Chatsworth House Attic Sale – Conservation of fine art

Chatsworth House Attic Sale – Conservation of fine art

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By Graham Bignell

Capriccio Fine Arts were the lucky buyers of this very damaged etching of Rome (Prospetto del’alma citta di Roma visto del Monte Giancolo) by Giuseppe Vasi (1710 – 1782) and have now in their possession a magnificent restored print. Originally sold as a twelve sheet print it must have been mounted and framed early on in its life and had hung at Chatsworth House for many years.

Seeking out a conservator that was able to work on this 261.5 cm x 105.5 cm etching they arrived at the door of the Graham Bignell Studio in the heart of Hoxton, Hackney.

Under the layers of grime and aged varnish, a beautiful etching of Rome lay mostly hidden.

The original damaged print © Christopher Furlong / Getty Images News / Getty Images

Because the print had been stretched on linen, like an oil painting on a stretcher, it was only a matter of time before punctures and losses occurred.

The first task was to hold any loose pieces in place whilst the stretched print was removed from the frame and stretcher, which had been tacked and hand sewn in place all around the margins.

After removal of surface dirt, a test was made to see how well the print would stand up to the conservation treatments. Once this was verified, the varnish was gradually washed off, all the time being careful not to damage the ink layer underneath.

Gradually more of the detail was revealed as the layers of varnish were removed.

Due to the print’s size, it was laid face down so that the linen backing could be removed on the joins. These were steamed apart in thirds before washing and removal of all the adhesives and linen.

Once this was done the print was cleaned further before reassembly on the repair table. After adjusting all the joins and aligning the image, the print was lined with a heavy Japanese tissue using wheat starch paste and allowed to dry. Losses were in-filled with toned paper before being retouched. The frame was cleaned and black lacquered and a new support board was made to prevent further damage from puncturing. New fillets and UV clear Perspex were used to protect the print in the future.

The completed restoration

Founded in 1981, this leading London based studio specialises in the conservation of all archival material and large works on paper and parchment; ranging from posters and maps to prints, drawings, manuscripts, books and original artwork.

The studio has a proven track record in handling large-scale projects. They are happy to work on single items and on site.

For more information on Graham Bignell Studio click here

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