New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-19
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
RESTORING WORKS OF ART.

| REBACKING AND REToUCHING THE PICTURES IN THE
RoTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL.
| TBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
! WASHINGTON, March 1s.-The most conspicuous
object inside the Capitol at this time is an
unsghtly rough board fence in the rotunda, about
twelve feet high. nclosng upon three sides an area
of about four five hundred square feet the fourth
side of the inclosure being formed by that portion
of the wall of the rotunda upon which has been
hanging the large painting, "De Soto Discovering
the Mississippi" This Enclosure is the
temporary studio of Henry N. Barlow,
an artist and long-established dealer in
works of art of tins city. The great picture,
| covering more than go square feet of canvas has
| been taken from its place upon the wall and now
lies upon its back IN the centre of the Enclosure,
ready for the first step in the delicate and difficult
task of restoration.
"The work is temporarily suspended" said Mr..
Barlow to q TRIBUNE correspondent yesterday,
"because there are wOrkmen above us chipping
away pieces of the wall and the dust and DIRT fall
ing down likely to injure the painting if it is
posed"
The process TO be carried out, as described
by Mr.. Barlow, is as follows: The upturned
face will first be carefully covered with cartridge
paper, q sufficient number of thcknesses
being put upon it and gummed firmly to it TO
turned over face downward. in readiness for the
next step. This consists in removing the canvas
upon which the paint was originally laid by the
artist which is done by securing with pumioe
stone 1t may not be necessary to remove all the
old canvas but it will be sufficiently reduced in
thickness to permit an adhesive mixture, which
will be applied ut later stage to reach the foun
dalton of the painting The new canvas is now
stretched upon franc of its own larger
in size than the original picture and
thick, adhesive substance spread upon it. the
component parts of which are known only
to Mr. Barlow. This having been allowed
to permeate the fibre of the canvas, and become
soldicd, a second mixture. in condition nearer
approaching uidty, is spread upon the back of the
painting and the new canvas is placed upon it and
secured in its position The whole IS then turned
over the face of the picture coming uppcrmhst aud
small hat-irons heated to particular temperature.
which will hasten the drying Of the adhesive mix
lures, but will not njufe the painting, are passed
the surface of the protecting cartridge paper.
This is a delicate process and long one, much
heavier irons being substituted toward the close.
When the painting is firmly secured TO
its new back of canvass, the cartridge paper
pon its face VIII be Inoisencd and removed ard
the picture returned TO ITS place upon the wall The
final operation Will be the work Of cleaning tho
accumulations of dIt and retOuchng with the
brush such portions rs may have been injured dur
ing the years Of rs exposure on the walls Of the
TOtundl.
Mr. Barlow asserts that the term restoration is
misappiIed 10 the process of painting over an old !
picture by a rev artist. lngsmuch tae work of |
thc original master Is by the operation covered up
aud the picture becomes one by Smith Jones, "a !
the case may Ice. The work be has undertaken is, |
however, one of restoration 1t leaves all of the |
original hludiwOrk which has not been carried |
away. and pits ~ IN condition 10 Withstand tho |
elects OF time. Three of the large paintings IN !
Np IN Ia qgp Ia Ia Iro
remaining five were restored by Mr. Barlow several |
years ago This work il made necessary by the fact |
that the canvas becomes rotten in tine lapse OF |
years. and not only cracks and mars the beauty OF
the work. but from weakness renders more serious
injury from accident probable. The most or all OF |
the large pictures In the rotunda have boon repro
duccd in miniature and printed upon tho lacks OF |
the National paper currency, and have been thus |
made familiar TO the people everywhere.