Art Dealer Removes Varnish From 200-Year-Old Painting, And People Are Obsessed
By Mustafa GatollariUpdated Oct. 30 2018, 10:58 a.m. ET
My father's a contractor. Occasionally, I'd go on jobs with him during the summer and help clean up here and there and awkwardly dance to the bachata music his workers would blast on the radio. I had a great time on those job-sites, especially watching some of the more skilled professionals.
The painters were incredible. Some of them were so efficient that the tarps they laid down were mere formalities. Others could lay a foundation or erect a first story frame with such precision and alacrity, it looked as natural as breathing to them. My favorite thing to watch, though, were the power-washings.
There was something about seeing a formerly grime and soot-covered surface baptized and emerge clean again. In fact, it's something a lot of people find oddly satisfying to watch. Old becomes new again. Years removed in an instant. There's even a whole subreddit devoted to watching people power washing old stuff to make it look new again. Who would have thought?
There's an art world equivalent to this satisfying phenomenon - art restoration. And watching it happen in real time is even more amazing than seeing a car or slab of concrete become pristine again.
Look at this oily mess get clean right before your eyes. The years just peel away.
Such a difference.
2/2 ....still a way to go, but what a transformation! pic.twitter.com/nyGx3qdhOZ
— Philip Mould (@philipmould) November 6, 2017People are already clamoring for live streams of this kind of work.
I’d watch the heck out of an art restoration stream https://t.co/CNIYJEq2iy
— Lily Nishita (@lilynishita) November 6, 2017While others used the video as a chance to make memes.
me taking my makeup off to reveal another masterpiece https://t.co/tfBcfVrDcs
— billy🥀 (@oraltwjnk) November 6, 2017They can safely restore a painting from 200 years ago to brand new but they somehow can’t make the glass on an iPhone not break?? https://t.co/1bOwDooOAo
— Landon (@thetangay) November 6, 2017Others are just amazed by the process behind restoring the painting and not having it turn out like the infamous Jesus fiasco.
Me too. You can't help but think of this... https://t.co/eQMYMdZzE1
— Helen Grieve (@grieve51166) November 7, 2017How is this accomplished without damaging the painting beneath? This is amazing to watch! Would love to see a time lapse!
— YarnGeek (@YarnGeek) November 6, 2017There is a whole lot of modern chem involved. You can see test squares already done, checking to see the solvents got the varnish-
— Julie of Themyscira (@SamuraiKnitter) November 6, 2017- and not the paint. And even then, whoever that was had a crapload of experience with exactly how hard to press, etc.
— Julie of Themyscira (@SamuraiKnitter) November 6, 2017The varnish yellows with age, effects of smoke from candles, dirt, daylight etc.
— Nichola Jeans (@NicholaJeans) November 6, 2017The video was so mesmerizing it made some people rethink their careers.
This looks so satisfying I think I need to do it for a living https://t.co/avrRCaFkJw
— Anita Singh (@anitathetweeter) November 6, 2017And this guy had the same exact thought I did.
Like jet washing a patio.
— John Mackin 🇪🇸 (@mackin_john) November 6, 2017The restoration was simply magical.
Amazing Philip, she is looking stunning! Her skin tone and the earring are magnificent. What a transformation!
— David Hudson (@BrummieDavid) November 6, 2017ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKyimrultc2gZmtoYWx8cn2OaW5okoaXgLK9jpqprWWUmq6tsdFmrZqqnp7AqQ%3D%3D