Blog

Several articles about restoring paper and paintings, framings, artists and more.

  • Before and after

    Before and after: repairing water damage

    Repairing water damage on a piece of hard board

    A picture of an oil painting that had suffered because of moisture. Several paintings were stacked on top of each other and a deep crack appeared at the top of the painting. Probably a scratch at first and later moisture getting into that area, causing the fibers swell. I made the crack a bit wide, filled it in with gesso and that retouched all the damaged areas.

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: cleaning a painting

    cleaning off decades of nicotine staining

    A very soiled painting from 1955 that was covered in yellow smoke sooth. Details of the paintbrush strokes and subtle color differences were totally invisible until the piece was cleaned with home made cleaning gel as you can see applied on the right.

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: bouquet

    Before and after photo of a cleaned oil painting by Leonora van Bijsterveld

    An oil painting that looks ‘faded’. The lacquer cracked in minuscule pieces, causing the light to fracture, creating that washed out appearance. The problem could have been created when the oil painting did not dried long enough and applying lacquer too soon after the painting was made.
    The problem was instantly fixed when the old lacquer was removed and a new layer was applied, resulting in a beautiful fresh looking painting.

    Sold, Hulstein Antiques 2021

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: woodblock 1930’s

    Cleaning a woodblock print from acids, Remiens 1930

    Woodcut print by Remiens art deco

    I cleaned this Art Deco woodcut print made by the Dutch architect and artist Remiens. This woodcut also had some thicker ink layers that displayed a different elasticity than the paper. This resulted in some waving of the paper. I had to repeat the process of wetting and drying the paper several times to reach the final result.

     

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: woodcut 1950

    Cleaning a big panoramic wood cut print by Han Krug

    This was a fun job but at times also a challenging task. I peeled the paper inch by inch from the board on which it was glued. The wet paper was brittle and had to be handled with the necessary care. I used denatured water to relax the paper as fast as possible, using a sharp scalpel knife to remove the backboard. As expected, some pieces came off easily and some pieces were nerve wracking to remove.

    After this the print was washed and pressed. This print had some thicker layers of ink, almost latex like, that had a different elasticity then the paper. This resulted in waving so I had to repeat the wetting and pressing of the paper until the final result was achieved. A new fresh looking wooden frame was used to protect the cheerful piece as well as a new piece of glass and a protective matte 

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: cleaning a lithograph

    cleaning of a print

    Before and after picture of a cleaned lithographic print

    This is a lithographic print by B Bokhorst. It was pressed on woodpulp rich, modern paper. This paper tends to yellow fairly quickly. With yellowing and high acidity comes brittleness of the paper so it’s best to clean this paper to be able to preserve it. Before the wash I sprayed the plate with some denatured water and 3 percent bioethanol. The ethanol penetrates the paper much faster than water which prevents the tearing of the paper fibers on a microscopic level

    I washed the print in a solution of denatured water and some calcium hydroxide. and after drying and pressing the plate I mended some folds with Kozo paper and purified wheat starch glue. I filled in small damages and missing color with pencils. Since the litho closely resembles a pencil drawing it seemed like the right choice.

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  • Before and after

    Before and after: woodcut print by Rol

    “Cactus”, woodcut print on modern, pulp rich paper by Cornelis Rol, part of the 1931 “Verkade” Album “Cactussen”, page 61.

    The paper was cleaned from acids and pressed several times because the black paint was thick and of a different elasticity then the paper which resulted in rippling. 

     

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  • Articles about art

    Jan Mankes and his colors

    I am “one in two-hundred females with color blindness”.  I can distinct primary colors pretty well, and find my self mostly struggling with some varieties of blended colors. I have always been drawn to artworks with lots of black tones like for instance those of the Dutch painter Jan Mankes, 1889-1920. When in a room with several paintings, like in the Museum of Arnhem, these are the ones that my eyes are drawn to. 

    When I first saw his work in our local art museum I was blown away by the paintings of Jan Mankes. The colors he uses, the topics of his works and even the small size of his paintings, accredit to the fantastic sober, dark and natural atmosphere of his artistic legacy. The frames that were used for his paintings, are made of wood and are often very broad and robust, also complimenting the petite fragile inner state of the paintings. Since that moment in the museum, (to me almost a spiritual happening) I became a big fan of his work.

    Most artworks by Mankes have that darkness that I like. A literal darkness. I think the scarceness of bright and light colors is in beautiful contrast with Mankes smooth, powdery and gentle streak.

    His sometimes unusual use of color and the dark blend, makes me wonder if Mankes might have been colorblind. It takes one to know one I suppose?Darkness in old paintings, like that in the paintings of the great masters, Rembrandt van Rijn for instance, was often caused by the layer upon layer of yellowed and browned lacquer and the dependence on natural sources of daylight. Pure black paint, like we can use nowadays, was not used in the painters of the old masters. The darkness was actually created by mixing colors until very dark versions of that color were created. Next to that, their paint and pigments where natural and made by following very precise alchemy recipes. Sometimes the pigments and the paint where poorly made.

