Although the painting was well held by the new polyester strip lining, the polyester canvas was flexible and it was decided to try to provide greater stiffness and some gentle stretch by applying the Dutch paper tensioning technique. This would assist in stablising the canvas during moisture treatments to consolidate and flatten the cupped paint layers.

The painting was placed face up on the table and the canvas released from the loom. Wide strips of dampened paper were attached to the face of the strip linings at the edge of the original canvas with gummed paper tape. While still wet, the paper was wrapped around the loom and adhered to the loom members with more gummed paper tape. As the paper dried the paper shrank and gently tensioned the painting.

Painting with wet paper edges

After the paper had dried the polyester strip linings were reattached around the loom and stapled in place so that the painting was now held both by the paper and the canvas edges. This produced a well tensioned canvas.

Face of painting on loom with paper edges