Oil Painting Repair
Repair of an oil painting is like plastic surgery. A painting can suffer trauma such as tears, punctures and abrasions. The conservator must mend the tear then apply reinforcing patches to the back of the canvas. Sometimes, the canvas is so beaten up that the entire canvas must be cemented to a new canvas; this is known as relining. Another trauma is loss of a section of the painting. Here, the missing canvas is replaced with a new piece of canvas and paint built up to restore the original element. With any mending, the lost paint must be replaced for a seamless result. The conservator must be able to replicate the original artist's style, not to mention the use of authentic bases and pigments.
The accompanying photo on the left shows a portrait with several tears and punctures. In the middle you see the backside of the canvas with reinforcing patches applied, and to the right is the completed restoration.
The accompanying photo on the left shows a portrait with several tears and punctures. In the middle you see the backside of the canvas with reinforcing patches applied, and to the right is the completed restoration.
Often, a painting still has the original hanging wire (or string!) threaded through screweyes that have worked loose in the frame and are in danger of pulling out and causing trauma to the fallen painting. As a matter of course, PNN will replace these items with new, stronger mounting hardware.
Occasionally, the frame has suffered some damage--loss of plaster decorative elements or loss of gilding or paint. PNN can help here, too.
Occasionally, the frame has suffered some damage--loss of plaster decorative elements or loss of gilding or paint. PNN can help here, too.