Painting conservation services 

At Julia Nagle Conservation Limited we carry out all aspects of painting conservation and restoration from condition checking to reconstructing missing areas of paintings.  We restore and conserve paintings and polychrome sculptures on canvas wood and metal.  We conserve and restore easel paintings of all ages and in many different materials, including egg tempera, oil paint, acrylics and modern paintings in mixed media. 

Works of Art on paper, such as prints and watercolours, should be restored by a specialist paper conservator.  We recommend Graham Bignell.

We have a frame conservator who works on site and access to excellent, museum standard framers and technicians who can make new frames and vitrines, to protect and enhance your artworks.  We pride ourselves on being lively and responsive, and are willing and able to take on large assignments at short notice where required. Based in East London, we are happy to travel; we provide conservation services to galleries and private collectors in the UK and internationally.

Condition surveys and reports

Condition reports include images and descriptions of artworks and are used to monitor collections, for paintings and sculptures going on loan to exhibitions, for indemnity purposes, and to identify the conservation needs of individual artworks.  

We often check paintings on sale at auction houses for buyers abroad or those who want expert advice before investing, detailed digital images are are provided online.  

Julia Nagle is the painting conservator responsible for condition checking and, where necessary treating, paintings on loan to the Serpentine Gallery in London and to the National Gallery of Australia amongst others.

“Dear Julia,

Thank you so much for your report, excellent pictures, and most helpful comments - and for doing it all at the eleventh hour. We are not going to bid for ...  and I am now confident that we have been saved from certain disappointment. I will continue to look for a ...  painting at auction, and will most likely be requesting your advice on other occasions.”

Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand 2009.

Fine Art courier services

Where works of art are very delicate or especially valuable courier services can be provided.  We are Tate-trained couriers and experienced in escorting artworks abroad.  

We have taken large format paintings across continents on freight planes and Julia is the conservator and courier for paintings being transported by Constantine art removal company.  

Packing is checked, paintings are condition-checked before travel and again on arrival.  Couriers remain with the artwork until it is safely hung and lit with correct lighting levels, only then signing over the responsibility for the painting to the borrower.

Structural treatments to paintings and polychrome sculptures

Structural treatments are wide-ranging.  All treatments are chosen with minimal intervention in mind, leaving the artwork in its original state as far as possible.  

Consolidation of flaking paint

Structural treatments include consolidation of flaking paint and priming on paintings and polychrome sculptures.  It is extremely important to treat lifting and flaking paint early as it can often be re adhered locally from the front, preventing further losses and the need for re lining in future.  It is one of the most important treatments undertaken to paintings before they are moved as vibration can worsen flaking and lead to losses.  

The most common adhesive we use for consolidation is sturgeon glue, this is close in its chemical make up to the original glue size layer in most paintings, therefore compatible with the original artist's materials and allows for future treatment with a wide range of different materials.  This is important as the sturgeon glue is introduced as a warm solution through cracks in the paint and priming layer and the process is not reversible.  

Where paintings are water or heat sensitive, therefore making this process inappropriate, we have a wide range of other conservation grade adhesives we can use.

We are experienced in the consolidation and protection of complex mixed media surfaces including those made by Anselm Kiefer and Damian Hirst.  We are used to consolidating very matte modern paint films, even when they are extremely under bound.

Tears in canvas supports

Tears are locally mended, thread by thread wherever applicable, and the addition of backboards and supportive reversible insert panels reduces the need for re lining.  

Strip lining (adding a strip around the tacking edge of a canvas) is often adequate as it is the tacking edge that wears away most quickly.  Where necessary re lining (reinforcing an original canvas by adhering a new canvas to the reverse of the painting) is undertaken at the studio.  

All lining materials are conservation-grade and remain reversible over time.

Splits and damages to panels

These are also often treated at the studio, although with larger and more complex works this type of treatment is sometimes delegated to a conservator specializing in structural panel work and armed with specialist equipment.  

