Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-07-21
PRESERVED BY WAX
JOUR HISTORIC PAINTINGS IN THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL.
fhey Were Treated Long After Conn
4 pletion and When They Already
Showed Signs OF Dissolution - An
Artists CuriOus Blunder.

s$ 1t Is a curious fact that the same
yombination Of chemicals which pre-
5M3erved In perfect state for over SOC
8E#ears the remains and shrouds Of King
HMNEdward I. Of England have also been
8sed to preserve four Of the great his
%prical paintings perpetuating scenes
slsA3h the foundation and establishment of
,sEMsShis government.
I4M These four paintings occupy perhaps
IHMahe most conspicuous place for obscr-
NEjation In the nation. They are the
Y#SPork Of Colonel John Trumbull and
NgNang on the eastern wall of the rotun-
l|Aa Of the capitol.
1lM The paintings We're put in place in
WI 1924 under the supervision of the artist
llRAimself, but not without much hesita-
lRsiOn and objections Oh his part because
i SAf the dampness of the walls and air in
II sShe rotunda at that time. The fears Of
3Ahe artist were proved to be we'll
" Wounded, for four years later the
II Ehanges on the surface of the paintings
4 became so apparent that congress
4 passed q resolution authorizing their
Removal from the walls of the rotunda
My Colonel Trumbull for inspection and
11emedy II possible. 1t was at this
\ Point that Colonel Trumbull's knowl-
| edge of the preventative chemical COM
HDound was drawn on.
t# In a letter to congress- dated Dec. o,
aiS2S, Colonel Trumbull explains in de-
W sFail his treatment Of the paintings at
\ yEhat time and an inspection now OF
Hithese four pictures shows that they
Ib are in perfect state of preservation
ayooth as to brightness of color and con
A1ition Of canvas.
'tbt In the letter referred to Colonel
3ETrumbull says: AN of the paintings
i!were taken down, removed from their
frames, taken off from the panels over
(which they We're strailcd. removed 10
Ia dry. warm room and thtre separate
INy and carefully examined. The mate
Trial which forms the basis Of the paint
i#ings is a linen cloth who's" STRENGTH
#and texture are very similar to those
.a8ln the tOpGalant sails OF Il ship Of war
MThe substances employed in forming Il
Mproper surface for the artist together
swith the colors. oils. etc, form Il sulli-
Mcient protection for the face Of the can
WAS but the back remains bare and eX-
Efposed to the deeterious effects Of damp
E3air The effect of this is first seen in
Mthe form Of mitlew. 1t Was this which
Al dreaded, and the examination showed
Mthat mildew was already commenced
Wand TO an extent which rendered it
w manifest that the continuance of the
III same exposure for II few years longer
4would have accomplished the complete
IA decomposition or rotting of the can
II vas and the consequent destruction of
4 the l,aintin2s.'
II Colonel Trumbull then explained how
sHhe first thoroughly dried the canvascs
II and prepared them for the preServa-
VI tive. On this point he continues: II
u had learned that a few years ago some
n Of the eminent chemists of France had
examined with great care some of the
\ ancient mummies of Egypt with a
\ view to ascertainng the nature of the
\ substance employed by the embalmcrs
|! which the lapse of so many ages had
y proved to possess the power of protect
4 ing from decay a substance otherwise
/ so perishable as the human body. This
l examination had proved that, after the
/ application of liquid asphaltum to the
/ cavities Of the head and body, the
whole had been wrapped carefully in
many envelopes or bandages of linen
prepared with wax. The committee OF
chemists decided further after a care
full examination and analysis of the
hieroglyphic paintings with which the
castings etc, are covered, that the col
ors employed and still retaining their
vivid brightness had also been pre-
pared and applied with the same sub
stance.
II also know that toward the close
Of the last century the Antiquarian
Society of England had been permitted
to open and examine the stone coffin
deposited in one of the vaults of West
minister abbey and said to contain the
body Of King Edward L.. who died in
July, 1907. On removing the stone
l1d Of the coffin it's contents were found
to BIZ closely enveloped in strong lin
en- cloth. waxed. Within this envelope
were found splendid robes Of silk en-
riched with various ornaments cover
ing the body which was found to be
entire and to have been wrapped care
fully in all its parts, even to each sep
arate finger, in bandages of fine linen
which had been dipped in melted wax.
and not only was the body not lecOln-
posed. but the various parts Of the
dress. such as Il sc%rlet s'tiu mantle
and Il scarlet ii rH Of SarSr..t which
was placed over tli" lace. were III per.
feet preservation. v,,n In tAg,r C. ~.
Colonel TrunnhNll then states that,
with this knnWi"t'@". h" m,it Il com
mon bee ... ANA !...NV'i N!tL ln tIt.ll
quantity nj Ill Of tl.pvlt.!ir which
mixture WIS applied hat VITA brushes
to the backs of The paintings and ait.
prward ruh'rd ~ Wi,h hot irons until
the. cloth va, p.ri.cIy saturated. The
inches in the walls were backed with |
cement and the paintings so placed |
In them that air could circulate behind |
the cunvascs. Spring doors were Slso |
ordered placed in the entrances to the
rotunla by Colonel Trumbull. Since