Wandbespanningen Kasteel Borgharen
These wall coverings originate from the Salon in the tower room on the bel étage of Borgharen Castle. They are part of an interior ensemble, including the paneling, fireplace, and stucco ceiling, which were designed in the late 18th century by the Maastricht architect Matthias Soiron. The pastoral scenes were painted by the Liège artist Pierre-Michel de Lovinfosse in 1790. The paintings have been restored in the beginning of 2025 at the SRAL conservation studio on the first floor of the Bonnefanten.
The artist
The painter Pierre-Michel de Lovinfosse lived from 1745 to 1821. His work is known to be featured in, among other places, Amstenrade Castle and the Hôtel De Hayme de Bomal in Liège. Art historian Peter te Poel recently suggested that the canvases may have been painted at Borgharen Castle itself. They were completed a year after the outbreak of the Liège Revolution in August 1789. De Lovinfosse fled Liège and, given the unrest in the city, could not have completed the work in his studio.
The restoration
The restoration will take place in several stages. Our team of painting restorers has removed surface dirt and discoloured varnish layers. To do this, they used the so-called gel tissue method, an advanced technique that cleans in a controlled and safe manner. The result is remarkable: the original colours are shining again. This is particularly visible in the upper part of the painting, where the blue sky is depicted. The next steps will focus on consolidating the paint layer and treating the damage. In April 2025, the paintings were returned to Borgharen Castle in a cleaned state.
