A view into the TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund stand at TEFAF Maastricht 2025. Photo: Loraine Bodewes.
Discover the First 2025 TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund Recipient
This year, the fund will support the restoration of a rare 15th-century manuscript at the Musée Condé, Château de Chantilly
- By Alina Arcari
- Museum Restoration Fund
Since 2012, the TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund (TMRF) has supported and promoted the professional restoration and related scholarly research of significant museum artworks. Overseen by a committee of independent experts, with a commitment to champion art in all its forms, the global grant application process welcomes submissions from museums worldwide and is open to artworks from any period. In 2025, the Maastricht TMRF has been awarded to the Musée Condé, Château de Chantilly, to restore the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry (c. 1411).
Located within the Château de Chantilly just outside Paris, the Musée Condé was founded by Henri d’Orléans, Duke d’Aumale (son of the last king of France), who dedicated his life to assembling an extraordinary collection of Old Master paintings, prints, and drawings, alongside photography, furniture, decorative arts, and sculpture, as well as rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials. Highlights of the collection include works by Raphael, Poussin, Watteau, Ingres, and Delacroix.
As one of the 2025 TMRF recipients, the Musée Condé will restore the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, commissioned by John, Duke of Berry (1340–1416), son of King John II and brother of King Charles V. Recognized as one of the most notable patrons of arts in medieval France, the Duke of Berry possessed a remarkable library containing more than 300 manuscripts, including 15 lavishly decorated books of hours.
Herman, Paul, and Jean de Limbourg, folio 51, from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, c. 1411–1416. © RMN-Grand Palais / Domaine de Chantilly, Michel Urtado.
Widely considered one of the most famous illuminated manuscripts, the Très Riches Heures was created around 1411 by the three Limbourg brothers, illuminators from Nijmegen who were trained in France. Up until the death of the Duke of Berry and the Limbourg brothers, the book remained incomplete, unbound, and unused. It remained in the French royal collection throughout most of the 15th century and was then completed by leading artists of the time, including Barthélémy van Eyck and Jean Colombe. In 1856, the manuscript was acquired by the Duke d’Aumale and has since 1871 been in the collection of the Musée Condé as one of the highlights in the museum’s library. The Très Riches Heures stands out for its extraordinary artistic ambition, featuring 131 illustrations—66 of which are large or full-page miniatures—and the wealth of iconography that decorates its borders and texts. With contributions by 27 artists over a period of almost three-quarters of a century, it is a magnificent example of international Gothic art with influences from Northern Europe, France, Italy, the Near East, and Classical Antiquity.
As illuminated manuscripts are extremely fragile works, the various components, including parchment, inks, pigments, illuminations, and binding can suffer from wear and tear as well as from more significant damage. The forthcoming conservation project will focus on four main areas: the binding, the binding materials, the gutter, and the paint layer. While the text block was resewn in the early 20th century, some binding threads have since broken or are near breaking, especially at the beginning and end of the manuscript. Additionally, the gutter of the first section has become brittle and dry, requiring immediate treatment to prevent further loss. Paint layers have flaked in several areas and will be stabilized to prevent further damage.
Beyond restoring the Très Riches Heures, the project will also shed new light on its history and construction. “The process will yield a considerable amount of information on the manuscript itself and also contribute to a wealth of knowledge to the fields of medieval illumination and conservation of precious manuscripts,” shares Mathieu Deldicque, Director of the Musée Condé, Château de Chantilly. A particular highlight of the project will involve the disbinding of the manuscript, allowing its renowned Calendar pages to be exhibited side by side for the first time in an upcoming exhibition at the Musée Condé (June 7 through October 5, 2025), offering visitors the unprecedented opportunity to witness the Très Riches Heures in its full glory, following several months of analysis and restorative work.
The TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund stand at TEFAF Maastricht 2025. Photo: Maison Rowena.
Beyond restoring the Très Riches Heures, the project will also shed new light on its history and construction. “The process will yield a considerable amount of information on the manuscript itself and also contribute to a wealth of knowledge to the fields of medieval illumination and conservation of precious manuscripts,” shares Mathieu Deldicque, Director of the Musée Condé, Château de Chantilly. A particular highlight of the project will involve the disbinding of the manuscript, allowing its renowned Calendar pages to be exhibited side by side for the first time in an upcoming exhibition at the Musée Condé (June 7 through October 5, 2025), offering visitors the unprecedented opportunity to witness the Très Riches Heures in its full glory, following several months of analysis and restorative work.
