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Cosmetic varnish removal… an attractive make-up?

Cosmetic varnish removal

what do I see?

Sometimes when you look at a painting you slowly get the feeling ‘something isn’t right here’. At least the color balance seems out of balance. The light and dark contrast is also slightly distorted. Perhaps the gloss of the varnish is not the same everywhere. On close observation, spots of varnish appear to have a fine network of crackle. You may then see a cosmetic varnish removal The varnish has only been removed from the light parts of the painting.

False profit with cosmetics?

Cosmetic varnish removal
old crackled varnish

This makes the performance seem fresh and clear again, at first glance. It is often also more difficult to remove the varnish from the dark paint layers. This makes cosmetic varnish removal a relatively ‘safer’ method. After all, the vulnerable layers of paint remain undisturbed under the yellowed varnish. Unfortunately, as a result, the performance loses detail and strength.

Ladies with fair skin, makeup?

The portrait is a subject where this cosmetic varnish removal is often applied. Think of those beautiful 19 e century white women with a deep blue gown. Because with these ladies you obviously do not speak of a dress. The blue pigments are fragile, so you better leave them untouched. Obviously, ladies with jaundice are unattractive. A little make-up doesn’t hurt! After all, they should be white, white as cream. A local decrease in the yellowed varnish is certainly the outcome. The dress still remains dark in tone under the yellow varnish.Unfortunately, it is more of a cloudy green-black. But nobody knows anymore that the lady wore a blue dress. Unfortunately, the balance disappears from the painting because of the ‘safe’  cosmetic varnish removal.

Disturbed balance between heaven and earth

Yes, landscapes have also been subject to cosmetic varnish removal with some regularity in the past. After all, a green sky with yellow clouds does not look convincing. Especially in 17 e century landscape. When time after time only the air is cleaned of varnish? Certainly here too, a disturbed balance arises in dark landscapes with clear blue cloudy skies.

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