Behind the Scenes: Restoring Brueghel’s A Village Fair

In 1961, the Mackelvie Trust purchased 'A Village Fair (Village Festival in Honour of Saint Hubert and Saint Anthony)', circa 1614–19 by Flemish artist Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564–1638) for the Gallery’s collection.

For the past three years, Gallery Paintings Conservator Genevieve Silvester has worked on this 400-year-old masterpiece. Employing a holistic approach, she gained a thorough understanding of the painting before beginning its physical treatment through examination, analysis and research. The result is a painting that Silvester believes is closer to the original intent of the artist.

Watch this video to find out more about the techniques and processes employed in the restoration. 'A Village Fair' is on display in the Mackelvie Gallery as part of the exhibition 'Threads of Time: Travel, Trade and Textiles.'