The oldest oils-on-paper that I have seen were about 150-200 years old. They all
seemed quite stable to me. On the other hand, I have seen 50 year old painting on
traditionally grounded canvas supports (glue gesso) that have utterly failed. I
would not say that oil-on-paper, paperboard or cardboard are any less stable than
tradition paintings on canvas.
In fact, if you think about it, good paper is far more stable than stretched
canvas, grounded with chalk (traditional style), primed with modern materials or
unprimed.
Paintings conservators may find treating "paint structures" that have failed,
which are on paper harder to treat because they aren't as malleable as paint on
canvas, but I would not call them inherently less stable.
I have treated about 3, maybe 5, paintings on paper or cardboard. Most had
flaking paint that need to be set down. Although I haven't worked
shoulder-to-shoulder with paintings conservators for 20-25 years, this seems a
very common condition for all paintings, on any type of structure, excluding
treated paintings remounted onto an aluminum panel.
I co-wrote a short paper on this topic: Haner, P., Rankin, R. Q. & Vitale, T. J.
Painting on Paper: A Dialogue in Five Case Histories. AIC Meeting Preprints, May
1980. pp 26-38.
Tim Vitale
Paper, Photographs &
Electronic Media Conservator
Film Migration (still) to Digital Format
Digital Imaging & Artwork Facsimiles
Preservation & Imaging Consulting
Preservation Associates
1500 Park Avenue
Suite 132
Emeryville, CA 94608
510-594-8277
510-594-8799 fax
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Albumen website (2001) http://albumen.stanford.edu/
VideoPreservation Website (2007) http://videopreservation.stanford.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Jim Meeks
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 1:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Longevity of Oil Paintings on Paper or Board
I have a few conservation questions regarding oil paintings on paper or board. It
is my understanding that an oil painting on unprimed paper or board is likely to
deteriorate faster than on the same material that has been primed. Is that true
and are there any telltale signs to look for? Is one material better than the
other in regards to longevity?
The other question is, what would constitute as an appropriate primer or ground?
Gesso, a sizing of some kind or another? If sizing of some kind is used, is there
an easy way to identify it?
If the paper or board has then been attached to another substrate, is that going
to be of any benefit?
Thanks.
Jim Meeks
Chief Preparator/Photographer
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center
415 Couch Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 278-8216
(405) 236-3122, fax
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