    Changing after long periods of time because the pigments in the paint turned out to be unstable.Art lovers and artists themselves have come to associate the darkness in the paintings with the quality of the old masters. Later generations of artists have used special dark brown lacquer for their paintings in order to create that brown and yellowish veil over their works.

    I have recently read some of the correspondence of Jan with his friend and art collector Gouma (1882 – 1926) The way Jan writes about the weather, nature and his environment, makes me think he was a fan of “the dark days before Christmas “as we say here in the Netherlands and actually enjoyed those beautiful soft and natural colors that come with that time of the year. I came to understand that Jan was very inspired by the woodblock prints of the Japanese artist Hokusai and he thus bought his very first etching press because he wanted to make prints himself.

    In 1913 he started with his first prints and I am glad that he did because the woodblock prints and etchings by Jan Mankes are of an exceptional quality as you can see here on the left. Portraying a prickly animal so soft and touchable with only black and white as an option is truly the work of a great artist. I must say that I am always scouting to hopefully obtain one of those great woodblock prints by Jan Mankes. They are being sold for absurd amounts of money here in Jan Mankes’s Lowlands.
    In 1920, Jan Mankes unfortunately died from tuberculosis when he was only 30 years old. He left a legacy of 150 small paintings, 100 drawings, and 50 graphics.

    I have translated one of Jan’s many letters for reference: “A Letter from Jan Mankes”.

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  • Articles about art

    The role that frames play

    ‘Frames are the finishing touch of a piece of art but can also greatly devalue the piece’.
    Sometimes you come across a wonderful artwork with a damaged frame. 

    To me, these marks of aging are perfectly fine and acceptable, to some degree that is. I like to know what I am looking at namely: “ an old print in a original old frame”. The piece has seen some things, been around and took some damage along the way and that is ok with me. I would even say it adds to the piece. Most antique lovers would agree with me that some wear and tear actually is a part of the charm and beauty of an antique item.

    Frame

    However I have noticed that damaged frames dramatically devalue a piece of art. Frames are intended to serve as a window that you look through, they separate the artwork from the rest of the environment, so your eyes can focus on the work of art. Next to that, they also offer protection to the art piece, especially when glass is used. So when the frame is damaged, sharp visual lines are broken, and all these complimenting effects mentioned above, are compromised.

    People tend to put these artworks away, since they find that these artworks are no longer suitable to put up on the wall. Maybe they will place them somewhere in the attic or cellar, and next you know, the glass gets broken and atmospheric effects have their way with the paper, leaving the artwork aged and damaged beyond its time. A shame, and moreover a reason to keep original frames in tact.This is why, I will clean up a frame when I have the chance. With some wood putty, sand paper and a collection of golden hues you can come a long way in restoring that visual line. When big chunks of a frame are missing, ornamental pieces broke off, and we are looking at a costly item, it is best to have the frame professionally restored.


    I have tried to repair a few frames now and then with the help of handmade molds. This process is not that hard but has to be done precisely. YouTube has some excellent tutorials on how to do that. When looking at a golden, guided frame you obviously need valuable gold leaf and guilding skills.

    An other option is to look out for a new frame for the piece.
    An option that I also frequently use. A beautiful example is this 1930’s painting by Annie van de Ruit that was framed in a plastic rococo style frame some time in the nineteen sixties.

    Wrong frame

    Framing this great painting in a new modern and simple frame makes this impressionist piece also suitable for a younger public and a more modern style. I usually do not stray too far from the original concept, but in some cases the frame is just wrong.

     

     

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  • Articles about art

    A letter from Jan Mankes


    This is a translation that I made of one of the latest letters Mankes wrote. A letter he wrote while he was sick with Tuberculosis. It was addressed to a female friend and art collector. A few months later he died, only thirty years old. I think this letter illustrates the kind of person Jan Mankes was.

    An August day can be so dusty and sobering”. “On these days you just want to disappear, escape all this misery imposing on you”.
    However you know: “the serene evening will come and the Lapwing will be heard all over the lowlands”.
    When taking a walk in the early morning dew and looking at the backs of the cows and the dampening trees, you know that only the thought of all these things justifies everything else on such a fierce, August day.

    “You’re not to moan and curse”, and you must not try to change it and improve it, you just seek out a quiet place somewhere on a deserted piece of land, and wait, while knowing that it will come by itself.
    Nature has nothing to hide, but gives everything, and those August days, they also have their place in our mental landscape. But the winterstorm nights, they will come, and so will the lovely mornings and evenings in may, those days made of intimacy.

    ‘Only that depth we get while living life through extremes together can make true friendships happen. Will fate allow us to go through all these stages’?

