by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

3/16/2023

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , British portraiture

This portrait of an anonymous lady by an anonymous British artist was so dirty that only the most basic details were visible before conservation.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

2/16/2023

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , Sir Joshua Reynolds , portrait , British catalog project , European Paintings

These three portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723–1792) have come out of storage and into the conservation lab for the museum’s British catalog project . They are due to be examined, and perhaps treated, before heading to our photography department for high resolution imaging.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

1/19/2023

paintings conservation , CAMConservation , Selden

Before the work was shipped to the museum from out of state, our curator of American art, Julie Aronson, PhD, contacted a professionally trained paintings conservator in that region to examine it. He noted a few areas with cracks and lifting paint that might be jeopardized during transport. With permission from the owner , the conservator applied the three tissue paper patches you see here to make sure that no paint flakes were lost in transit.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

12/15/2022

Cezanne , X-ray , CAMConservation , paintings conservation

A few months ago, I posted about the complicated surface coatings on Cézanne’s Still Life with Bread and Eggs.” But what was going on under the surface was even more of a surprise.

by Conservation

10/6/2022

CAMConservation , Manet , paintings , paintings conservation

Look for the recently conserved painting in our gallery soon.

by Conservation

9/15/2022

CAMConservation , paintings , Paul Cezanne , still lifes , paintings conservation

Look for Bread and Eggs (and onions!) to return to the permanent galleries soon.

by Conservation

8/18/2022

Murillo , paintings , paintings conservation , CAMConservation , framing

The last step of conserving the large 7’ x 5’ painting by Murillo has arrived.

by

6/23/2022

Murillo , paintings conservation , paintings , CAMConservation , strip lining

Now that the Murillo has been cleaned of varnish and retouching, it’s time to address its structural support, in other words, the canvas and stretcher.

by Conservation

5/26/2022

Murillo , paintings conservation , CAMConservation

Cleaning of the very large painting by the Spanish artist, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, has begun.

by Conservation

4/28/2022

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , Henry Mosler , varnish removal

Our paintings conservator is readying another painting for our upcoming exhibition Henry Mosler Behind the Scenes: In Celebration of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial.

by Conservation

3/31/2022

Murillo , paintings , paintings conservation , CAMConservation

Conservation has begun on one of the tallest paintings in the museum.

by Conservation

3/3/2022

CAMConservation , paintings , paintings conservation , hidden_paintings

Conservation of the large still-life by an anonymous 17th century Neapolitan artist is finally finished.

by Conservation

2/3/2022

paintings , paintings conservation , CAMConservation , Hans Hofmann , Henry Mosler

Here’s another close encounter in the paintings conservation studio that you would be unlikely to see in our galleries.

by Conservation

12/9/2021

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , Cezanne , Impressionism , impressionist , French immpressionist

Be sure to stop by Gallery 227 to see Still Life in Blue with Lemon after its visit to Conservation.

by Conservation

11/3/2021

paintings conservation , inpainting , conservation paints , pigments

No, it’s just the morning sun hitting our jars of dry pigments through the blinds, a brief exposure that does no harm.

by Conservation

10/8/2021

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , Robert Frederick Blum , Venetian Lacemakers , loans

Conservators strive to ensure that their conservation treatments will preserve each artwork for numerous decades or, we hope, even longer.

by Conservation

9/9/2021

Elizabeth Boott Duveneck , Frank Duveneck , CAMConservation , paintings conservation , cleaning paintings

“Blossoms” has just received its new frame, so look for it to pop up on the wall of our American galleries in the near future.

by Conservation

8/11/2021

conservation , paintings conservation , neapolitan , still lifes , CAMConservation , inpainting , hidden_paintings

The large Neapolitan still-life is back — with a new look.

by Conservation

7/15/2021

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , X-ray , X-raying_paintings , X-radiography , hidden_paintings

Our paintings conservator has been working on this very large 17th century Neapolitan still-life.

by Conservation

6/16/2021

paintings conservation , paintings , CAMConservation , Ralston Crawford , John Henry Twachtman , Twatchman

This upright trio recently encountered one another in the Paintings/Objects Conservation lab.

by Conservation

5/19/2021

CAMConservation , paintings conservation , paintings , X-ray , X-radiography , X-raying_paintings , hidden_paintings

Our painting conservator has been working on this very large 17th century Neapolitan still-life.

by Conservation

4/22/2021

Elizabeth Boott Duveneck , Frank Duveneck , Frank Duveneck: American Master , CAMConservation , paintings , paintings conservation

These blossoms are being conserved just in time for spring.

by Conservation

2/25/2021

paintings conservation , Frank Duveneck , Frank Duveneck: American Master , Edmund Tarbell , conservation

Our paintings conservator has started to clean the varnish from this painting by Edmund Tarbell.

by Conservation

1/28/2021

paintings conservation , Thomas Satterwhite Noble , monkey art , cleaning paintings , conservation

This life size painting by 19th century American artist, Thomas Satterwhite Noble, is a recent acquisition.

by Conservation

11/12/2020

Frank Duveneck , paintings conservation , palette , palette knife , conservation

A heavy layer of grime covered the surface of the thin wood panel and the remains of paint.

by Conservation

10/15/2020

behind the scenes , conservation , Lorenzo Zaragoza , paintings conservation , retablo , restoration , retablo of saint peter , altarpiece

While the paintings conservation studio is under renovation, we thought you might like a look at an example of the choices that conservators can face.

by Conservation

8/13/2020

Varnish removal , paintings conservation , Nicolas Lancret , French Rococo , rococo pastoral , 17th century French painting , ultraviolet , UV light , behind the scenes

Conservation of “The Swing” by Nicolas Lancret is moving along.

by Conservation

7/16/2020

behind the scenes , paintings conservation , Varnish removal , Nicolas Lancret , French Rococo , rococo pastoral , 17th century French painting

These days, our paintings conservator is working on a painting that, as you can see, is long overdue for cleaning.

by Conservation

5/21/2020

paintings conservation , painting stretcher , Robert Frederick Blum , canvas tension

Here’s a conservation treatment that has continued during the stay-at-home period for our paintings conservator.

by Conservation

4/23/2020

Bonnard , paintings conservation , behind the scenes , oil sketch , technical art history

When this landscape by Pierre Bonnard went out on loan to another museum a few years ago, our paintings conservator only had time to surface-clean it, to remove the dust and grime that was on the surface.