The restoration of period paintings by Francesc Torrescassana in Casa Vicens
Francesc Torrescassana i Sallarés (Barcelona 1845-1918) attended la Escola de la Llotja in Barcelona where he studied under Ramón Martí Alsina. He subsequently forged a career as a painter of historical subjects, portraits, landscapes and genre scenes.
The dining room of Casa Vicens features one of the most important collections of this artist’s work, which was commissioned by the building’s original owner Manel Vicens i Montaner.
The restoration of the 34 Torrescana paintings on canvas and wood that decorate the dining room was part of the greater project of returning Casa Vicens to its former glory and converting it into a house museum. The work was carried out by a professional team from Policromia, a local firm specializing in the restoration of works on canvas, in collaboration with the Catalan government’s Centre de Restauració de Béns Mobles. The process entailed cleaning, stabilising all support materials, consoliding polychromed surfaces, retouching painted areas as needed, and preparing each piece for reinstallation once the overall restoration of the house has been completed.
