Restoring the Past: Reviving a 19th-Century Painting
Restoring a painting from the 1890s is no simple task, but with the expertise of WAG-Qaumajuq Conservator Vitaliy Yatsevych and intern Kaeli Wood, a Master’s student in Art Conservation at Queen’s University, the work was brought back to life.
As Kaeli explains, the job began with a thorough condition report. There were several tears, the canvas was detached from its stretcher and lacked tension, there were big waves, surface dirt, discolored varnish, and areas of paint loss at the bottom.
From there, she and Vitaliy developed a careful, research-driven treatment plan in line with the Gallery’s conservation standards.
Her conservation process included:
- Surface cleaning to remove environmental buildup
- Varnish removal, which took over 45 hours
- Tear repairs using new threads and textile welding powder under a microscope
- Reinforcement of the canvas with a strip lining to strengthen the fragile edges
During the tear repair phase, I used a microscope and dental tools – I felt like a surgeon. ~ Kaeli Wood
“It really takes a certain kind of person to do this work,” she laughs.
Canadian Voyageurs is just one example of the vital care that maintains the WAG-Qaumajuq permanent collection so it’s here for everyone in the community.
Please make a gift at wag.ca/donate or call 204.789.1345
WAG-Qaumajuq cares for nearly 30,000 artworks in the permanent collection—your collection.
This year, more than $150,000 is needed for conservation, proper storage, and preservation, ensuring these artworks remain accessible today and for future generations.
Will you help give the art some TLC?
WAG-Qaumajuq cares for nearly 30,000 artworks in the permanent collection—your collection.
This year, more than $150,000 is needed for conservation, proper storage, and preservation, ensuring these artworks remain accessible today and for future generations.
Will you help give the art some TLC?
