File:Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries (1907) (14776377955).jpg

Identifier: studiesinpicture00vand (find matches)
Title: Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Van Dyke, John Charles, 1856-1932
Subjects: Painting -- Study and teaching Painting
Publisher: New York : C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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report accordingly. The result is that some gallerydirectors like to have clean-looking pictures. Now the cleaning of a picture is always fraughtwith danger—especially in ignorant hands. The sur-face is coated with varnish, and it is the varnish thatcatches the dirt and has to be removed. The safemethod of removing it is with the thumlj—that is,rubbing it with the bare thumb until the varnishgrinds into white powder and is blown away withthe breath. This takes time and labor. The quick,the lazy, and the unsafe way of cleaning is with aball of cotton saturated with alcohol. The alcoholremoves the varnish almost instantly; and it willremove the painting underneath almost as instantly,if not watched and checked by washing away. Youcan imagine thai this easy method of working is theone oftcner followed, and that accidents liappen wheninexperienced operators handle the alcohol. Thefluid eats swiftly, and, perhaps l)efore the cleanerknows it, the legs of a figure by Watteau, or the nose
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VI.—CRIVELLI, Madonna and Child. Brera, Milan. PICTURES RESTORED AND REPAINTED 21 and mouth of a Madonna by Raphael, have disap-peared from view—have been literally absorbed bythe alcohol. But that does not give the cleaner more than amomentary palpitation of the heart. The blunderis to be covered up, hidden from the public by allmeans. So the picture goes into the hands of the restorer, who with brush and paints calmly paintsthe legs and nose and mouth on again! Once moreyou can imagine how the drawing of the re-storer would match and carry out the drawing ofEaphael, and how his painting would tally with thevivacious handling of Watteau! But the work isdone, the surface is somehow toned down withneutral tints, then varnished anew; and the pictureis sent back to the gallery to be hung, in a dark cor-ner perhaps, where you will not notice its patching.But the patches never match the original piece. Youcannot make new paint match old paint. The pictureis injured forever. Even when t

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