Having gained a diploma in picture restoration in 1984 I have become an expert in painting techniques and materials - authentic pigments and varnishes are still available if you know where to look.
Like old buildings or classic cars, paintings are valuable assets that need care and attention periodically. Minor problems need not become major headaches.
It is important to stress however that even the most hopeless case can probably be saved.
Some recent case histories:-
Fire damage, which required the re-creation of one corner of the work.
Claw marks from three dogs charging across the picture surface while it was lying on the floor.
Catastrophic tears on the surface caused by the owner falling off a ladder while fixing a curtain. ( Fortunately no serious personal injury).
The removal of polyurethane boat varnish applied by an overzealous owner.
Straightening out and cleaning the corrugated surface of a fine old Victorian portrait that was recovered after several years in a damp coal cellar.
The removal of early 19th Century overpaint , revealing a beautiful 18th Century portrait of mother and child underneath.
Cleaning:
In most cases , merely removing surface dirt can have the most dramatic effect on a painting's appearance. Over the years a build up of pollutants in the atmosphere attach themselves to the surface - usually deposits from tobacco, cooking and soot.A slow and scarcely perceptible process, but once the deposits are removed the colours appear with truly startling results.
Dark old organic varnish layers can obscure all but the most obvious details in a painting: careful removal with solvents will reveal the paint underneath the varnish in all its pristine glory.
Cleaning and re varnishing using a non yellowing and easily reversible modern formula not only looks good but protects the surface;during the cleaning process I can look out for any other problems of deterioration that may need addressing.
Relining:
Applying a new lining to the reverse of a fragile old painting will give it a new platform that will last for decades;it stops rot and infestation in its tracks and is the first stage in repairing any physical damage to the painting.
Cosmetic restoration:
Any holes can be filled and textured accordingly, using an approved museum filler.Colour matching is done using the finest quality pigments available in a non yellowing medium. The results should last for many decades.