By Doug Eisele
Old World Restorations, Inc.

Lignin in wood pulp can cause a great deal of acid damage to the original paper support over time. The wood panel or substrate can expand and contract, eventually warping enough to weaken and tear the art.

Unfortunately, the early oil painting on paper shown here was attached to a mahogany panel with a water-based white glue in an attempt to stabilize numerous tears. The quarter-inch thick panel began to split and curl over time, causing tears and partial delamination of the paper from the wooden panel.

Evidence of previous restorations and failed attempts to reattach loose areas of the original support to the panel were apparent. The paper was acidic and deteriorated.

After careful consideration, the decision was made to remove the wood panel from the original paper support to prevent further damage, and to facilitate deacidification of the paper. Preliminary testing and analysis were conducted to determine the effectiveness of, and sensitivities to, solvents, consolidants and temperatures that would be used during treatment.

Testing indicated the painting might suffer considerable damage and paint loss if mechanical removal were attempted from the front. Carefully shaving away the wood panel from the verso provided a far more conservative approach.

The surface of the painting was protected by a facing of small sections of tissue attached to the paint with an easily reversible, heat-set conservation adhesive.

A secondary layer of three-ply rag board was attached over the facing for additional protection and support of the paint and paper layers during and after the removal of the wood panel.

We collaborated with Tom Halsey, a Cincinnati furniture maker, to assist with the panel removal. A support jig was constructed to secure the panel while vertical grooves were carefully cut into the back of the panel to flatten the warp.

The flattened panel was placed on a soft rubber conveyor belt and run through a commercial sander many times to remove the wood panel at nearly one-thousandth of an inch per pass.

After removing the wood panel, the remaining adhesive layer was mechanically removed with a scalpel. Careful attention was paid to prevent further damage to the original paper support.

Several old paper patches and restorations were removed.

The paper support was cleaned, deacidified and lined with mulberry paper to stabilize the tears and to reinforce the original paper support of the painting.

Individual layers of the rag board were removed separately to allow better control and to reduce stress on the original paper support during removal. Warming the rag board with a tacking iron facilitated the multi-layer separation.

The final layer of rag-board and facing were carefully removed by warming small sections with a temperature-controlled conservation tool.

The surface of the painting was cleaned with organic solvents to remove any residual facing adhesive and discolored varnish.

A barrier layer of non-yellowing and easily reversible varnish was applied over the painting to isolate the original paint from any subsequent restoration treatment.

The losses and tears were infilled, inpainted (retouched) and protected with a final non-yellowing varnish layer.

Douglas Eisele is president of Old World Restorations, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. They restore: paintings, frames, objects, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, metals and more. Visit the website at www.oldworldrestorations.com or contact Doug by phone at 513-271-5459 ext. 102. or email deisele@oldworldrestorations.com.

Oil painting on paper, attached to wood panel.
Oil painting on paper,
attached to wood panel.

Verticle grooves were cut into the panel to reduce
the warp.

Panel is carefully placed through sander.

Wood panel is removed at nearly .0001 inch per pass.

Protective layers
are removed.

Painting is lined with
new paper.

After complete restoration.

Side view of panel.

Painting protected with reversible tissue facing.

Panel verso with
wood removed.

Panel verso with
wood removed.

Tissue facing is removed.

Damage and losses are infilled and inpainted.