Anatomy of a Painting

Varnish and Retouching: The triptych panels were surfaced with a thin layer of synthetic resin varnish in the late 1950s. The scattered areas of retouching, largely along the edges, are executed in a synthetic resin medium.

Paint Layer: The paint layer is composed of dry pigments ground to a paste-like consistency in a drying oil (probably linseed).

Primer or Ground Layer: The ground layer of a painting isolates the paint from the canvas so the oil medium does not rot the linen fabric. The ground provides a non-absorptive surface on which the paint is applied. The ground layer on these three panels is bright white.

Primary Supports: All three panels of the triptych are executed on nubby, fairly textured, medium weight, plain weave canvas typical of linen fiber.

Strip or Edge Lining: To facilitate even attachment to new stretchers during an earlier restoration, strips of fabric were secured to the paintings tacking margins with a wax/resin adhesive. The strip-lined paintings were then attached to custom-made, spring expansion replacement stretchers.

Auxiliary Supports: The Beckmann auxiliary supports are expandable redwood frameworks on which the strip-lined original canvases were stretched and secured with staples along the edges. Cross braces are constructed of aluminum and redwood. The present stretchers are earlier replacements of the original stretchers.

Condition Report

Support Construction: All three panels of the triptych are executed on nubby, fairly textured, medium weight, plain weave canvas typical of linen fiber.

The three canvases are strip lined with medium weight linen-type fabric adhered to the tacking margins with poly vinyl acetate emulsion adhesive, as reported by Richard Buck (Intermuseum Conservation Association, ICA) in a 1958 condition survey card. During this examination, the strip lining and adhesive were inspected; the adhesive is more typical of a wax/resin than an emulsified synthetic resin.

Tacking margins are intact at all sides of each of the panels. The paintings are not lined overall.

The strip lined canvases are attached with staples to multi-member, ICA style redwood, spring expansion stretchers; the outer, redwood members are 3 ½” wide. The central panel stretcher is fitted with three aluminum cross braces; the left and right have one aluminum cross brace running in the horizontal direction.

Black, self-adhesive fabric tape has been applied to all edges of the stretchers. The tape extends onto the surface of the painting by approximately ¼” as well as onto the reverse of the stretcher.
Each panel is fitted with a backing board secured with screws and screw washers.

Condition: The replacement stretchers are in good, structural condition. All three stretchers are over-expanded, yet more than adequate to support paintings of this size and weight.

Overall, the three canvases are in plane, free of major deformations and under adequate tension. The right panel is very slightly dished, but is free of deformations.

On the central panel, there is a slight bulge in the canvas located above and right of the lower left corner. There are slight bulges and deformations at the lower edge near center. Like the left panel, the right is very slightly slack on the stretcher and free of deformations such as corner draws, bulges, or ripples.

The bulges and deformations at the lower edge of the central panel may be related to the strip lining or the localized failure of the adhesive.

The black self-adhesive fabric tape on the edges of the paintings is highly degraded. The adhesive has cross linked, deteriorated to white powder and is delaminated in numerous areas, particularly noticeable on the face of the paintings. When removed, adhesive and remnants of the black tape remain on the edges of the painting, the tacking margins, and the reverse of the stretcher. In addition, the black tape is visible from the face of the painting where frame rebates do not cover the edging material.

The present backing boards are thick cardboard which are degraded, brittle, dirty, and warped.

Paint and Ground Layers

Construction: All three canvases are primed with a ground layer of medium thickness, bright white in color. With tacking margins and the edges of the paintings covered, it is difficult to determine if the canvas is a pre-primed commercial product or artist prepared. The ground layer does not mask the nubby, moderately textured linen canvases.

The design layers are characteristic of an oil bound medium of a moderate to lean mixture. The paint has been applied fairly heavily with localized areas of texture and low to moderate impasto.

Condition: There are conditions common to all three panels of the triptych. Along all edges of the paintings, there are varying degrees of mechanical cracks with associated cupping, some insecurity, and small scattered losses. Most of the cracks are located near the edges with some localized areas extending into the paintings by several inches.

The cracks were not noted on the ICA condition survey card during visits in 1958, 1960, and 1966, but first observed and recorded in 1967. This may suggesting the mechanical cracks resulted from and developed after the strip lining process.

