In this section

• Introduction
• History of the painting
• Condition before treatment
• Removal of upper varnish
• Exposure of 1956 cleaning test
• Solvent tests
• Removal of older varnish
• During cleaning
• The painting before retouching
• Analysis of materials and techniques
• Summary of main findings

Condition before treatment

The painting before treatment

The painting before treatment under raking light. Zoom into the detail of this image.

Before conservation the painting was covered with thick layers of deeply discoloured varnish and only under a strong light was the colour of the green curtain in the top right visible. The surface tended to a matt brown tonality and the sitter’s arms and dress were disfigured by dark spotting. Old and recent flake losses were evident along the stretcher bar marks and a marked network of craquelure was present.

Initial tests on the varnish showed that two layers were present: a yellowed varnish probably dating from the 1950s and a much older, natural resin varnish which was more deeply discoloured.

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