Handbook of Young Artists and Amateurs in Oilpainting; Being Chiefly a Condensed Compilation From the Celebrated Manual of Bouvier, With Additional ... Distinguished Continental Writers in the

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1849. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. THE METHODS FOR REMOVING A MASTIC-VARNISH, WHEN NECESSARY. When the varnish of a picture has become embrowned, obscured, or fouled to such a degree as greatly to injure its effect, it becomes desirable to remove it and replace it with another. We say to such a degree as Greatly to injure its effect, because commonsense dictates that it is better to put up with a slight disadvantage than to run the risk of incurring others that are very considerable, and we hold it to be always the case that a picture is exposed by this operation to more or less hazard, no matter how it may be conducted. In this we are sustained by the most judicious writers on the subject, and we are only surprised that Bouvier should not have given a similar caution, the more so that De Burtin, whom he had evidently consulted, expressly urges it. In the first place, it is almost impossible that the motion given in the operation to the cloth, which is the ordinary subjectile, should not in some degree, though it may be so slight as to be at first imperceptible, disturb the cohesion of the colors; and thus, on a repetition of the process, we have cracks, a serious evil in more respects than one. Then, many delicate touches and retouches are liable to be removed, especially if, as is sometimes the case, the latter have been combined with the varnish. More than this, should the varnish have been applied before the picture was thoroughly dry, the dissolved resin will have probably incorporated itself with the solid color, and the removing of the one will sweep away the other; a woful accident! of which an instance lately fell under the writer's own observation. It is certainly always better when a picture is not cracked, especially if it be a modern one, which is seldom painted on any b...