Mechanical cracks are present at most of the corners of the three canvases. The cracks are most probably associated with corner draws and dishing at the corners from the lack of proper tension in the canvases.

Left Triptych Panel: As noted, most of the condition problems are located along the edges of the painting. The corners exhibit mechanical cracks typical of planar deformations such as draws and dishing. The paint/ground at the top right and left corners are most strongly cracked, cupped, with fragile, lifting paint. The mechanical cracks are very fine and closely spaced.

At the top edge near the upper right corner, there is a series of broadly spaced cracks. At top center, there are very fine mechanical cracks with scattered flaking. Along the right edge, there are areas of mechanical or age cracks; these appear sound.

The most serious cracks, cupping, and insecurity are located along the left edge. The largest area of cracks is located 20” below the upper left corner in an area 19” and up to 2 ½” in width. Along the bottom edge, there are mechanical cracks with some cupping.

Traction or mechanical cracks are located at horizontal center. There are scattered, minor crack in the body of the painting. Many of the mechanical, traction, or age cracks are cupped, revealing the bright white ground layer.

Center Triptych Panel: The central panel of the triptych is in the best condition of the three panels. The black fabric tape along the edges appears to cover some sections of white ground layer, particularly at the center of the right edge. The original strainer or stretcher may have been bowed or warped; when the painting was attached to a square replacement stretcher, the ground layer in the tacking margin was brought to the face of the painting.

As noted, there are deformations in the canvas at the center bottom edge of the painting. Some small losses are present at the bulges.

At the lower left corner, raw canvas is exposed with associated fragile paint/ground layers. The canvas is frayed and worn with associated fragile paint. This, too, may be the result of squaring the canvas during attachment to the replacement stretcher.

There are limited mechanical cracks along the edges of the central panel as compared to the flanking canvases. There are several small losses along the edges.

There is a loss or deep abrasion on the breast of the female figure at center in the upper portion of the painting. An area of loss is located on the blue dress of the female figure in the right half of the painting. In addition, there are minor, small losses and abrasions in the paint layer.

Right Triptych Panel: There are mechanical cracks present along all edges, most seriously at the right edge. There are cracks with some associated cupping and lifting located 11 ½” above the lower left corner and fragile, cupping paint/ground layers 19 ½” below the upper right corner.

At all corners, there are very fine mechanical cracks with some lifting and tiny losses in the paint/ground layer.

Along the top edge, 6” right of the upper left corner, mechanical cracks have associated cupping, lifting, and small losses. The area is fragile.

Surface Layers

Construction and Condition: In Richard Buck’s 1958 condition survey card, he notes the triptych was, “light spray n-butyl methacrylate”, indicating a spray application of a commonly used synthetic resin in the 1940s and 1950s. Known then as Lucite® 44 (and now as Elvacite® 2044), the resin was later proved to crosslink and become increasingly insoluble with aging and exposure to light, thus inappropriate for use as a picture varnish.

During this examination, the surface layers were tested with both aqueous and light hydrocarbons. Only a light layer of dirt/grime was found to be present. Any synthetic resin, possibly n-butyl methacrylate varnish, was not soluble.

The varnish is very thin and not discolored. The surface of the painting exhibits a range of surface gloss qualities from matte to soft, semi-gloss areas. Overall, the painting does not appear varnished.
Along the edges the central and right panels, there are scattered depositions of the adhesive used to attach the strip lining on the surface of the painting. The adhesive is embedded into the paint layers. The adhesive is deep yellow in color, brittle, yet thermoplastic when heated, strongly indicating a wax/resin mixture rather than an emulsified poly vinyl acetate adhesive.

There are scattered, small fills and retouching in the paintings, chiefly along the edges.

Recommendations: Max Beckmann’s Blind Man’s Buff has a complicated conservation treatment history. It appears the painting panels were treated in the mid-1950. Unfortunately, no treatment records or history are available at this time.

The three, individual paintings were removed from their strainers or stretchers, strip lined, and attached to spring expansion replacement stretchers. The painting were probably cleaned and, possibly, surfaced with an early class of synthetic resin varnish. The mechanical cracking along the edges of all three triptych panels can probably be attributed to the structural aspect of the treatment. According the condition card notations, no cracking, lifting, and flaking were present until some years after the strip lining.

