Privilege !



Front view of painting before treatment



Painting viewed through transmitted light



We thought it might be interesting to show just how different the same painting can look during the conservation process. The painting at the top is photograped from the front prior to treatment.  The second photograph shows the same painting after being been dampened and turned face down on support papers ready for the removal of the old lining papers.


Viewed through transmitted light we are then presented with a very different image.


For example, the tiling on the rooftops and intricate patterns on the drapery are no longer visible, we can see only  the body colour which was applied prior to the details.The darker oxidised silver is also more evident. This information provides a very privileged insight into how these these extraordinary paintings were made,  usually only  seen by conservators.