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    Paintings, wall paintings and decorative schemes

    Paint abounds in different forms and on a variety of surfaces. Whether on canvas, on wooden panels or on copper, individual paintings constitute an important element in the appearance of a room.

    Successive paint layers on woodwork and walls can reveal a fascinating record of changes in fashion and taste. Preserving and interpreting this evidence demands of the conservator a wide range of practical, analytical and scholarly expertise.

    Natural resin varnishes discolour when they are exposed to light and ultraviolet radiation. The yellowing of the resin alters the tonal values of paintings and distorts the appearance of the colours in them. The old varnish is carefully removed during some conservation treatments.

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    The Carved Room at Petworth with the four paintings by Turner restored to the panelling, looking North. The carvings are mostly Grinling Gibbons. Henry VIII portrait hangs over fireplace.
    © NTPL / Bill Batten
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