CLEANING AND RESTORATION                                of          "English rural landscape"       by James Clark  (1858 - 1943)

Painting oil on canvas, 19th c. British, by James Clark, signed, was delivered to our studio in stable condition. Canvas slightly loose,  50 x 30 inches, with only small restored puncture was covered with old discolored varnish.

Before cleaning

Painting looked unbalanced from artistic point of view and empty center part of the painting shows different type of brushstrokes than the rest of this artwork. After examination with magnification and in raking light it was clear that center part was overpainted.

Photograph in raking light - blue spot in the center shows different texture of paint layers

Photograph of center section of the painting with visible overpaintings-

After tests to find the best cleaning solvents ...

and many hours of careful work first shadows of overpainted cows could be visible.

After cleaning *   Return of the cows  *

Stages of cleaning and overpaints removal

Painting after conservation