The goal of this proposed treatment is to stabilize the paint and ground layers where mechanical, age, and traction cracks have cupped, cleaved, flaked, or become fragile and unstable.

The first step in treatment will be the photodocumentation of the three panels. Photography will be done in high resolution digital format, including normal and raking lighting conditions; documentation of the front and reverse of each panel; ultraviolet light illumination; and, infrared reflectography photography. Photodocumentation will be done before, during and after treatment as well as in-process.

Areas of insecure paint and ground will be locally consolidated with a stable, thermoplastic synthetic resin adhesive applied with the aid of a binocular microscope. Lifting or insecure areas of paint/ground will be set-down with locally applied moderate heat or heated air.

The highly degraded black fabric self-adhesive tape will be removed from the edges of the paintings. There is considerable cross linked, degraded adhesive remaining on the surface once the tape is removed. Adhesive will be removed from the paint layer and reduced along the tacking margins and reverse of the replacement stretchers. During the tape removal, some additional consolidation may be necessary. Once the tape is removed, the tacking margins and the strip lining will be carefully examined for structural integrity. The strip lining will be locally repaired, as necessary.

The reverse of the three canvases and stretchers will be cleaned of dirt, dust, and debris with dry cleaning. As needed, tension on the paintings will be adjusted.

The excess strip lining adhesive which is embedded in the paint layer will be reduced or removed. Surface dirt, dust, and debris will be removed or reduced form the paint layers using dry cleaning techniques.

Losses will be filled with a stable material and dressed to match surrounding, original paint texture. Losses, scratches, and abrasion will be toned or inpainted using a stable, non-discoloring synthetic medium. Care will be taken to match original color and surface gloss quality.

The degraded, brittle backing boards will be replaced. The frame rebates will be felted to prevent abrasion to the paint and ground layers. The painting will be reframed and returned to the museum. Finally, a detailed Report on Treatment will be prepared.

Proposal for Treatment

1. Examine triptych panels, write Report on Condition and Proposal for Treatment.
2. Photodocument the triptych in high resolution digital format before, during, and after treatment.
3. Locally consolidate mechanical cracks, areas of cupping, structurally insecure areas of the paint and ground layer using a stable, synthetic resin adhesive; set-down lifted and insecure paint using locally applied, moderate heat or heated air; remove excess consolidating adhesive from paint surfaces.
4. Remove black fabric self adhesive tape from edges of the three panels; locally consolidate
5. paint/ground along edges, as needed, during tape removal.
6. Examine tacking margins and strip linings for structural integrity; repair insecure strip lining, as
7. necessary.
8. Dry clean reverse of canvases and reverse of stretchers; properly tension canvases.
9. Reduce dirt, dust, and debris from paint layer with dry cleaning.
10. Fill losses; tone or inpaint losses, small scratches, abrasion and tone the most distracting cracks
11. using a stable, non-discoloring synthetic resin medium.
12. Replace backing boards; install felt in frame rebates to prevent abrasion; properly secure painting in frames; write detailed Report on Treatment.

Conservator: Joan Gorman
Proposal Date: 11/9/12
Client: Minneapolis Institute of Art
Project No.: 13.1013.62
The undersigned authorizes and directs the Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC) to perform the treatment outlined above and specifically authorizes the commencement of work as written in the Proposal for Treatment and further consents for MACC to take such action as MACC deems appropriate in connection with the treatment, subject to all terms and conditions appearing on the Deposit Terms and Conditions document which are expressly incorporated into this agreement. The undersigned also warrants: (i) that the undersigned is the sole owner or agent of the item described above; (ii) that he or she has full authority to deliver the item to MACC for the treatment proposed above; (iii) the proposed treatment is for the benefit of the item described above, and that (iv) the item is insured by the depositing institution or owner against any and all losses. In addition, if the undersigned is not the owner, the undersigned warrants that s/he/it has authority to authorize MACC to commence work and bind the owner, or applicable party, to pay MACC for services rendered and to be rendered. The depositing institution or owner agrees to pay the costs of all conservation not exceeding the above estimated cost by more than ten percent (10%) without the express written approval of the depositing institution or owner, and hereby grants MACC a lien on the item to secure payment of such charges. The depositing institution or owner hereby grants release to MACC of all claims to make or use images of the item for archival, educational, website or any other publications. All transportation and insurance costs are the responsibility of the owner or agent of the item.
Owned By: Minneapolis Institute of Art

Glossary of Terms and Suggested Further Reading

Cleaning: The process of removing or reducing dirt and/or discolored varnish from the painting surface. Cleaning is an irreversible treatment and one of the most demanding tasks of painting conservation.

