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tear mending a painting

Repairing a tear in a painting is an important part of the restoration work

Restoration studio Marjan de Visser specializes in tear mending. This is possible with cracks of different sizes and origin. The conservator uses various repair techniques for tear mending a painting. Because with these the painting keeps its original appearance. A brief explanation is in order here. Namely in an aged painting the canvas is often brittle. That is why there is a sharp tear in the linen here. But in young paintings the linen is still flexible. So after damage these linen, it is often stretched. This creates a frayed tears.

A tear in a painting is unfortunately a frequently occurring damage. 

Of course, this is very unfortunate for both the painting and the owner. Usually, a tear is an accident. For example, a painting has fallen or an object has fallen against a painting. Of course, this completely affects the experience of the painting. Unfortunately, this has reduces the appreciation for the painting. A tear in a painting is often a reason to have a painting completely conserved and restored. For this, you have come to the right place at the Marjan de Visser conservation and restoration studio. Because we have extensive professional knowledge and practical experience. And with the use of the right materials and techniques, your painting will be beautifully restored.

tear mending a painting
repair of a tear under the microscope

tear mending a painting
tear mending while repairing a tear in a painting

To have a crack in a painting repaired

Repairing a small tear of about 1 cm is usually done with a flexible adhesive film and a non-woven tissue. Thus a flexible and strong repair has been created. However, large frayed cracks where the canvas is stretched are first planed under pressure. Sometimes moisture can help to relax the cloth. The pressure can consist of a weight or a vacuum table. But in case of large tears, the treatment usually consists of re-weaving the cloth structure. Obviously, it is a time-consuming job that requires a lot of patience. In order to obtain a strong repair, threads are glued over the tear in the cloth. This restoration can be performed under the microscope. The technique is referred to as tear mending. Understandably, these restorations take a lot of time and patience. That is why an invisible restoration is a major challenge for the conservator. Especially when it comes to repairing a tear in a painting.

tear mending a painting
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