PAPER RESTORATION

PAPER RESTORATION is half art, half chemistry, and there are very few paper conservators (compared to oil painting conservators) because paper is so delicate.
The most common damage to paper is brown spots (foxing) and browned paper that has become brittle. All of this damage is caused either because the art/document was written/printed on acidic paper or because the mat boards, backing boards, etc. that came in contact with the paper contained acid. The value of any print or document is reduced by such damage.
There are two parts of paper restoration: one is removing or neutralizing the acid in the paper; the other is lightening the paper and perhaps foxing, which are purely cosmetic. Both involve using special chemicals, sometimes completely submerging the paper. (Again, this is why there are so few paper conservators.)
Although we can lighten the discoloration with a special bleaching process, this lightens the paper evenly, all over. It may lighten the inks on the paper, too; so usually we do not bleach a piece.
During our recent restoration of a document signed by Abraham Lincoln, we first had to relax the paper, which had been very tightly rolled for many years. This took two weeks of very delicate work, but eventually the paper flattened. We deacidified the document, leaving it a neutral PH.
Folds are actually tears in the paper fibers. We spent a great deal of time mending the tears (some are no longer visible, all are much less obvious), as well as reinforcing the torn and brittle edges all around the paper. The procedure is virtually identical for original art on paper (etchings, lithographs, engravings, serigraphs, woodcuts), except we're much more likely not to bleach the print, as many inks and paints are unstable.
Please don't hesitate to e-mail us with any questions you might have!

How to care for art and documents on paper

We've all seen art and documents on paper that are discolored and have brown spots, as if someone had held up a cigarette to the paper. The paper is brittle, especially around the edges. All of this damage decreases the value, as well as the beauty, of the item. All this damage is caused by the acids in normal paper products, which literaly burn the paper (acid burn-in)...and all of it could have been prevented!
Here at the MUSEUM SHOP, we would rather prevent damage in the first place than restore a piece already damaged. Art and documents on paper need special handling. 100% acid free matting ("rag" board) must be used under, and on top of, the art or document, so that everything that touches the art is acid-free. The art must not be right against glass; it could become bonded to the glass. (How many of us have tried to take an old family photo out of its frame but find that the photo is bonded to the glass?) The art or document must be separated from the glass by a mat, liner, or second frame. Ultraviolet (UV) glass must be used to filter out the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. When an item on paper has been properly framed, it should need no more attention...ever!

Oil paintings

Most people know how an oil painting is done, but they usually don't know that every oil painting needs a clear sealer to protect it from moisture, dirt, cigarette smoke, etc. Without a sealer, those things penetrate the oil paint itself can can cause damage. If a painting was sealed more than 5-10 years ago, it should be examined closely. Over time, sealers can develop cracks, which, again, allow these contaminates to reach the paint itself. It's also common for sealers to turn yellow and even light brown over the years; in this case, assuming there's been no other damage, we'd simply give the painting a quick cleaning (to remove surfact dirt) and reseal it, processes which are relatively inexpensive and should be considered normal maintenance. Copyright Vicky Kornemann, 2010

Restoration of woman in red dress, ca. 1800's

Restoration of a oil painting from the 1800s: The canvas was deteriorating and needed to be lined with Belgian linen. The beeswax and resin lining stabilized the paint from flaking off the canvas. New stretcher bars were made and the painting was restretched. The painting was cleaned to remove the old varnish. The oil was retouched with a special paint and the painting was sealed with varnish. Photographs were taken before, during, and after. The restoration was a success!