In the ever-expanding world of art appreciation, one couple's journey led them to antique stores, where they discovered a love for art that spoke to them. Their acquisitions weren't driven by fortune but by the simple joy of finding pieces that resonated with their souls. Their approach was refreshingly unscripted — "looking for things we don't know we need." Their method involved purchasing pieces and researching conservation firms for treatment, and this journey would lead them to The Conservation Center.
Among the treasures in the couple's collection, four artworks arrived at The Center for treatment, each carrying its unique charm. Seaside Path by R.W. Watson, a lithograph, captured the allure of a coastal journey. F.S. Mediary's watercolor, River Scene, unfolded a scenic waterway. The gouache on paper titled Winter Landscape, signed by K.K., painted a serene winter picture. Finally, the oil painting Wood Shed, attributed to Gray, added a rustic aesthetic to their collection.
Seaside Path
Seaside Path, before treatment
The Seaside Path lithograph attributed to R.W. Watson arrived at The Conservation Center in an unframed state. However, an acidic window mat was adhered along the perimeter of the recto with animal glue adhesive. The lithograph exhibited signs of aging, with general darkening, embrittlement, acid staining, minor distortion, adhesive stains, fingerprint and water stains on the verso, and a moderate layer of surface grime.
Seaside Path, before treatment, verso
The meticulous treatment began under the expertise of Katrina Flores, Associate Conservator of Works on Paper. Katrina carefully separated the window mat from the lithograph, sharing, "The piece was carefully freed from the mat by separating the mat and the paper with a Teflon spatula. The paper was surface cleaned using eraser crumbs on the verso, a textile sponge and soft brush for the recto. The adhesive at the perimeter of the recto was softened with methyl cellulose poultice and reduced with a micro spatula. The distortion of the paper was reduced by humidifying the piece in a Gortex humidity chamber then drying the paper between blotters under weights. The paper was treated with a non-aqueous deacidification spray to add an alkaline buffer to the paper before the piece was framed." The treated lithograph was then framed with a sympathetically toned archival mat, Museum Glass, and a conservation-grade frame to conservation standards.
Seaside Path, after treatment
River Scene
River Scene, before treatment
The watercolor River Scene, attributed to F.S. Mediary, posed its own set of challenges. Arriving framed, the watercolor was mounted to an acidic board and exhibited darkening, acid staining, age-related discoloration, and a moderate layer of surface grime. The frame, composed of wood, compo, gesso, and imitation gold leaf, also required attention. There were minor scratches, abrasions, and dents throughout the upper and outer edges, and minor gesso and gilding losses throughout the outer edges and at the miters. The imitation gold leaf at the top rail had oxidized.
River Scene, before treatment, verso
Katrina Flores addressed the watercolor by meticulously removing the acidic mount, surface cleaning the artwork, and treating it with non-aqueous deacidification spray. Katrina shared about the removal process, "When the piece arrived it was mounted to an acidic board. The removal of the mount was a slow process. The mount was first separated with a Teflon spatula to remove the top layers of the board. The remaining mount layers were mechanically reduced by hand. The board was carefully reduced by slowly shaving the board with a scalpel. When the layers were reduced, the remaining adhesive residue was softened with a methylcellulose poultice. After removing the mount, the piece was surface cleaned with a textile sponge and soft brush to reduce surface grime. The paper was treated with a non-aqueous deacidification spray to add an alkaline buffer to the paper before the piece was framed."
River Scene, after treatment
The original frame's flaking gesso and gilding were consolidated using an appropriate conservation adhesive, followed by surface cleaning with the proper solvent by Senior Conservator of Furniture Stephen Ryan. Steve addressed scratches, abrasions, and losses through inpainting to match the surrounding areas. The piece was then float-mounted on an archival 4-ply mat, assembled with 1/8" spacers and Museum Glass for UV protection. It was then reinstalled into the existing frame to conservation standards with an archival backing board.
River Scene, after treatment, verso
Winter Landscape
Winter Landscape, before treatment
The gouache on paper titled Winter Landscape arrived framed and matted. The piece exhibited minimal distortion, handling dents, creases, age-related discoloration, and gummed hinges. The frame exhibited particulate matter, scratches, abrasions, and edge losses.
Winter Landscape, before treatment, verso
Katrina Flores's careful treatment involved freeing the piece from its mat, cleaning its surface, and applying non-aqueous deacidification spray. "The piece was carefully freed from the mat by cutting the hinges with a scalpel. The hinges on the verso of the piece were removed by softening the adhesive with a methylcellulose poultice. Once the adhesive was soft, each hinge was removed with a micro spatula. The paper was surface cleaned using eraser crumbs on the verso, a textile sponge and soft brush for the recto. The distortion of the paper was reduced by humidifying the piece in a Gortex humidity chamber then drying the paper between blotters under weights. The paper was treated with a non-aqueous deacidification spray to add an alkaline buffer to the paper before the piece was framed."
When it came time to reframe the gouache, Suz Evans, Associate Conservation Framer, crafted a French-lined mat by hand, a rare and bespoke service. Suz shared their experience crafting the French-lined mat, stating, "The French-lined mat was a fun project. This is a service that most frame shops have to outsource to the few companies that will make them (by hand) these days. Computerized mat cutters can whip out some lines these days, but I drew this by hand. I needed to create 16 close-to-perfect lines and eight intersections in one small matboard. This is the kind of specialized work that a picture framer loves to do." The result was a meticulously treated and framed artwork adhering to conservation standards.
Winter Landscape, after treatment
Wood Shed
The painting Wood Shed, attributed to Gray, arrived framed. The oil painting was executed on canvas attached to a plywood panel. The canvas exhibited a discolored natural resin varnish layer, along with a moderate layer of surface grime. The frame, composed of wood, plaster, red bole, and gold leaf, showed moderate scratches, abrasions, and losses. There were moderate losses to the gesso and gilding at the upper and outer edges and the miters, and two generations of bronze overpaint covered the original gilding.
Wood Shed, before treatment
Rebecca Vodehnal, Associate Paintings Conservator, undertook meticulous surface cleaning, varnish removal, and inpainting to restore the oil painting. The painting was surface-cleaned to remove grime, and the reverse was cleaned of grime using a soft brush and vacuum. The varnish layer was removed with appropriate solvents, with dramatic results. After an isolating layer of varnish was applied, impainting was carried out in the area of loss and abrasion using reversible conservation paints. Finally, a coat of varnish was applied to integrate the surface gloss.
Wood Shed, during treatment under raking light
Wood Shed, during treatment under UV light
Senior Conservator of Furniture Stephen Ryan addressed the frame, cleaning the surface and securing the loose gesso. Areas of loss and the open miters were filled, and the loose miter joints were secured. Since the bronze paint could not be removed without disturbing the original gilding, it was left in place, and impainting was performed to emulate the surrounding surface. The piece was reinstalled into the frame to conservation standards, allowing the artwork to shine.
Wood Shed, after treatment
The clients shared insight into their art-collecting journey. Starting with a penchant for exploring antique stores and buying what appealed to them, the couple ventured into the art world. Their method involved purchasing pieces and researching conservation firms for treatment. Among six initial choices, The Conservation Center stood out. The client expressed satisfaction, noting, "I haven't been disappointed with anything you've done." This testimonial reflects the trust and confidence placed in The Conservation Center for the meticulous treatment of their evolving art collection.
