Conservation Project -- Edouard Detaille Vive l'Emprereur

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Stretching the painting

A specifically designed new wooden stretcher was made for the painting. It was removed from the lateral tension frame and carefully fitted to its new auxiliary support. Once centred, the process of attachment began by systematically tensioning and stapling the tacking margins of each side of the painting. Small sections at a time were worked on by hand to ensure that maximum tension was achieved and the canvas took on an even plane.

Cleaning and varnishing

With the structural treatment of Vive l'Empereur completed, the painting was surface-cleaned and an isolating layer of varnish applied. In addition to having a protective purpose, the synthetic coating serves to saturate the paint and improves the gloss of the surface. It is also the final stage of preparation to the surface before the 'cosmetic' phase of treatment is begun. The varnish acts as an isolating barrier, permitting the removal of future fills and retouching, if necessary, without affecting the original paint surface.

Varnishing was the final step before the painting could be moved back to Sydney for completion inside the Art Gallery of New South Wales in public view.

Arrival at the Gallery

The painting was rolled on its forma again for transport back from Canberra to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and upon arrival at Art Gallery was moved immediately into its new space.

The painting was rolled out, reattached to its stretcher and erected on a large easel in Court 11 of the old wing. Conservation treatments will now concentrate on addressing the visual elements of the painting that were disturbed by the flood, namely the loss of information suffered with paint damage. The processes of filling and retouching will be open to public view every weekday.