Eleonora’s Garden on Japanese Rice Paper – by Belgian artist, Pierre Alechinsky (b.1927),

Eleonara’s Garden by Pierre Alechinsky

Famous Belgian artist – Pierre Alechinsky’s ‘Eleonora’s Garden’ is a 20th century contemporary art. This unique style of combining aqua tints in free hand on Japanese rice paper is Pierre’s abstract style. ‘Eleonara’s Garden’ in black, green, yellow and brown colors gives one the sense of a fenced garden. This 1988 limited edition number 66/70, and dated and signed by Pierre Alekinsky is a priceless artwork. Our client Xavier Verhoest a Belgian artist himself has a collection of Pierre’s limited editions. Xavier currently resides in Kenya.

Stains, holes and loss of paper

This priceless original artwork was damaged from a poor framing job. The top corners were stained leaving translucent yellow rectangular marks, and the bottom corners had a hole and loss of paper when the celotape was removed. This 90cm x 54cm artwork was framed on a highly acidic chip board that caused yellowing of the artwork.

Eleonora's Garden Before Restoration (1) - Yellow translucent stains on top Right hand and Left hand corners

Eleonora's Garden Before Restoration (2) - L 900mm x W 545mm, Print Ink in Free hand - Eleonora's Garden by Pierre Alechinski

Eleonora's Garden Before Restoration (3) - Ply board backing secured with steel nails and oak wood frame

Eleonara’s Garden After Restoration

By isolating the effects of the yellowed stains from the verso and recto of/on top corners in preparation of restoring the stains; and, returning the rice paper to original state – was carried out. The artwork was humidified, washed and re-sized in a constructed treatment tank. The damage spots were color matched on the top corners, while the bottom corners were filled with matching Japanese tissue and lined on to a Ph neutral board, before being re-framed.

In-filled hole and attaching additional Japanese tissue on verso at the bottom Left hand and Right hand corners

This is what the client had to say!

"This artwork by Belgian artist Pierre Alechinsky is the first of a small group of etchings I have gathered over the years. After collecting the artwork from the frame maker, I noticed that he had used tape (cello tape) to fix the artwork on the board thus damaging the artwork printed on a very thin Japanese rice paper. In Feb 2016, I took the work to La Casa Sphinx- where Dipti Fernandes assessed the extent of the damage and gave me a complete report on how to proceed to restore the artwork which she did diligently enabling me to enjoy the artwork in its almost original condition." Xavier Verhoest Belgian resident in Nairobi, Kenya