Conserved by Phoebe Ellis
About the Object
French chromolithographic print ‘Les Ages De L’Homme’
Print designed by Fridolin Leiber, who was the head of the lithographic studios for E G May and Sons 1853-1912.
Leiber was known for creating allegorical prints with a religious element as shown in this print with a depiction of Adam and Eve in the centre.
Print was produced in France between 1900-1925 and has an FR symbol printed in the right-hand corner.
Each layer of colour had been combined with different binders so that the different colour layers remained separate. This caused problems for the treatment of the print as the exact composition was unknown.
The treatment proposal was to remove the varnish which was discoloured and obscuring the print.
Conservation Treatment
Solvent cleaning was successful for removing the varnish layer on top of the sky section, but when this application began on other sections of the print the reaction caused the binder to dissolve and removed the varnish and colour underneath.
In discussion with the owner, it was decided to leave remaining varnish.
The frame was cleaned successfully, initially only bronze overpainting was removed showing a gold-like layer. Microscopic examination revealed this was not gilded and more cleaning with acetone removed this layer and exposed a thicker blue paint. After removing this blue layer, the original gilding was exposed, and decoration could be seen on the frame. Any missing physical areas were then filled and matched with acrylics.
The print and frame were taken apart showing that the original packing material was wallpaper.
The glass was cleaned of excess paint and the print was reframed with appropriate framing materials.
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