The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-21
How Valuable Paintings Are
Mended by Skilled
Artists.
A STORY OF ONE OF THEM
Three Years Time Is Taken Up
to Restore a Single
Canvas.

placed upon new canvas, and that even the
ink upon fine engraving may be trans
TERED from one piece to another without
IN the least destroying the impression of
the picture, you may be astonished, al
though, in fact, this is being done every
day by the men engaged in this remark
able art, writes Marvin R. Clark in the
Philadelphia Times. 1t is delicate art,
as you will readily understand, and re-
quires patient hand and the eye of an
artist to perform the work, but these are at
the service of those who can afford to pay
well for the work.
The most delicate part of this peculiar
art and that which is most remunerative is
the work upon paintings, and this has two
distinct branches-one the easy process of
filling the cracks made by age or accident,
and the other the more difficult art of
transferring painting from one canvas to
another, and what is most difficult of all
work, the transferring of a painting from
wood to canvas. The first work-that of
filling the cracks-is done with compost
ton worked in from the back, after which
1t is backed with canvas.
The renovator of oil paintings makes
light of the ordinary work of transferring
the canvas backed painting to a new
canvas, but it takes years of experience to
accomplish the simplest part of this work,
and few men are born who have the tact
and delicacy of touch requisite for the art.
In such transferring several pieces of tissue
paper are pasted on the face of the paint
ing after it is removed from the frame.
When this is completely dry the canvas is
thoroughly wet and then it is peeled and
picked thoroughly, thread by thread from
the back of the picture, thus leaving the
painting fast to the paper on the face.
When this is dried again new canvas is
glued to the back of the picture, and after
this in turn is dry the tissue paper is wet
and peeled off from the face. When again
thoroughly dry the picture is ready for the
cleaning and renovating process.
The transferring of paintings has been
rendered more difficult of late years for
the reason that very many paintings of
modern times have been done upon wood
because painters have become fond of
painting on wood on account of its being
so firm and smooth under the brush.
Many artists in Spain and Italy use wood
now almost exclusively, and our American
artists are rapidly following their example.
But wood will decay, and when 1t does it
must be looked after and repaired, and
sometimes the entire painting must be
transferred from this rotting wood in order
to preserve it from ruin and complete ex-
tinction.
The picture-mender worthy of his title is
an aristocrat and he necessarily feels his
importance, for is he not man of science2
Indeed he is, and a man with a science,
too. He has learned his science through
many years of experience, perhaps, for the
very men who are noted for being adopts
in the art-and there are only three of
them throughout the entire length and
breadth of New York-were brought up, it
may be said, one in an artists studio and
the others in an artstore, where engrav-
ings of doubtful ownership were kept for
sale. All started from low and impover-
ished beginnings and all have made them
selves wealthy by good work andscunning
speech. Three only, in city of million
aud a half souls, have reached perfection
in an art that pays the artisan a greater
remuneration than even the master paint
ers of modern times receive for their labor
with brush and pencil.
Through the courtesy of the owner of
large artstore | procured the name and adj
dress of the picture mender regarded by
him asfthe best of the three, while he re-
iterated ''there are only three picture
members in the entire city, sir, only three
and no more-not even any pretenders."
In reply to my question as to the profitable
ness of the business of picture-mending
this gentleman said
ness, trade or whatever name you may
call an occupation by that can compare
the profession of picture-mending in re-
gard to its money-making qualifications,
especially when you consider the small
amount of capital and outlay required to
carry on the work. In fact a man with
good idea of the work before him may
start without a cent and make fortune
In year. There is always plenty of work
for him to do, and the only difficulty lies
with US who take the work from our
regular customers and turn it over to the
picture-mender. We are pestered to death
by the owners of pictures and engravings
who are always anxious to get back their
pet pictures, and it is often year or more
before the return of some of the most par
ticular work.
ut is singular fact, continued the art
dealer, that as soon as picture gets in
jured in any way it becomes an object of
greater interest to the owner and takes
such high rank in the mind of its possessor
that we have come to call such cripples
pets to the faces of their owners and
'cripples' behind their backs. In fact,
they are entered on our book OF repairs as
'cripples,' and known as such throughout
the store. Speaking of picture-menders,
however, this one l gave you the address
of has been in the business for many years,
and is now worth, to my certain knowl-
edge, $l5U,OUU. a portion OF this amount
he has accumulated by speculation in oil
paintings, but the bulk of it he has gath.
cred in for his work. You will find his
large parlors filled with choice paintings
by both old and modern painters, and
many of them are of great value, while
none are cheap works. Give him call
and you will profit by it,
The residence and workroom, as well as
what might be called the gallery of this
picture-mender, is not far uptown in New
York City, and is a pretentious looking
four-story brownstone residence, finished
in costly hard woods and elegantly deco
rated throughout. 1t is 20 or 25 feet front
by some 20 feet in depth. There was no
indication of the occupation of the occu-
pant upon the outside of the house, and
/ hesitated before touching the electric
bell with feeling of er'ainty that this
elegant and stately mansion could not be
the workroom of picture mender. But
it proved to be such. / was ushered into
the parlor and asked for my card was
absorbed in the contemp lation of a
mastery work of art by one of our own
American boys when soft voice came up
over my shoulder and into my ear:
IA fine thing, that. Pity the poor bow is |
dead, / say, although, of course, you know, |
his work never was worth anything until |
he Joined the great majority. Pity, isn't |
a III