CLEANING  OF OIL ON CANVAS                  'HOMEWARD-BOUND'                                   by    Edward Emerson Simmons (1852-1931)                             American

Oil on canvas painted c.1888, size 47 x 3 inches. Illustrated in Clarence Cook, Art and Artists of Our Time, Volume III, New York,1888. Sold at Ivy-Selkirk Auction House, St.Louis - December 2007 Painting was in very good condition without structural damages, paint layer with good adhesion to the canvas. Surface covered with thick layer of dust, dirt and smoke as well as layer of dark yellow old varnish.

Bottom part of the painting before cleaning

Three stages of cleaning showed on photographs. Center part -  after final cleaning, middle section  - after removal of dirt and smoke. Darkest part - before cleaning.