Paintings Conservation

West Lake Conservators specializes in the care and treatment of individual paintings or entire collections, contemporary or antique, easel size or oversized including murals and painted objects.

The natural process of aging in a painting begins soon after its completion. Too often this process is accelerated by environmental conditions during display, storage, or unforeseen disasters. As paintings age, airborne particulate matter within the environment, such as dust and smoke, accumulates on its surfaces. In addition, most varnishes, commonly applied as a final layer to most paintings, are likely to discolor as they age. Cleaning becomes necessary to remove coatings that alter the original tones and hues. Recent paintings can also benefit from a light cleaning and application of a protective varnish.

Conservation treatment can repair tears, losses, flaking, stains, and planar distortions. Conservation techniques and archival materials can stabilize an active cycle of deterioration and return a painting to display condition and collectible value.