US · International contemporary art platformThe Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston will soon offer visitors the chance to watch the live conservation of a Dutch Golden Age painting. Beginning December 9, 2026, the MFA will open a pop-up restoration studio in its Center for Netherlandish Art’s Innovation Gallery.
The painting undergoing restoration is Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy’s "The Founders of the Amsterdam Wine Merchants Guild," created in 1625. This group portrait depicts the six founding members of the Amsterdam Wine Merchants Guild, an organization that operated until the late 18th century. The museum acquired the artwork in 2025.
Throughout the year-long project, conservators, scientists, art historians, and curators will rotate through the studio, working on the painting in view of museum visitors. This arrangement allows the public to observe the detailed processes involved in art conservation.
The initiative reflects the MFA’s focus on transparency and education in art preservation. Visitors will be able to see firsthand how experts from different fields collaborate to maintain and restore cultural heritage.
By making the conservation process accessible, the MFA offers a rare opportunity for the public to learn about the technical and historical aspects of art restoration, providing insight into the preservation of a Dutch Golden Age masterpiece.
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