The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-20
TO CLEAN OLD PORTRAITS.
Use Raw Irish Potato. Tepid Water, n
sponge. and BE Careful.

If people knew what an easy task II Is
10 clean portraits and oil paintings they
would never lCt them hang black and cell
Dress ~. their walls In nine cases out
OF ten pictures painted by the last genera
ton Of artists owned by private collectors
or individuals have almost entirely lost
their beauty by being coated with dht
and smoke. Either of the following meth
DDS can be used by any careful person
without fear of injury TO the picture. and
IN many cases will restore its surface 10
its original freshness and brilliancy Of
colo.
As this is the simplest method it is
vel 10 try il first Take the picture from
Its frame and lay IL on large table face
upward Have a bowl of tepid water and
a good sized sponge in readiness Peal a
large white potato and cut II in half.
! Then. with the sponge and water. 90 care
fully over the entire surface of the pic
tura. In case il il badly cracked as so
many old paintings are. let the sponge BE-
/ fairy dry, for. If the water should OOZe
under the paint, ii might crack more.
Now take the potato ard with the smooth
side go ever the entire surface while II is
Vet DO not scrub hard, as that is apt
10 stretch the canvas and necesSitate its
| being taken of the stretcher. The potato
]
| should b" Kept up until the canvas is in
lathoI- The dirt viii soon begin 10
soften and make the lather quite black
! Keep rubbing until ali the spots and
I stains disappear, and then wash carefully
| and very thoroughly with tepid water and
/ the sponge
Unless the dirt has been vanished IN q
| picture !. will usually readily respond TO
| TINS treatment. but in case IL Will not.
| the following method is almost sure 10
l give me desired result
Double a heavy blanket twice and sprin-
kle II GTeel' with alcohol. then turn tho
picture, IN its frame face downward over
l H. The fumes az the alcohol will soon
| begin 20 rise and loosen the dirt: il viii
/ also clarity the yarnish and give IL the
| appearance Of having been lust applied
/ The picture should be kept over the al
| coEol until all the spots nave disappeared
| nom ITS surface, and left IL fresh and
( bright IN color. The portrait should then
/ Do sponged with tepid water and placed
( where II VIII dry slowly. Never use aDv
| soap on an oil painting. IL NAV remove
! the dirt, but The chemicals in * are sure
| 10 90 damage. though the immediate re-
| suit may be very pleasing. Many a good
/ picture has been ruined by soap and a
! Scrubbing-brush.
After a picture has been cleaned i,
| should be vanished with picture yarntsh
| This should be applied with a brisfle
| hTlsh- Put a little vaTnish on the pie.
J tuTe and spread II quickly, being careful
/ not 10 go over the same place twice
Sometimes the varnisa viii creep" but
by breathing on the canvas and then FOL.
| lowing quickly with the brush Il can b
made 10 adhere. The picture should b.
left fat on a table until the yarnish Is
| dry.
In case tie canvas has become loose on
! the streteDer ii should be restretched by
! a person wHa undr rs;an6s the handing
OF canvas. as this requires professional
| band.
The care OF pictures il a thing tina.
few people understand. Hot rooms, gas
| dust, smoke. and steam heat are an m,
| enemies 0f pictures. More often than MOI
| they attack them from the back \ pic
( tuTe Wi1 often have the appearance oi
{ being IN perfec1 condition from the from
| sifr when the back has been almost en-
/ ure.y destroyed by moths or some form
OF decay This may be prevented b,
coating the back of the canvas with
thin wash Of white lead