400-Year-Old Painting's Mesmerizing Restoration

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We've all seen old paintings in galleries and museums that have a yellow look to them. I always thought this patina was just time wearing on the delicate canvas. But what I didn't know is that sometimes it is just really old dust and grime. Thankfully there are highly trained people who not only know what the grime is, but also how to get rid of it to restore the painting to its former glory.

https://www.godupdates.com/400-year-old-painting-gets-restored/

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The folks of the Philip Mould Gallery have incredibly talented restorers who specialize in the meticulous task of restoring pieces of art. In this particular video one of those restoration specialists was working to unveil the condition of a Jacobethan portrait of an unknown woman that was painted around 1617. The specialists believe the heavy varnish has been on the painting for at least 200 years.

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The video shows a goop like substance being spread on the painting and being delicately spread around. As the specially formulated gel solvent swirls around the painting you can see the dirt and dust magically disappear. The amount of training and time that goes into restoring a painting is mind-blowing. But watching as the varnish of dirt melts away before your eyes is truly incredible. I was captivated watching her beauty come through years of wear!

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Here is what Philip Mould and Company had to say about the piece: "The result has proved tremendously successful. As can be seen in the film, beneath the varnish it is in a very good state of preservation, with an intensity of color and an intactness of finish which is highly unusual for the period. It is as if the heated and long-present varnish on the surface has preserved it, and a picture that many people formerly speculated was irrevocably damaged when it emerged on the market recently, has proved to be in near pristine state in many of its crucial areas. We look forward to displaying the entire cleaned picture in due course."

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I could watch this process all day long, it is fascinating. I never knew this was what went into restoring such incredible art! Who else wants to see more?

Credit: 9GAG

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