse paintings on glass:
  • “Amalierte Stuck uff glas/Hinder Glas gemalte Historien und Gemäld”, Schloßmuseum in Murnau, 1995
  • “Glas Glanz Farbe”, Schloßmuseum in Murnau, 1997
  • “Farbige Kostbarkeiten aus Glas”, Kabinettstücke der Zürcher Hinterglasmalerei 1600 - 1650, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in München, 1999; Schweizerisches Landesmuseum in Zürich, 2000
  • “Glanzlichter”, Die Kunst der Hinterglasmalerei, Musée Suisse du Vitrail in Romont, 2000; Museum in der Burg in Zug, 2000/ 2001
  • „... welche zuweilen Kunstwerth haben.“ Hinterglasmalerei in Südbayern im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert, Schloßmuseum in Murnau, 2003
The restoration of four highly valuable reverse painted tankards of treasure-chamber quality represent the most demanding projects of my professional career to date. Two of these were the tankard of Elisabeth Duchess of Mecklenburg, Hans Jakob Sprüngli, Zurich, 1618-25 (Hessisches Landesmuseum in Kassel) and the tankard from the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Hans Jakob Sprüngli, Zurich, about 1610 (Staatliches Museum Schwerin - financed by Rudolf August Oetker Stiftung für Kunst, Kultur, Wissenschaft und Denkmalpflege, Bielefeld). My work also includes the conservation of double-walled bowls and reverse-glass paintings integrated in altars (Theodosia-Altar, 1545, Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht), cabinets and mirrors.

My activities also include delivering lectures in Germany and abroad, for example at the “Conference on reverse paintings on glass. Scientific and conservation/ restoration aspects of reverse-painted glass” at the Schloßmuseum in Murnau, 26. – 28.5.2006 and for the 2. Conference on reverse paintings on glass in Oberammergau, 12. – 14.10.2007) and training colleagues and students in the conservation of reverse paintings on glass. I have taught courses comprised of lectures and practical demonstrations at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, West Dean College in Chichester (GB) and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage in Amsterdam (NL).

I have contributed my technical and practical knowledge in the field of paint and glass techniques to a research project of the Swiss Center for Research on Stained Glass and Reverse-painted Glass in Romont (CH) financed by the Schweizerischer Nationalfond, entitled “Examination of 17th century Swiss reverse paintings on glass. Fundamentals of Swiss Art History” (1998 - 2002).

Since May 2006 I have been involved in a research project being undertaken by the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing in Berlin and the Museum Schnütgen in Cologne (financed by the German Research Foundation). The project is entitled: “Reverse painted glass in Flanders, Burgundy and at the Lower Rhine of 1330 to 1550. Origins of the 'cold painting' on glass and the influence of stained glass and easel painting”. I research relevant literature, contribute my knowledge concerning the technical aspects of late medieval reverse paintings on glass and reconstruct reverse glass paintings using historical techniques. For detailed information check www.dfg.de - keyword ‘sponsored projects’).

The conservation/ restoration of seven reverse painted glass inlays of a housealtar, probably Nuremberg, about 1580 of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, USA was recently accomplished. The project was financed by the Getty Foundation, Los Angeles and technically supported by the Doerner Institut in Munich.

Currently I am treating a reverse painted double glass bowl „Liegende Venus“ by Hans Jakob Sprüngli, Zurich, about 1610-1620 of the collection Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha, Schlossmuseum. The analysis will be executed by the Doerner Institut. This project is financed by the Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung München.

I am a member of the following professional organizations: VDR (Association of the Conservators in Germany), IIC (International institute for Conservation), ICOM (International Council of Museums), AIHV (Association International pour l' Histoire du Verre), DGG (German Glass Technological Society).

Further information about Simone Bretz at www.revertro.eu.


  
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