How Professionals Restore A Damaged Old Oil Painting.

Today, we have an oil painting that requires urgent attention. Over the course of its 300-year existence, it has suffered damage and careless attempts at restoration. Notice the patches. Join us as we delicately conserve this 18th-century masterpiece. Before our artisan begins the restoration, it is crucial to remove surface-level dust to allow for a clear inspection. Beneath this layer of dirt lies a hidden story waiting to be revealed. Created in the 18th century by a follower of George Flegel, this oil painting is cemented on an artist's linen, a durable and desirable material for oil painting. To remove the accumulated dust and dirt, the artisan uses a soft-bristle artist's brush and a museum vacuum. The nails securing the linen to the stretcher are gently removed to avoid damaging the fabric. The painting is then carefully removed from its stretcher, a frame that provides tautness to the linen, facilitating both the painting process and evidence of previous restoration attempts. Today, these patches will be replaced, respectfully resurrecting the painting. Linen's durability stems from its evenly weighted threads known as warp and weft threads, minimizing the risk of expansion or shrinkage due to moisture. Old patches are removed using hot water, absorbed with a wooden skewer and cotton. The artisan applies careful pressure and heat to aid the removal. This process takes time and showcasing a lack of quality. Fortunately, this artwork is now in our capable hands. The lingering adhesive is treated with hot agar gel, a solution of distilled water and agar powder derived from seaweed. This gentle method swells the residual adhesive, allowing for easy removal. Stubborn remnants are delicately extracted with tweezers. Inspection of the painting is a significant milestone. Now that patches and old adhesive have been removed, a true understanding of the artwork's condition can be achieved. George Flegel was known for his still-life works, which often depicted tables set for meals and where our beloved painting awaits its revival. Although much remains unknown about its decay, the visible damage is evident. To reconstruct the patches, replicas are meticulously made, using a solution of water and isinglass, an adhesive derived from the swim bladder of a sturgeon fish. Isinglass strengthens the fabric. The patches are moistened, weighted down to dry and protected with plastic sheeting to prevent adhesive from sticking to unintended surfaces. To elongate and straighten the fibres, the painting is stretched with masking tape. Moist card is placed on top of the linen to aid in flattening, and weights are added to allow linen is flattened, a more detailed inspection of the painting is conducted. Temperature variations during the restoration period can affect the artwork's appearance, necessitating constant monitoring to reveal hidden secrets. The artisan uses a skewer, cotton and a cleaning solution to further inspect the painting, often under fluorescent light, to expose its true condition. The previous conservation attempts becomes apparent, as the original varnish has been incorrectly painted over. The artisan delicately connects the old threads of the linen with the new threads, an intricate and time-consuming procedure. Marrying the new patches to the old linen is a process that requires attention to detail and precision. Fibres are deliberately split and frayed to ensure seamless attachment to the old linen, concealing any evidence of prior damage. The use of a heating element, known as a hot air pencil, is then employed to activate the methyl-2-hydroxethyl cellulose, a conservation grade adhesive. This adhesive is used to attach cut to shape and adhered to the rear of the painting using a vacuum table and heating iron The artwork is carefully laid flat and attached to the stretcher, allowing for correct treatment. Due to the addition of new patches and the thick layer of paint on the original canvas, the crack pattern of the original paint, maintaining the painting's age and character without appearing overworked. Once the filler is dry, color is applied. Matching the existing the color applied, the final stage begins. The painting is spray varnished, providing protection and enhancing its already exquisite appearance. Behold, a true masterpiece. From a badly beaten and neglected painting, it has been transformed into a work of art deserving admiration. This restoration is remarkable, but there are still cracks and flaws given its age. Let's fix that. To make the artwork accessible to everyone, I had it digitally restored. This process was complex and meticulous. After photographing the image, a Photoshop expert removed all cracks and blemishes, producing a final image that may have been even better than the original. We exported the file in the highest quality and used a high-quality printing service for the artwork. Here's the print compared to the original. You can purchase this print on our website. The link is in the description. There are two sizes available. This is the small size, and the other size is twice as large. Buying this still life art will give you a beautiful piece to hang at home and support the channel. Let's look at the transformation from the original to the restored print. Amazing! This restoration is now complete.