29/05/2026
Just finished working on this beautiful old oil on canvas.
As you can see, this remarkable portrait is already beginning to reveal its true character. Every restoration starts with patience, and proper cleaning is often the most important stage of the entire journey. Only once the surface is fully stabilised and cleaned working from “wrap to weft” can the delicate restoration work begin.
Years sometimes centuries, of accumulated dirt, smoke residue, aged varnish, and environmental contaminants can hide the original colours and detail. The cleaning process is never rushed. It requires hours of slow, methodical work, gently removing layers of grime millimetre by millimetre while constantly monitoring the paint surface beneath. I use a specially formulated conservation cleaner.
