Portrait of a Woman with Piercing Eyes and a Hidden Veil

Portrait of a Woman with Piercing Eyes and a Hidden Veil

"I have always liked the painting... it tells a story..."

Is there truly any better reason to display a work of art in your home? Purchased in the 1950s, Portrait of a Woman has been in the family of its current owner for nearly 70 years. Believed to be attributed to 19th-century German painter Philip Vieth, this captivating painting holds many secrets. The woman is looking straight at the viewer with a look of distress, one hand on her head and the other clutching a letter. On the table, interrupting the pattern of the tablecloth is a single gold ring.

Conserving a Turquoise Ceramic Bowl

Conserving a Turquoise Ceramic Bowl

When this striking turquoise ceramic bowl arrived at The Center for treatment, it immediately caught the attention of our objects conservator, with its history and character. This dish is low-fired ceramic and finished with a lovely glaze on the interior and half of the exterior with decorative hand-painted bands and curved motifs. Although we are unsure how old this Persian dish is, our conservator's examination showed that this object had survived a long life so far.

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Gilding a Gorgeous Frame

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Gilding a Gorgeous Frame

Thick or thin, matte or metallic, carved or clean-lines: fine art frames can fade into the background or compete with the artwork it displays for the viewers attention. The frame for The Annunciation does just that, with carvings, oil and water gilding, and yellow and red bole undertones - it truly is a work of art all on its own.

Conservator in Action: Antique Tilt Top Table

Conservator in Action: Antique Tilt Top Table

After over a decade in their home, the owner of this Biedermeier table decided it was time to have The Conservation Center’s Furniture Department examine it for treatment. This tilt-top table features walnut veneer, a detailed vine motif boarding the edge of the tabletop, and trefoil legs adorned with transfer decoration of swans, making it a beautiful example of the Biedermeier style. But naturally, after about 200 years, there were conditions issues to address, and the owner determined it would be best to address them proactively before any further deterioration occurred.

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Picture Perfect

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Picture Perfect

How to preserve a personal photograph collection and the history it represents.

Published biannually, Luxury Portfolio magazine features the latest luxury perspectives on Real Estate, Design, Travel and Lifestyle. The latest issue features “Picture Perfect” written by Lisa Klein, an interview with our CEO Heather Becker discussing how to care for your photography collection.

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Coverings, Calendars and Ketubahs

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Coverings, Calendars and Ketubahs

As Jewish heritage spans many countries, cultures, and customs, the ceremonial and ritual objects pictured here are only a few of many permutations and preferences.  Nevertheless, they share the same background and prominence in their congregations and households. The conservation of these pieces often had the added task of ensuring that these objects could still be used or ritually displayed, which will also be discussed.

Rosa Mystica: The Second Phase of Treatment

Rosa Mystica: The Second Phase of Treatment

The Conservation Center is honored to partner with the Illinois Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums to treat The Annunciation. Please enjoy this video explaining our second phase of treatment for the piece, included in their five-part lecture series, Rosa Mystica: A Journey of Renewal and Restoration.

Planning is Everything: Preparing for Disaster

Planning is Everything: Preparing for Disaster

President Dwight Eisenhower once said, "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. There is a very great distinction because when you are planning for an emergency you must start with this one thing: the very definition of "emergency" is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning."

The team at The Conservation Center couldn't agree more. Disaster preparedness plans are often modified the moment they are put into action. Still, we know from years of experience that those who plan for likely scenarios are better positioned to respond to the unexpected.

World of Enlightenment: A 20th Century Globe Light

World of Enlightenment: A 20th Century Globe Light

Glass, Paint, Metal - It's always an exciting day when an unusual mixed media object arrives at The Center for treatment. One hundred sixty-two painted glass panes set in a series of metal channels come together in this early 20th-century terrestrial globe light fixture. Measuring nearly 3 feet in diameter, this light fixture needed several issues addressed before it was ready to take back its place of prominence at the center of the room.

