Painting

A woman uses a cotton bud to clean a painting

Dore Hawthorne, Lithgow munitions factory canteen, 1944 (detail), urchased 2011

About

Made of organic materials, paintings change as they age. Painting Conservators are responsible for their maintenance and preservation, as well as advising on hanging, handling and installation. The diversity of materials in paintings — from oil on canvas to mixed media synthetic paints on everything from glass to polyester — means that the team must work with versatility and immense skill.

Canvases become acidic and brittle. Paints crack. Timbers dry and distort.

Painting Conservators are constantly monitoring works, and intervention comes in two forms: structural and cosmetic. The former can include re-stretching canvases or re-building supports. The latter addresses everything from cracking and flaking, to discolouration and accumulated dirt.

Frames form an integral part of many paintings, protecting works and influencing the overall aesthetic. Maintaining or reproducing historic frames also falls within the Painting Conservators’ broad skillset.

Related

Conservation

a man using cleaning tools to perform conservation on a painting in a laboratory

The Gallery's Conservation Department ensures the legacy of the national collection via the long-term preservation of works of art.

Paper

The Gallery's Paper Conservation team incorporates Mountcutting and Framing and is responsible for the conservation and preparation of works on paper.

Preventative

Two women enclose a paper-wrapped object in a plastic bag to undergo preventative conservation

The Preventative Conservation team’s aim is to preserve all works of art by controlling the environment in which they are displayed and stored.

Objects

Photograph of object conservator using flashlight to inspect cylindrical sculpture

Object Conservation encompasses the most varied sector of the collection, from monumental works in the Sculpture Garden to delicate bark paintings.

Exhibition

Abracadabra
The magic in conservation

Ultraviolet image revealing locations of repairs and restorations via differing shades of purple light onhorse statue

28 Jul 2006—26 Nov 2006

Textiles

Photograph of textile conservator working on three hanging robes on display

All textile objects have a natural deterioration process — slowing that down while retaining original features is the key aim of Textile Conservators.