    The Dutch version of this letter is found on the website: www.annezernike.nl

     

     

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  • Art and poems

    Art and Poems: The Pig by Roald Dahl

    After the meal, C Dake 1886, Dutch

    Poem by Roald Dahl

    In England once there lived a big
    And wonderfully clever pig.
    To everybody it was plain
    That Piggy had a massive brain.
    He worked out sums inside his head,
    There was no book he hadn’t read.
    He knew what made an airplane fly,
    He knew how engines worked and why.
    He knew all this, but in the end
    One question drove him round the bend:
    He simply couldn’t puzzle out
    What LIFE was really all about.


    What was the reason for his birth?
    Why was he placed upon this earth?
    His giant brain went round and round.
    Alas, no answer could be found.
    Till suddenly one wondrous night.
    All in a flash he saw the light.
    He jumped up like a ballet dancer
    And yelled, ‘By gum, I’ve got the answer! ‘


    ‘They want my bacon slice by slice
    ‘To sell at a tremendous price!
    ‘They want my tender juicy chops
    ‘To put in all the butcher’s shops!
    ‘They want my pork to make a roast
    ‘And that’s the part’ll cost the most!
    ‘They want my sausages in strings!
    ‘They even want my chitterlings!
    ‘The butcher’s shop! The carving knife!
    ‘That is the reason for my life! ‘


    Such thoughts as these are not designed
    To give a pig great piece of mind.
    Next morning, in comes Farmer Bland,
    A pail of pigswill in his hand,
    And piggy with a mighty roar,
    Bashes the farmer to the floor…
    Now comes the rather grisly bit
    So let’s not make too much of it,
    Except that you must understand
    That Piggy did eat Farmer Bland,


    He ate him up from head to toe,
    Chewing the pieces nice and slow.
    It took an hour to reach the feet,
    Because there was so much to eat,
    And when he finished, Pig, of course,
    Felt absolutely no remorse.
    Slowly he scratched his brainy head
    And with a little smile he said,
    ‘I had a fairly powerful hunch
    ‘That he might have me for his lunch.
    ‘And so, because I feared the worst,
    ‘I thought I’d better eat him first.’

    Roald Dahl

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  • Art and poems

    Art and Poems: Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886

    Max Nonnenbruch
    Max Nonnenbruch, Heliogravure

    I cannot live with You – 
    It would be Life – 
    And Life is over there – 
    Behind the Shelf

    The Sexton keeps the Key to – 
    Putting up
    Our Life – His Porcelain – 
    Like a Cup – 

    Discarded of the Housewife – 
    Quaint – or Broke – 
    A newer Sevres pleases – 
    Old Ones crack – 

    I could not die – with You – 
    For One must wait
    To shut the Other’s Gaze down – 
    You – could not – 

    And I – could I stand by
    And see You – freeze – 
    Without my Right of Frost – 
    Death’s privilege?

    Nor could I rise – with You – 
    Because Your Face
    Would put out Jesus’ – 
    That New Grace

    Glow plain – and foreign
    On my homesick Eye – 
    Except that You than He
    Shone closer by – 

    They’d judge Us – How – 
    For You – served Heaven – You know,
    Or sought to – 
    I could not – 

    Because You saturated Sight – 
    And I had no more Eyes
    For sordid excellence
    As Paradise

    And were You lost, I would be – 
    Though My Name
    Rang loudest
    On the Heavenly fame – 

    And were You – saved – 
    And I – condemned to be
    Where You were not – 
    That self – were Hell to Me – 

    So We must meet apart – 
    You there – I – here – 
    With just the Door ajar
    That Oceans are – and Prayer – 
    And that White Sustenance – 
    Despair – 

    Emily Dickinson

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  • Art and poems

    Art and Poems: Claude McKay (1922)

    Lithograph by Hendrik Haverman, his wife with their sleeping daughter 1896

    Reg wished me to go with him to the field,
     I paused because I did not want to go;
     But in her quiet way she made me yield
     Reluctantly, for she was breathing low.
     Her hand she slowly lifted from her lap
     And, smiling sadly in the old sweet way,
     She pointed to the nail where hung my cap.
     Her eyes said: I shall last another day.
     But scarcely had we reached the distant place,
     When o’er the hills we heard a faint bell ringing;
     A boy came running up with frightened face;
     We knew the fatal news that he was bringing.
     I heard him listlessly, without a moan,
     Although the only one I loved was gone.

    The dawn departs, the morning is begun,
     The trades come whispering from off the seas,
     The fields of corn are golden in the sun,
     The dark-brown tassels fluttering in the breeze;
     The bell is sounding and the children pass,
     Frog-leaping, skipping, shouting, laughing shrill,
     Down the red road, over the pasture-grass,
     Up to the school-house crumbling on the hill.
     The older folk are at their peaceful toil,
     Some pulling up the weeds, some plucking corn,
     And others breaking up the sun-baked soil.
     Float, faintly-scented breeze, at early morn
     Over the earth where mortals sow and reap—
     Beneath its breast my mother lies asleep.

    About the art & poem: The lithograph, by Hendrik Haverman, 1896.

     The poem: About.com education

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