restoration, conservation and research

Restoration

Before treatment starts, the wishes and expectations of the owner of the painting will be carefully discussed. Also, the potential and need of the painting is taken into account as it is the painting itself that tells us what kind of treatment it needs.

Restoration consists mainly of two types of treatment: structural and aesthetic treatment. Structural treatment can consist of repairing cracks and tears in a wooden panel or linen canvas. However, there is a gray area between the different types of treatment. Structural treatment is carried out for the benefit of the stability and sustainability of a painting (repairing a crack in a panel so that it does not split any further), while it usually also contributes to a more attractive appearance (the crack no longer distorts the painted image). The complexity of structural treatments varies for each painting.

Aesthetic treatment contributes to an attractive appearance of a painting. A painting may be polluted due to dust or nicotine, disturbing the painted image. If a varnish is present, the varnish can be darkened and discoloured, making it desirable to remove. Depending on the type of grime, varnish and/or paint layer, the treatment and process of 'cleaning' is unique for each painting. The complexity, labor intensity and costs can vary greatly. Other examples of aesthetic treatment can be the removal of old, discoloured retouching and overpaints, filling in losses and retouching.

Conservation

In addition to the actual restoration of a painting, proper conservation is also important for the preservation of an artwork. Placing a painting in direct sunlight can cause discolouration of the paint layers and extreme humidity can cause deformation and paint loss. One painting can be more vulnerable to external factors than the other. Proper conservation usually consists of simple and minimal adjustments that can prevent or minimize deterioration to a great extent. For questions about the conservation of your painting, please contact us.

Research

During treatment, a painting gets carefully examined. Therefore, it may be an excellent moment to conduct further research. Treatment can contribute to answering questions regarding authenticity, attribution and other art-historical characteristics of the painting. With the painting being unframed and stripped of old restorations like overpaints and discoloured varnish, the painting technique can be better studied. Also, research may be necessary for the development of a responsible and well-considered restoration.

Please contact us without obligation if you have any questions or for more information.