The record-union., 1897-08-21
RENOVATED ART GALLERY.
SOME REMARKABLY FINE Eff
FECTS SECURED.
Cleaning the Pictures and Frames
and RepoIishing the
Wood Work.

The renovation at the city Art Cal
lery is approaching completion, that is,
so much of it as the financial ability of
the city may at present warrant being
done. Probably the interior renovation
now contemplated will have been COM
pleted by Wednesday next, after Which
a pause in preserVative work will have
to be made until next spring, probably,
though the absolute necessity for new
steps or approaches is such, that 1t
Seems impossible to postpone the work
1t is not thought possible by many who
have examined them, for the present
steps and landings to last through the
winter.
The work so far as has been accom-
plished has all been done under the per
sonal and constant supervision and di-
rection of Custodian Jackson, the artist,
and thereby a great saving has been eff
fected, as it was not of nature capable
of being let by contract, on specitica-
tions. but was task in which the skill
and eye of the artist and the expert was
constantly needed. In the treatment of
the pictures and the frames Mr. Jack
son put in his personal labor and ap-
piled his own skill. The result has been
that marvellous change for the better
has been effected, and the gallery is now
looking as if new throughout
OF the 700 pictures that hang over GOO
have already been treated and cleaned,
and the result is a revelation. For
twenty-six years no work of Importance
has been done upon them. The breaths
of nearly two hundred thousand visitors,
T17ay
uraI contact of hot air from furnaces,
the adhesion of dust not removable in
daily brushing-all these and other nat
ural influences had coated the pictures
to an extent that rendered the major
portion Of them cloudy to a degree that
was hardly realized by even the Custo-
dian himself until the task of cleaning
began.
The result of that operation has been
wonderful. The paintings in many cases
appear as if new; brightness, sharpness
and clearness, depth, strength of color,
revelation of delicate shadings, etc,
have been brought out wonderfully. In
one case Mr.. Jackson has half finished
one very large and valuable painting,
leaving the upper half uncleansed that
officials and others may for few days
see What transformation good, we'll
directed work and intelligent treatment
will do with fine paintings without the
aid Of harmful varnishes and similar de-
vices often employed by the unscrupul-
Gus to give a seeming of treatment to
paintings with view to preservation
The upper or untreated half of this
picture, even the unskilled eye can see is
too much subdued in tone, is misty,
lacking in clearness and distinctness
and the coIors are lifeless. The lower
half on which the process of treatment
has been completed, is in marked con-
trast by reason Of its strong tone, clear
ness, sharpness, depth and life. The
picture will be left in this state for few
days to show the unecOnomic policy
of allowing a valuable gallery to go so
long without renovating. A building
so much used as is this free gallery
should be renovated at least once in
three years and at least as often many
of the pictures should be cleansed.
A few of the more valuable
paintings as well as some lesser ones
have been revarnished lightly and skill
fully. The Custodian is much opposed
to the use of varnish treatment and ap-
plies it only where absolutely necessary
Some, in which the pigments suffered
damage and the canvas had beer
harmed through the unhappy neglect OF
two years ago, when the storms beat in
have been repaired and completely re-
stored. Wherever possible broker
holdings have been repaired and every
frame of the entire 700 has been washed
in clear water, and in several instances
extensively relaid with gold.
In the south, east and west gallerie:
the walls have been completely gone
over in neutral tint all rain marks ant
signs of damage removed, and new ricl
color laid on in water, effecting de
sirable change. The old-time wate
streaks. blotches of stain, broker
plaster exposed lathing and the lik
have all disappeared, and clean, brigh
wall surfaces appear. Except in the ar
schoolroom every inch of the polished
wood work has been gone over, cleanseC
of all accumulation and repolished. Tha
is. the splendid old polish dimmed b.
age and humidity, has been skillfull!
brought up by expert polishers and th
effect is to make the gallery wood worl
as good in its finish as the day it wa
originally completed.
A quarter of a century Of use. scrub
bing and brushing had stripped the beau
tifuI oaken risers and steps to the uppe
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