Yesterday, after posting on St. Boniface Church in Pittsburgh, I received word that a friend of a friend’s grandfather (you know how these things work in Catholic circles!) was one of the German immigrants who had, literally, built this grand structure: her grandfather was a roofer, had roofed the church, and maintained it through the years. He, with his family, owned a roofing and heating business that was housed directly across from the church. The friend of a friend(!), additionally, lived in an apartment above the business, across from St. Boniface, until she was five years old. I loved hearing that story. Catholic ancestors come alive when such stories are told. Delightful!
On to today’s topic: I was perusing the internet, and came across a video of Julian Baumgartner of Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration of Chicago. In this eight minute video, Mr. Baumgartner is filmed restoring a painting of Our Lady. This video reminded me that I had read, earlier this year, that the beautiful Roman icon, Salus Populi Romani, had underwent a similar restoration (story here). I cannot imagine the skill, and expertise, it must take to take a paint brush, or cleansing agent, to a masterpiece, or beloved icon. I admire the artisans who do such work.
I hope you enjoy this video as much as I did. The “before” shots contrasted with the end product are remarkable. The video may be viewed in the following link:
Have a good day.
•SCF
•Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration of Chicago, business website: link
