AN EXAMPLE OF FAULTY PAINTING TECHNIQUE

Unknown Dutch Artist (possibly mid-19th century)
Portrait of a Man
oil on canvas

Previous condition: This small picture of a drunken toper was marred by surface dirt and discoloured varnish. Extensive drying cracks had also been retouched in a previous restoration. These cracks had been formed after the painting had been completed by the artist. They were formed by the excessive use of a varnish medium that was added to the paint. This faulty technique was much used by artists wishing to emulate the “golden glow”of old, discoloured masterworks of an earlier period. This picture was previously thought to be a Dutch picture of the 1600s, but the extensive presence of drying cracks suggests that it is by an artist of over a century later trying to pass it off as a 17th-century original.

Current treatment: The surface dirt, varnish and extensive retouchings were removed separately. It was observed that the original paint layer had been badly abraded in previous cleanings. An isolating layer of varnish was then applied with a brush prior to the application of new reversible retouchings. Once this was complete, a final varnish was applied. The frame ornamentation in many areas had been lost. These were replaced by making casts of surviving ornaments in plaster. These were then adhered in position and coloured to match the existing ones. To cushion the picture in the frame, velvet ribbon was applied to the rebate and the painting secured in position with flexible brass plates.