Fritz Winter, „Durchbrechendes Rot“

Restaurierung und Transport eines großformatigen documenta I-Gemäldes

Abstract

“Durchbrechendes Rot” by Fritz Winter. Conservation and Transport of a Large Painting from documenta I
This article deals with Fritz Winter’s largest painting, “Durchbrechendes Rot” (Red Breaking Through), which he created specifically for documenta I in 1955. The author focuses on how the original documenta piece was made, where it was kept after the exhibition and on the restoration and conservation of the painting for its new home, Museum Abtei Liesborn (Liesborn Abbey Museum), where it is once more on display. Damaged caused by storage under unsuitable conditions, the work underwent a series of investigations by scientists and conservators and was restored to its original size. Owing to its unusual size and technique, special stretching devices and methods had to be applied in order to eliminate the creases in both the support and the paint layer. Constructing a custom-built stretching frame for the hanging and transport of the large painting, once again in its original size, posed a major challenge.