How Old Paintings Are Professionally Restored

Today we have a very special piece brought in for restoration. This wonderful painting is almost three centuries old. As you can see, it has seen better days. The corners all have holes, the edges are frayed, and the varnish is dull. It looks as though each of the last 250 years has silently added another layer of dirt. The artwork itself is called Marquis and the Letter and was painted in 1762 by the French portrait painter F. Arnault of Marseille. Each small imperfection will be meticulously restored to the owner's specifications. However, care will be taken not to make the painting appear new. The owner doesn't want to lose the aged character it has gained over its long lifetime. Whilst we prepare the studio, why don't you sit back and relax? I'm about to take you through the delicate, intricate process of fine art restoration. In the UK, artists commonly pushed wooden wedges behind each corner to tighten the canvas once it was mounted on the stretcher. However, in continental Europe, metal tacks were used instead. We begin by removing these old tacks in order to take the painting off the stretcher. This will let us repair the holes they've left behind and strengthen the sides. Thus ensuring the painting can be pulled tight across the stretcher without ripping it. Once they've all been taken out, we lay down some tissue paper and carefully lift off the stretcher from the picture. We set about brushing 250 years worth of dust and dirt away. This picture has seen a restoration before and we need to repair some of the same spots as the last restorer. So, we set about removing the old patches and glue with a scalpel, being careful not to damage the painting any further. Scraping the glue off may seem harmful to the canvas but it's perfectly safe when done properly and highly effective. In the 18th century, materials were very expensive so a lot of art was painted on old linen or sack due to their durability. The logo you can see in the top corner tells us this is probably linen. We lay down a sheet of silicone release paper to protect the table from heat. Then, we take some strong mulberry paper that's been impregnated with glue and press it over the holes in the back of the canvas. By rubbing a heated spatula across the gluey paper, we bind it staunchly to the linen, providing it support. This process is repeated for all the damaged areas. Once we're happy, we strengthen the sides too, covering the holes made by the original tacks. After this, the canvas is turned over and its edges quickly cleaned up with scissors. Wood stopper filler is applied to holes and uneven areas and smoothed over with cotton wool. The surface needs to be smooth and level for when we come to retouch it. We are now ready to place the painting back on the stretcher and retack. Initially, the new tacks are only hammered in halfway. This allows us to move them and adjust the painting more easily if needed. A pair of pliers helps pull the canvas taut as we work. As you can see, the painting is now nice and taut, so we set about hammering in the tacks the rest of the way. With marquee and the letter structurally repaired and placed back on the stretcher, we prepare the easel and lights for the next stage, cleaning. Using cotton wool, we gently apply a surface cleaner to remove the top layers of dirt. Next, we create a mix of solvent and turpentine to break down and remove the old varnish. It's crucial this mix is correct, as too much solvent will cut through and dissolve the original paint. We conduct a test clean on the letter, watching attentively to make sure no paint is rubbed off. Our mix is just right. Now we can begin to remove the rest of the varnish. We let the solvent do most of the work, using a cotton bud to apply it ever so gently to the canvas. A second cotton bud is used to mop up the varnish, along with any excess drips. This stage cannot be rushed. As we work, the original art is slowly revealed from beneath years of dirt and grime. The lighter areas really give you a sense of just how discoloured the composition has become over time. Once dry, we first brush the painting, then use a tact cloth to remove any remaining dirt and dust. The surface must be completely clean before we apply our retouching varnish. The purpose behind this varnish layer is to create a barrier between our retouching and the original art. This allows for any adjustments we make to be removed in the future if necessary. It also brings the colours up, so we can more accurately colour match when we get to painting. We allow the varnish to dry and prepare the studio and equipment. Each brush is carefully selected, ensuring they all have a fine tip and can be easily splayed, so we can accurately paint even the most minute of details. A good restoration will keep adjustments to a minimum, looking to keep as much of the original artwork as possible. Our paint selection is done by eye. It takes years of practice to understand which colours go together to create a certain colour palette. We use a little turpentine to help us mix the paints together. Before we start retouching, we make sure all small marks and fly droppings are scraped away. Little by little, we create a mix of colour to perfectly match the paint on the canvas. When we're happy with the shade, it's time to start retouching. The process is painstaking, but highly rewarding, as hundreds of years of damage and neglect are slowly reversed. With the front of the painting complete, we turn our attention to the back. The adhesive patches we used to repair the canvas stand out, so we blend them in with the rest of the linen. Finally, we spray on a finishing varnish. We use a spray as this gives a more even finish and doesn't disturb our retouching the way a brush might. There you have it. Marquis and the letter has been meticulously restored back to its beautiful 18th century self. The once prominent holes are all but gone, and the dull, sterile colour of old has been replaced with warm, rich tones that are bursting with life. Marquis is now ready to withstand the next 250 years the way he was always meant to. We hope you enjoyed watching the process as much as we did filming it.