A young woman sits gracefully with confidence at the center of a portrait, her eyes gazing directly at the viewer – or, as fate would have it, at our team of conservators as they determined the best treatment option for this painting.
The painting prior to treatment.
When this piece was first brought to the center, the thin to moderately applied oil paint layer had accumulated some light surface grime. There appeared to be a network of fine cracks in the paint and varnish of the painting and some areas of paint loss and accretions, coated in a natural varnish with a top synthetic varnish. Several sunken varnish spots appeared more matte than others, and our conservator's examination also identified extensive repaint on the face, neck and most of the background.
The painting prior to treatment, examined under a blacklight.
The piece's supporting structure was also examined before our conservators could begin, which found missing keys. Keys are bits of wood used to tighten the canvas when it begins to sag on the stretcher, which can happen over time because of things like temperature change, humidity, and age.
The back of the frame prior to treatment.
To begin the conservation process, the flaking paint was first consolidated using conservation grade adhesives. Once consolidated, grime and accretions were then removed with aqueous solutions; however, some more stubborn accretions required removal by hand with a scalpel. The varnish layers were safely removed using organic solvents, and the grime underneath the varnish was removed using aqueous solutions. The areas of the previous repaint on the figure were also removed. The areas of repaint in the background were removed as much as possible without damaging the original paint.
During treatment.
Once the surface layer was stabilized and the previous areas of repaint were removed, the areas of paint loss were filled and textured using appropriate conservation grade fill material. Texturizing is an important step in ensuring a seamless transition from original to new surface. The areas of loss were then inpainted using reversible conservation paints. A final varnish coat was applied to even out the piece's final appearance by integrating its surface gloss. The varnish also offers a layer of protection between the paint layer from the effects of its environment.
A close-up of the painting after treatment.
As for the support structure, the missing stretcher keys were replaced, and the tension was adjusted. Lastly, the piece was then installed into its frame, which featured a decorative embossed gold pattern. An acid-free Coroplast backing board was attached to the back to provide additional protection.
The back of the frame after treatment.
The final product exposes the painter's soft brush strokes and light handling of paint, which emphasizes the delicate feminine features of the young lady's face. This also contributes to the silky, flowing quality of her beautiful pink dress. These fine details were previously hidden under the layers of surface grime and accretions. It was incredible to watch as the Portrait of a Young Lady's subtle and unique intricacies were revealed throughout the conservation process. We’re working with our client on additional treatment options as well, so stay tuned!
Before treatment.
After treatment.
