Conservation underway in 2021 with partial funding from the New Mexico Foundation’s Caldwell Foundation Fund.

Starting in the mid-eighteenth century, the popularity of elegant wall coverings in printed and colored paper, known as papiers peints, spread throughout the homes of European nobles following the fashionable standard set by the French court of Queen Marie Antoinette.

The alcove bedchamber in Ca’ Rezzonico is a fascinating and precious example of Venetian rococo interior decoration that originated from the Palazzo Carminati at San Stae. A rare extant installation of this ephemeral art, it was most likely produced by the Remondini workshop of Bassano del Grappa, famed for their prints and wallpaper designs that were produced under the protection of the Venetian government. The design consists of a harmonious repetition of picturesque classical ruins, wild foliage, and small figures in a gray-on-gray palette with hints of blue, green and white, and is printed on finely ribbed paper.

The fragile eighteenth-century wallpaper is suffering from several condition problems that necessitate urgent treatment to avoid further deterioration. There are numerous visible tears and unsightly repair attempts, and the framing support has begun to warp. The overall surface of the wallpaper is also covered in a thick layer of surface grime, making it prey to insect infestation.

The wallpaper will be removed from its frames for conservation and cleaning.  It will be slightly dampened in order to regain its original shape, and corner borders will be applied to protect it during reinstallation. The panels will be relined. Any pictorial losses will be filled with chromatic integrations.

Unidentified artist from the Remondini workshop of Bassano del Grappa
Wallpaper of Landscape Ruins
18th century, printed paper
Ca’ Rezzonico Museum, Alcove Bedroom

Ca’ Rezzonico Museum