The painting is a fine portrait of a lady from antebellum Philadelphia. The image is lovely but very dark, and the canvas needs attention. Sadly someone was here before and their selection of restoration materials and techniques was uninformed. Their motivations are unclear and worse yet, what they did is now irreversible. The unaltered portions of the painting are cleaning as they should to remove the discolored layers, but the orange paint that was applied on top of the lady’s neck and chest are impenetrable and fused forever to the original. My work has become much more difficult and the resulting costs are climbing higher.

I am often asked, “Will restoration reduce the value of my painting?” The short answer is, “It depends on who does the work.” This painting has been irreparably damaged by someone’s good intentions. Careful quality restoration will enhance value. Always consult with a professional conservator first, never cut corners or try it yourself.