Conservation: The discipline of treatment, preventive care, and research to ensure long-term safekeeping of cultural and natural heritage. Related to Preservation and Restoration.

Fill/Filling: Material (such as gesso, wax or spackle) used to replace lost paint and ground so the area of loss becomes level with surrounding paint.

Gesso: Traditionally a lean layer of animal glue and chalk and/or lead applied to the painting support, such as canvas, to form a smooth white ground on which to paint.

Ground: The material applied to a painting support, such as canvas, in order to prepare it for painting, similar to primer. Different types of grounds can be loosely associated with different time periods and schools of painting.

Impasto: The texture created in the paint surface by the movement of the brush. Impasto usually implies thick, heavy brushwork, but the term also refers to the crisp, delicate texture found in smoother paint surfaces.

Inpainting: The introduction of new paint into areas of loss in the original paint layer in order to restore design continuity. Similar to overpainting, where additions partially or wholly cover areas of original paint.

Lifting: Separation of the paint layer from the substrate (ground or canvas in this case), often resulting in distortion or loss of paint.

Lining; A new piece of fabric attached to the reverse side of a canvas painting, providing additional support for the picture.

Loss: A localized area of artist’s material that is missing, perhaps causing a disruption in the design.

Overpainting: Paint applied to a painting over already dry areas. Sometimes used to include the original artist’s glazes and scumbles; sometimes, especially in conservation, used to mean only later restorers’ work. Similar to inpainting, which only fills in lost areas without covering original paint.

Preservation: Actions taken to prevent further changes or deterioration in objects, sites, or structures. Related to conservation and restoration.

Raking light: The placement of a light source to one side of the painting at a low angle to the surface, so the light glances across the painting. This examination process reveals surface distortions, such as raised, insecure paint or undulations in the canvas.

Restoration: The term used for the process of making changes to an object or structure so that it will closely approximate its state at a specific time in its history. Related to conservation and preservation.

Retouching/Inpainting: The work done by a restorer to replace areas of loss or damage in a painting. Contemporary conservation ethics dictate retouching or inpainting must be confined to the specific area of loss, and materials used must be detectable and reversible by a conservator.

Stretcher: An expandable wooden framework that supports and maintains the tautness of a piece of canvas. Stretcher designs have been modified throughout the centuries.

Transmitted light: The placement of a light source behind the painting. With this technique, light is transmitted through cracks, tears, paint losses, and thinly painted areas, thereby differentiating them from more heavily painted areas.

Ultraviolet: Ultraviolet (UV) illumination is used as a scientific aid in the examination of paintings. Because different painting materials exhibit characteristic fluorescent colors when exposed to ultraviolet light, UV illumination can be used to identify areas of retouching and to determine different types of varnish.

Underdrawing: A preparatory drawing directly on a ground, which is subsequently covered with paint. Such drawings are often executed with charcoal, chalk, pencil, or paint and brush.

Varnish: A coating applied to the surface of the painting. Historically, varnish has been used to saturate and protect paint layers. Varnish is comprised of different materials such as natural resins (dammar, mastic) or, in recent times, synthetic resins.

X-radiography: An imaging technique that is very helpful in revealing changes that may have occurred during the different stages of the painting’s development. Pigments containing heavier metals absorb X-rays more than other pigments, and X-radiographs register these differences, revealing the artist’s composition changes as well as losses of original paint.

Suggested Reading

• Bomford, David. A Closer Look: Conservation of Paintings. London: National Gallery, 2009.
• Carr, Dawson W. and Mark Leonard. Looking at Paintings: A Guide to Technical Terms. Malibu, California: The J. Paul Getty Museum, 1992.
• Kessler, Charles S. Max Beckmann’s Triptychs. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1970.
• Kirsh, Andrea and Rustin S. Levenson. Seeing Through Paintings. New Haven, Connecticut, and London: Yale University Press, 2000.
• Max Beckmann: The Triptychs. [exhibition catalogue] Whitechapel Art Gallery in association with the Arts Council of Great Britain, 1980.