Cleaning an old painting?
 

Hi all,

This is a great forum! Portraiture can sometimes be a lonely profession/hobby but a forum like this makes one feel not alone in the painting struggle! My question is about cleaning old (19th century) portraits. I have 5 and they have small cracks or splits where dirt has collected. What would be safe to use to clean the surface without causing damage?

Best regards,
Steven

Best to leave them entirely alone or find a professional restorer. I wouldn't mess around with them at all.

Bill

Here's a page from the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works at Stanford University. I only glanced over it and probably does not answer your specific question, but definitely had some interesting information. Such as the fact that feather dusters can scratch a painting.

http://aic.stanford.edu/treasure/paint.html

Web designing can be a lonely profession also. ;)

Steven,

I'm with Bill. I am not afraid of heights, flying, snakes, tarantulas, the boogie man or even (shudder) applying a final varnish. But I quake in horror at the thought of touching an old painting. That's why God created conservationists.

Peggy