We have successfully treated modern artworks on plywood and hardboard with extensive structural problems, including a contemporary work on plywood that split in two when it was laid on the floor and used as a gangplank by builders who did not recognise it as a painting!

Cleaning paintings  

The cleaning of paintings is divided into stages, surface dirt removal, varnish removal, and removal of old restorations.  This is often a very delicate and time-consuming process as is reflected in the cost, but where cleaning tests are carried out an accurate quote will be provided prior to any treatment being undertaken.  

It is essential that cleaning is carried out by a qualified conservator as paintings can be moisture-sensitive or prone to abrasion and severe damage can result from amateur attempts.  Unlike most other conservation treatments cleaning is not reversible!  

Cleaning estimates cannot be provided from photographs alone as paint surfaces vary enormously and solubility tests need to be conducted prior to removal of any material.

Many modern and contemporary paint surfaces are delicate and some cannot be cleaned. Simple preventive care such as wearing clean cotton or nitrile gloves when handling is strongly recommended.

Restoration of fine art

Filling and retouching losses with reversible and stable media

Losses are filled where necessary to bring them up to the same level as remaining paint layers, fills are then textured to match surrounding paint and sealed before retouching.  All retouching is done in a medium other than that of the original painting so as to allow for its removal at a later date if required.  

Photographs are always taken of the work prior to retouching and records kept of the original condition.  Retouching varies in style, it can be invisible or simple toning of losses but it is always confined to areas of damage and wear alone.  All retouching media are known to be stable, not discolouring, and remaining soluble in solvents that will not damage the original paint.

Conservation of large format paintings

Very large paintings can be accommodated at the London studio by prearrangement; sometimes large works are also treated in situ if this is safer for the painting, or more economical than transporting it.  

Re stretching can be done on site and polyester sailcloth loose linings are often added to provide extra support, as seen in the illustration on the left.

Conservation framing and frame conservation

We have an expert frame conservator in the studio who can recast mouldings, re gild and reframe works of art.  We also have a frame maker who is excellent at making modern frames, providing protection for modern and contemporary paintings without interrupting the viewer's enjoyment of the work.  

We can also recommend more traditional frame makers where desired, one of whom is also within the studio complex.

Preventive conservation of paintings and advice on aftercare

Wherever a painting is treated a report is provided with advice on hanging, lighting, transport and future care.  Preventive measures are recommended and provided.  

We recognise the need for better information on this subject and have given talks and demonstrations to art handlers on how to prevent damage such as marks from wrapping (see left), fingerprints, cracks, tears and dents.  

Most of the problems we deal with in relation to modern and contemporary paintings are easily and cheaply preventable.

Education in conservation and preventive care of fine art

We are passionate about what we do and keen to disseminate knowledge about conservation.  We are trained in presentation skills and have had excellent feedback from the many public talks and training programmes we have delivered to date.  

If you would like one of us to talk to you, your students, or colleagues about conservation and preventive care please do not hesitate to contact us.

Conservation services and advice for artists

We have advised artists on materials such as appropriate varnishes and provide a varnish spray service.  We often work closely with artists when treating their paintings and at times have called on them to retouch damages where they are impossible to restore ourselves in an ethical way.

We often answer artist's enquiries via e mail or over the phone and are always happy to help in any way we can.  Where we are not able to answer queries ourselves we can often recommend someone else who can help so please get in touch if you are seeking advice.

 “Hi Julia

I’m just letting you know that the owners of ... were delighted with your work. They loved the finish on the varnish so we were both happy in the end. I even persuaded them to put the frame back on so I was able to leave knowing that this was a job well done!

Thank you so much for your help with this. I found it fascinating and it was a delight to meet you.“

Insurance

Julia Nagle has £1,000,000 professional indemnity insurance enabling her to work freelance for public collections at Tate and the Serpentine Gallery, amongst others.  The studio is fully-insured and insurance for individual paintings can either be arranged by the owner or we are happy to extend our cover if desired.  All paintings must be insured while at the conservation studio and owners are required to sign a declaration to this effect.  

 If you have any queries please feel free to Contact us