Richard Bergh’s Konstnärsförbundets styrelse Painting techniques in a contemporary context and their impact on conservation

Understanding the painting techniques and material characteristics used in Konstnärsförbundets styrelse (The Board of the Artists’ Association, 1903), by the Swedish artist Richard Bergh (1858–1919), was crucial to the evaluation of the poor condition of the painting and the changes it had undergone. The pigments and binding media were investigated with several invasive and noninvasive analytical methods. The results revealed the complex multi-layered technique chosen by Bergh to execute the painting, including the use of water-based paint, oil paint, oil paint thickeners and egg-oil tempera. Bergh seems to have been eager to introduce materials newly available in colourmen shops. His extensive correspondence and notebooks were consulted to further document his artistic approach, and his artistic practice was compared to works by other artists of his circle that present similar conservation problems. Knowledge of the materials used in Bergh’s painting was fundamental for its successful conservation and led to the development of several innovative conservation solutions.