Юлія

Yuliia Levytska
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Restoration of painting, bachelor's degree“Archideacon”,
XIX century. Private collection Ukraine,
canvas, oil, 107x 61.5 cm, 2010-2011.

Before restoration after restoration

Restoration of paintings, master's degree,
Volynsky Museum of Local History, Ukraine, "Portrait of a man in the Chervonomu
Zhupan", XVII century, сanvas, oil, 189x127 cm, 2012-2013
Before restoration after restoration
Practice of restoration on materials of easel paintings of Ukrainian soviet artists of the other half of the XX century.

Students painting by M. Sochenko (1980s), privat collection, canvas, oil, 100 x 80 cm.
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1 General view of M. Sochenko's painting before restoration
2 The general view of M. Sochenko's canvas on the working subframe after preventive strengthening
3 General view of the canvas M. Sochenko after filling the paint and ground losses with restoration ground
4 General view of the painting by M. Sochenko after restoration

Usually, the first steps in restoration measures are aimed at the preservation of areas of painting that are in direct danger of loss. In cases where the painting is pasty and the paint
layer is quite dense, preliminary strengthening (fixation) can be done with animal or synthetic glue (acrylic dispersions). In this way, the restoration activities with the work of M.
Sochenko began. The canvas had persistent warping and significant peeling of the painting, therefore, before preventive strengthening, a careful "collection" of separated pieces of
the paint layer was carried out. Next, the base was moistened: the table was covered with a film to prevent moisture from evaporating; the next layer is filter paper moistened with
distilled water, on which the picture is placed (face up) and fixed on the table along the edges for closer contact with the moistened paper; on top, the painting was tightly covered
with a film, which gave the effect of a "greenhouse", in which it stayed for one day; due to the adsorption of moisture by the fibers of the base, partial elimination of deformations
(cracking) took place. The next stage was the local preventive strengthening of peeling of the paint layer, which was carried out with the help of 5% mizny glue: the damaged areas
were first moistened with a mixture of 96% ethyl alcohol and water (1:1), then the glue was applied with a soft brush and gently pressed to the canvas with a fluoroplastic spatula
with short heating with a restoration foot.
In the case of M. Sochenko's training set, the first step was to hydrophobize the reverse side to prevent the penetration of glue on the reverse side through soil loss. A 6% starch
paste with an antiseptic was applied to the reverse side of the canvas. After it dried, restoration of the connection between the layers of soil and paint was started, first by applying a
strengthening paste with 5% animal glue. After ironing and drying a small area through tissue paper, it became noticeable that hard, stable craquelure (almost over the entire
surface) cannot be applied. Therefore, it was decided to choose a method of softening the paint layer before applying adhesives. For
this process, turpentine was used on a trial basis: the area with craquelures and raised edges of the paint was covered with a flannel cloth prepared for compression and a thin film
on top, then pressed with a small board. Each compress is kept for 1–1.5 hours; after its removal, the painting was glued with 5% glutinous glue with honey and antiseptic. Thus, as
a result of the softening of the paint layer, the front surface of the picture was leveled and the craquelure was carefully laid.
In the process of strengthening, previously separated pieces of paint collected in appropriate places were attached to the painting.
Canvas had fairly stable warping, creases and deformations, therefore, after applying stickers, the problem areas of the base were completely leveled by ironing the reverse side
with a warm iron through a damp, clean cotton cloth. At the same time, a woolen blanket was placed under the paintings so as not to damage the relief of the pasty painting.
The next stage after removing the paper tapes is the application of the restoration soil, which was carried out in several different layers. A mixture of chalk and 5% animal glue was
used for the soil. The first layers filled the losses to the level of painting, and the last ones were applied with a small bristle brush to model the surface like the author's.
In addition, the work of M. Sochenko was covered with sunflower oil, which formed dark clots on the surface of the painting. The only solvent that has proven to be effective is
dimethylformamide. The substance was applied to oil drops with a small tampon, softening them with successive careful removal with a scalpel.
After covering the surface of the paintings with varnish, tinting with degreased oil paints was started. First, general loss spots were collected in the first layer. The next stages
complicated the first color strips, bringing them as close as possible to the author's.

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M.M. Tochilkin "With Masters" - 1970-1980, Dnipropetrovsk Historical Museum, canvas, oil, 117.5 cm x 167.6 cm.
belongs to the "Lisopoval" series, reflects the "harsh style" of Soviet painting popular in those years.

General view of M.M. Tochilkin's painting fragments of a painting by M.M. Tochilkin before restoration
"With Masters" before restoration

This work is a large canvas to which 4 fragments of the author's painting are carelessly glued The collapse of the USSR, a
change in the way of life, in addition to technological violations in the creation of "conveyor" paintings, had a very bad effect
on the state of the works, turning the painting into ruins in many cases, or simply destroyed it.The collapse of the USSR, a
change in the way of life, in addition to technological violations in the creation of "conveyor" paintings, had a very bad effect
on the state of the works, turning the painting into ruins in many cases, or simply destroyed it. The department of technique
and restoration of works of art receives Soviet paintings that have been in improper storage conditions for a long time, usually
without subframes. They have a critical condition, sometimes just terrible. For a teacher and a student, the restoration
of a picture - ruins is an interesting experience with the use of often non-standard technical approaches.

The general view of the painting by M.M. Tochilkin in the process of restoration

General view of the painting by M.M. Tochilkin
"With Masters"after restoration
Lysenko V. "Still Life", 1980s, private collection, oil on canvas, 85 x 110cm.
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