Doris Lindo Lewis: American Surrealist

Doris Lindo Lewis: American Surrealist

Doris Lindo Lewis was an artist with many different stylistic interests, perhaps due to her mixed cultural heritage and experiences living in Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, and the United States. She started with traditional oil landscapes, experimented with surrealism and charcoal portraits, and ended her career with abstract expressionism. Art from her surrealist period is particularly loved; the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., and LACMA are among the major art museums to boast a surrealist Lewis piece in their collections.

Repairing a Regency Giltwood Stool

Repairing a Regency Giltwood Stool

Showcasing the beauty of antique furniture in your home décor can provide depth and warmth in a way that modern designs cannot match. The aged fabrics, custom finishes, fragile design details, and the maker's hand create a unique character that adds to the item's history and charm. However, age and history also require a certain level of consideration when putting antique furniture to day-to-day use.

The Conservation of a 19th-Century Portrait: Great-Great-Great Grandmother Brenner

The Conservation of a 19th-Century Portrait: Great-Great-Great Grandmother Brenner

Ever since photography became the favored medium of memory, painted family portraits became rare. These portraits are special heirlooms that deserve to be cherished and maintained for generations. A recent client of ours shared this belief and he and his family sent a portrait of their great great-great-grandmother to The Center for treatment.

Grooming an Amazing Pair of Bronze Buddhistic Lions

Grooming an Amazing Pair of Bronze Buddhistic Lions

Chinese Buddhistic Lions are symbols of feng shui that were traditionally placed in front of Imperial palaces and temples. Also called Imperial Guardian Lions, they can be a special addition to any private collection. They are usually bought and displayed in pairs—one male and one female. The male lion is identified by a globe under its paw, and the female likewise has a cub.

Something Old, Something New: Conserving an Antique Wedding Dress

Something Old, Something New: Conserving an Antique Wedding Dress

Spring is the time for weddings, as the weather is warming and the flowers are in bloom. This month, we had the pleasure of preserving an antique wedding dress made in 1900 from the Elk Grove Historical Museum located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. According to their records, the dress was worn by Clara Schuette, who grew up in the museum’s farmhouse and married Henry Luehring on April 4th, 1901 in the museum’s parlor.

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A Community Comes Together: The Fisher Foundation Project Part 1

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A Community Comes Together: The Fisher Foundation Project Part 1

In 2014, a small group of volunteers in Marshalltown, Iowa, met to discuss the restoration of the Fisher Community Center Art collection, which had been untouched since the 1960s. The artworks were in desperate need for repair, care, and cataloguing, so the group set to work filing for grants and hiring specialists to help.

Repairing a Small Ivory Sculpture

Repairing a Small Ivory Sculpture

Our conservators come from vastly different backgrounds and specialize in treating countless types of objects, from oil or watercolor paintings to wood furniture to metal sculptures. Each piece is handled with expert attentiveness and care, whether it is large or small. One of our recently completed projects was on the smaller side—an ivory sculpture, measuring just over six inches tall.

Rosa Mystica: The First Phase of Treatment

Rosa Mystica: The First Phase of Treatment

The Conservation Center is honored to partner with the Illinois Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums to treat The Annunciation. Please enjoy this video explaining our first phase of treatment for the piece, included in their five-part lecture series, Rosa Mystica: A Journey of Renewal and Restoration.

Maintaining the Magnificent

Maintaining the Magnificent

At 8½ feet tall and 6½ feet wide with over 150 painted figures, James Van Fossan’s “Drama Magnifico” was a sight to behold in our conservation laboratory. The large oil painting, which reportedly took the artist over 4,000 hours to complete, is like a modern version of Rubens’ swirling celestial compositions.

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Conservation and Creation: Restoring Lincoln's Portable Bar

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Conservation and Creation: Restoring Lincoln's Portable Bar

Abraham Lincoln’s Portable Bar was brought to us with missing brass inlay, non-original feet, and a missing key, among other things. Click to read how our conservators not only preserved the Bar itself, but fabricated missing elements to restore it to its former glory.

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