by Eleanor Nelson,
Guest Blogger
Flaking
paint may start in quantities too small to see. In this way it can be a problem
that is easy to miss, and exacerbate. The natural (even well-intentioned) urge to
clean a painting tends, unfortunately, to manifest in wiping the surface down.
This should never be done, whether the cloth used is wet or dry. A damp cloth
can cause canvas to expand and contract which leads to further flaking and
result in damage rather quickly.
Even
a dry cloth, however, can do damage. Areas of flaking that only a trained
conservator would spot may only need the encouragement of a sweep of a rag to
begin dropping away. If you see flaking, it is best to not touch the affected area at all. When a problem arises, there
can be enormous temptation to use our hands to try and solve it – even seasoned
art experts can be guilty of touching paintings they know will flake. Each bit
of flaking increases the time – and money - that will have to be spent on the
project. The more that can be preserved, the better the chances are that the
painting’s value will not drop too much.
Unfortunately,
people may think they are being extra helpful by using cleaning solutions or
solvents to clean a grubby painting. Never do this! Leave it to the
professionals! Conservators train long and hard to learn the extremely
complicated processes of cleaning works with solvents and even with training
each piece requires the meticulous use of very small quantities of these
powerful chemicals. Someone without training could damage a painting and impact
its value very quickly indeed.
Finally,
if you have noticed cracking or flaking, check to see if the piece is being
exposed to a heat source like heating vents… even fireplaces, which aren’t used
very much for heating these days but are still favorite places to hang
paintings, are a less-obvious threat and so could feasibly cause more damage
over time.
If
you have found us because a similar situation has already happened, don’t
despair. The good news is that the below references are trained professionals
and the purpose of their job is, more often than not, erasing life’s mistakes
large and small.
For
art conservation and painting restoration questions call Scott M. Haskins 805
564 3438 or faclartdoc@gmail.com
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