Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-27
THE PICTURE DOCTORS.
How Valuable Paintings Are Re-
paired-Expcrts in the Trade.
(New York Tribune.)

kNcW 1OIk ITlDuuet
a little known but useful branch of art
Is the trade in the plcture-repairer. who
renoyates old paintings. mends mutilated
pictures. and, il necessary. transfers the
painting TO new canvas. Though there
are many men making a speciality Of
this work In New York, there are only
one or two experts 10 whom old masters
are entrusted There are two distinct
branches TO this peculiar business; one
consists In repairing mutllated pictures
and renovating those in which the paint
has cracked, while the other is the trans
ferrng OF a painting from the old can
vas TO a new one. When picture Is
nearly obliterated by the dust and dirt
which gather on the varnish, as often
happens In paintings OF any age which
have not been carefully looked after. the
simple process OF removing the old var
nish and putting on new makes mar
yellous change in its appearance. II
the paint is cracked, a more elaborate
operation Is necessary. The little cracks
are sometimes filed up with a compost
ton after the old varnish has been re-
moved, and then the picture is reVar-
nished. This is often a delicate opera
ton on account Of the difficulty In exactly
matching the different cC.OrS. When the
picture is very badly cracked. this method
is not available for the aggregate width
OF large number OF cracks Will some
dimes amount 10 half an inch or more IN
a large painting. The operation OF shrink
ing is then performed. What the exact
process is, the expert who talked with
Tribune reporter did not care 10 say, but
Il consists in removing the old canvas
M ~ n material laid wet
on the painting and allowed 20 dry, the
crooks are brought together. This last
process is a very difficult one. and closely
resembles the transferring OF paintings
performed when the original canvas has
partially rOtted away an operation which
rs undoubtedly the most delicate piece
OF work which a p!cture-restorer Is called
upon TO do. Years of experience are ne
cessary TO give the requisite nicely OF
touch and deXterity.
After the picture has been taken out
of the frame II is set upon an easel. ana
tissue paper is pasted over !ts face. When
il Is dry the picture IL turned over and
the canvas at the back thoroughly wet.
The OLD canvas is then removed thread
by thread until nothing is left but the
paint still fast TO the tissue paper. Amy
cracks are then filed In from behind
with v9rnish-iike composition, and the
new canvas mounted and glued on TO the
back Of the painting. When this IL
dry the tissue paper Is moistened and
gently removed from the face OF the pic
ture 1t Is then cleansed, after which the
process is complete and the old cracked
painting IS now restored to its original
beauty, and furnished with an entirely
new canvas. This process. when carried
out upon a valuable old master IS one
which involves an enormous amount OF
trouble. and Is never done unless abso-
lutely necessary. Ths risk Is too great
and few men will venture 10 undertake
il. Some OF the Yarnishes used by the
old painters are extremely hard, ana
I, Is almost impossible 10 remove them
without taking out colors and all.
Whenever a restorer gets picture 20
renovate by removing the old Varnish,
he first tries an Insignificant corner 10
see how the colors stand the process
Pictures painted by the old masters are
generally done with good colors which
will not easily be injured, but the pic
lures OF a hundred years ago and about
the time of Sir Joshua Reynolds's works
have not lasted very well. ana are
rather ticklsh to handle. They used
good deal OF bitumen in mixing their
colors. thereby getting good enect ~
the time. but greatly spelling the last
ing qualities of their paintings. very
few OF the works OF Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds are in really fine condition.
4 still more difficult process IS the
transferring OF pictures from WOOD 10
canvas. To do this the wooden panel
or whatever Il may be. IL planed away
until the painting rests upon the merest
shell OF wood special tool - then
used until the paint outlines OF the pic
ture can be seen through the wood. Be-
fore doing this tlssue-paper Ia pasted on
the front OF the painting. as In the pro-
cess previously described. Pumice and
a vet sponge remove the last vestige OF
wood, and the new canvas is then mount
ed. The tissue-paper Is wetted and
peeled off. after which the operation is
complete. Unless the wood Is badly
warned, or shows signs of decay, the
paint Is not transferred. but the panel
is Strengthened by mechanical means
The wood Is first planned to the thickness
OF q quarter OF an inch. and then stats
are glued OH the back. running the same
way as the grain. These are crossed by
lateral pieces fitting into them. but NOV
ing freely. so as 10 allow for shrink
age. This is known as grading, and Is
also employed when a panel Is broken
The pieces are carefully Joined. and the
picture Is Graded.
There Is a line example OF transferring
from wood 10 canvas in the metropolitan
MUSEUM OF Art. Ii Is the Return o!
the Holy Family from Egypt" by Ru'
bens, and hangs In the eastern gallery
The work of transferring took years tc
! perforn. and the plans were all care