Picture Perfect

By: Nord Wennerstrom

June 2007

"I once worked on a small panel painting that was so completely covered in cat hair stuck in the

Detail of Jackson Pollock’s “Number 7, 1951,” enamel on canvas, before cleaning by the National Gallery of Art’s Painting Conservation Department for a large stain and irregular tide lines in the upper, left-hand corner, as well as wear, dirt, vandalism and stains.

dark brown varnish that the image could not be seen,” says Alexandra Tice, a Chevy Chase, Maryland–based painting conservator with 30 years’ experience. “When hair and varnish were removed, the work of a Dutch master was revealed.” A detailed assessment of the painting—including the condition of the paint, canvas and stretcher—revealed that aside from its hirsute state, little beyond relatively minor restoration (removal of the old varnish and the application of a new coat) was required to prolong its life, the goal of conservation. In fact, Tice encountered several conditions conservators often see in older paintings: grime and discolored varnish, tears and holes, flaking paint and poor previous restoration.

Jay Krueger, senior conservator of modern paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., says a fundamental difference between old and new paintings is that many contemporary artists don’t use varnish, thus leaving the works exposed to hazards like food stains. He is currently treating a Frank Stella painting that was squirted with ketchup, which has eaten away portions of the top layer of paint and has resulted in blotchy white patches. (Ketchup, Krueger says, is “chemically very complex, an acidic product that contains salt and sugar.”) Other culprits include pencils, since graphite is insoluble, and fingerprints, which attract dirt and dust.

Krueger says contemporary works, particularly those involving found or biodegradable objects, present new challenges for the conservator. Anselm Kiefer, for example, occasionally includes wood, straw, dried flowers and other fragile and decaying objects in his paintings. To complicate matters, he creates some works by torching the paint surfaces, exposing them to the elements to accelerate the degradation process and rolling and folding painted canvas. It’s no surprise, then, that Krueger has a bag of “Kiefer pieces” containing shards and fragments that have fallen off the museum’s monumental “Zim-Zum.” To stabilize the painting, he has carefully introduced adhesive beneath areas that are likely to flake. Other artists, such as Sean Scully, are more orthodox in their techniques and materials. Asked what he does to ensure that his paintings don’t require conservation, Scully responds, “I use very expensive paint, I follow standard, accepted practices and I don’t experiment.”

One of the virtues of collecting contemporary work, according to Mark Coetzee, director of the Rubell Family Collection in Miami, is that we usually see works fresh from the studio and as the artist intended. To ensure that that intent is preserved, each of the more than 6,000 works in the collection has been extensively examined and photographed, and these documents can be used as a guide should a work require conservation. Coetzee also takes a pre-emptive approach, which includes occasionally replacing original stretchers (“because some young artists use poor-quality merchandise”), stockpiling paint specific to an artist and, when possible, consulting the artist directly.Following are some steps you can take to ensure a long life for your paintings.

PREVENT DAMAGE

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Rick Floyd, Registrar, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth’s head of conservation, recommends

Jackson Pollock’s “Number 7, 1951,” after the stain removal.

maintaining a constant temperature of 70 degrees and a humidity of 50 percent in rooms containing paintings. “Hang the picture on the inside of dividing walls,” Tice adds. “Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from fireplaces, heating and air conditioning vents, radiators, doors to the outside that are frequently opened, and away from bathrooms and stoves.” In some cases, attaching a backing board to the stretcher adds structural integrity and prevents people from using the stretcher as a handle when moving the artwork. (This can stress the canvas and lead to micro-fissures in the pigment that can grow into larger problems.)

CONSERVATION ADVICE

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If a painting requires treatment, conservators advise against the imposition of any new materials. For example, relining (applying a new backing to the canvas) should only be done when absolutely necessary as the process involves applying heat and/or pressure to affix the new backing, which can flatten paint. In fact, all work done should be reversible. This is a far cry from some discredited practices such as using pumice stone to scrape off old varnish or igniting alcohol applied to the surface, also to remove old varnish.

FINDING A CONSERVATOR

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The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) can help you find one, and Coetzee recommends choosing one based on area of expertise. Members of this Washington, D.C.–based national organization treat paintings, works on paper, porcelain, furniture and more. The AIC’s Web site provides a solid overview of the field, common-sense recommendations on how to select a conservator (tip: many museum conservators are available for hire) and a database of members searchable by medium and geography. Though AIC does not have an accreditation process, Paul Messier, a member of its board of directors and a Boston-based conservator of photographs, works on paper and electronic media, says, “Quality control is governed primarily through defining standards of practice and ethical conduct, assuring adherence to these principles, and educating the public about the nature of professional conservation practice and specific questions they should ask when selecting a conservator for a project.”

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Nord Wennerstrom is Art & Antiques’ Washington, D.C., correspondent.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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►The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
Washington, D.C.
202.452.9545
aic.stanford.edu/public/select.html