PRESERconVersATION

How to Display your Family Treasures - Paintings

Paintings can be made up of a variety of paint types and supports in many combinations.

Support is a term used to designate the physical structure which holds or carries the paint layer - wooden panels, prepared cardboards, composition boards, canvas, metal sheets, bark or any other flat surface. The Library even has an oil painting on a large gum leaf!

Paint layers are mixtures of colour pigments in a vehicle - oil, varnish, synthetic resins (eg acrylics), glues, egg-white (tempera) and hot wax - which are applied to the support with brushes, knives, fingers, etc. It is the interaction of these types of materials that make up a painting which determines their reaction to conditions in which they are stored or displayed.

The most common supports, wood and canvas, contain acids which, over time, cause them to become embrittled and discoloured - this is very noticeable in older paintings. Paint layers, too, change chemically as they age, becoming harder and brittle, developing networks of fine cracks. Most paintings have a glossy varnish layer over the surface which serves to protect the paint as well as making the colours look brighter and vibrant. On older pictures these varnishes may have become darker and/or yellower giving the painting a muddy appearance.

The frame, too, is an important part of most paintings as much for protection and security as for its decorative effect and is often the first point of contact when any damage occurs.

All of these inherent problems are accelerated when the painting has a hard life of mis-handling, bad storage and incorrect display conditions.

A painting on canvas is more prone to damage by mishandling than one on a wooden support because it can be dented, punctured or torn very easily. High humidity can cause the fibres of canvas to swell and contract which can lift and crack the paint layer.

Paintings on wooden panels are prone to attack from woodworm and are liable to mould growth damage in damp conditions.

Dirt, sticky residues, aerosols, atmospheric pollutants, light, deposits from flies and other insects, moulds can all become ingrained in the paint surface, cause chemical damage, fading, staining and other deterioration.

Major repairs, cleaning, varnish removals and restoration should always be carried out by a professional restorer or conservator.

Following are some handling and display tips which should give your paintings a happier, longer life.

  • carry paintings, one at a time, with one hand on each side of the frame, large paintings should be carried by two people; if the paint surface has losses, flakes or is visibly damaged, carry flat, paint surface up.
  • try not to touch the surface of the painting with your hands or with cloths; dusting should be done with a wide, soft brush.
  • attach a stiff cardboard or hardboard sheet to the back of the painting by screws into the frame not the stretcher
  • the painting is better held into the frame with brackets rather than nails - brass mirror plates are a good method.
  • putting a glass or acrylic (perspex) sheet on the front of the painting, separated from the paint surface by a spacer, will give added protection from dust and mechanical or handling damage.
  • hang the painting with multi-strand picture wire from D-ring brackets or screw-eyes screwed into the back of the frame, not the stretcher.
  • when storing paintings, keep them off the floor on padded blocks to avoid damage from flooding; if possible keep the painting in its frame during storage; if unframed, wrap in clean, soft, acid-free tissue taking care to keep any tapes away from the paint surface; plastic should never be used directly in contact with the painting, but if already tissue-wrapped it may be used.
  • never use household polishes or cleaners with solvents on the surface of the painting - they may attack and breakdown the paint surface; washing with soap and water is also not recommended.

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