During the preparation of the exhibition, several exciting discoveries were unearthed thus shedding new light on the art of Nicolas Tournier. First worthy of mention is the unexpected reappearance of an unrecorded painting that had for years been displayed in one of the halls of the Auch prefecture. The restoration of Saint John the Evangelist from the Pinacoteca Capitolina in Rome revealed that the attributes (the harp and the crown) that had, until now, justified its interpretation as a portrayal of David, were in fact additional features later removed.
The restoration of Saint Paul at the Musée des Augustins uncovered an inscription on the back of the original canvas that had been masked after an earlier re-canvassing. The inscription is in Italian and means three paintings for Seigneur de Pennautier. This inscription probably refers to the composition underneath, an Adoration of the shepherds, overlaid by the Saint Paul as revealed by the X-ray. This discovery not only poses the problem of the relationship between Tournier's production from the Roman period and that of the Languedoc period but also the nature of the artist's relationship with his patron. Discoveries made in the history of art always seem to generate more questions than they answer. They nevertheless lead us towards a deeper understanding. The exhibition will unveil unknown works by the artist, whom we see in a new, original light.
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