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Conservation of paintings, wall-paintings and decorative schemes

In any National Trust house paint can be found in a variety of forms on different surfaces. Painting on canvas, panel and copper are an important visual aspect of any room interior while larger areas, such as ceilings, staircases and the entire wall surface of a room may be adorned by historical, biblical or allegorical scenes. The decorative layer of paint on walls and architectural elements record the changing fashions of taste. The care of these surfaces and their detailed analysis for scientific and historical documentation require a variety of skills on the part of the conservator, combining both studio and in situ work.

click on the photograph for image credits Natural resin varnishes discolour when they are exposed to light and ultraviolet radiation. The yellowing of the resin alters the tonal values of paintings and distorts the appearance of the colours in them. The old varnish is carefully removed during some conservation treatments.

click on the photograph for image credits The grand staircase, Powis Castle, Powys. The ceiling canvas was painted by Antonio Verrio between 1674-1685 and the walls were painted Gerrard Lanscroon c.1705. The ceiling and walls were cleaned and restored in a project that started in 1994 and was completed in 1998.

click on the photograph for image credits The Little Parlour at Uppark, West Sussex. A paint sample taken from the decorative scheme of the room, from which a cross-section has been prepared, shows an interesting layered structure.

click on the photograph for image credits The bottom layer is a pale green paint with a flatted finish based on emerald green. The red and pink layers contain red ochre, above this lies another layer of emerald green. The top layer is a modern paint containing titanium white. This must have been applied in the 20th century since titanium white was not available at an earlier date.

click on the photograph for image credits Gilded frames are very fragile and easily damaged by careless handling. Their conservation is important to preserve visual balance when paintings are treated.



© The National Trust 2002