Conservation of painting in Marjan de Visser restoration studio The Hague

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restauration and conservation

conservation of a painting

the intake of a painting

In restoration studio Marjan de Visser, every restoration of a painting starts with a personal conversation with the owner. Of course the owner knows a lot about his painting. That is why this personal conversation is so important. The restorer then explains what she sees in the painting. But also what she hears and smells. For example, a canvas painting sounds hard and hollow. And a smoked painting smells like nicotine. A small test may follow after this interview. This is to show the dirt or varnish. Naturally, Marjan de Visser takes all the time for this conversation. Usually with a cup of tea or coffee!

plan of action

Then when the customer decides to restore his painting… the collection form follows. The painting ends up in the chest of drawers. The treatment plan is the first step. Photography from the front and back. Daylight and UV fluorescence. Infrared if necessary. Usually the conservator also takes digital microscope photos. Then the tests are carried out.

The conservator studies the painting on the front and back in daylight and UV fluorescence. And preferably also under the microscope. In doing so, the conservator certainly also examines the construction and the support. What is the painting painted on? Is this on a linen or on a panel. Possibly even on a different material. what paint did the painter use. Was this oil paint, acrylic paint or perhaps casein. Quite often a painting is provided with a layer of varnish. Of course, the restoration history is important. Because often a painting has been treated before. For example, sufficient information has been collected to draw up a treatment plan.

the conservator photographs the painting

In daylight, grazing light, UV light and with (digital) microscopy.

cleaning tests and varnish removal tests

when restoring a painting, consider:

The dust on the back of the linen that will be removed. But also apply protection to the back to prevent damage and pollution.

Painting restoration also includes cleaning of both varnished and unvarnished paint layers. Think of dust, splashes, nicotine deposits, insect secretion.

During the restoration of paintings, the aged and yellowed layer of varnish is often removed.

Bij restauratie van schilderijen wordt vaak de verouderde en vergeelde vernislaag verwijderd.

When restoring paintings, think of the gaps in the paint layer. A filler on structure makes it complete again. The retouch is the finishing touch. The filler is homemade specifically for each painting.
Restoring paintings also includes repairing tears in the linen. This can be done by stabilizing the crack with ‘der Trecker’. Another option is to weld the wires with the hot needle. Sometimes it is also possible to suture the tear with a surgical needle and thread .
When restoring paintings, bedding is sometimes the right choice to save the artwork. An option is to cover the painting with cold doubling technique under low vacuum. A doubled cloth has been pre-treated with a glue – Mistlining . During the process, the adhesive was reactivated with a solvent and the adhesion between both cloths is established.
When restoring paintings, the last action is often varnishing. When applying varnishes, the conservator chooses from a large amount of (self-made) stable synthetic varnishes with the addition of UV filter.

★ I would like to share my knowledge of paintings and the love for restoration in general ★

Marian de Visser Restauratieatelier.com

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