Cleaning of Paintings

The Conservation Institute also maintained a non-training activity in this area with its Gels Cleaning Research project. The objective of this research was to answer important questions regarding the use of solvent-based gels as cleaning systems for surfaces.

A 1987 workshop on the care and treatment of paintings using new materials and methods for cleaning focused on the removal of varnishes and cleaning methods using enzymes, soaps, and gels. Later courses provided an overview of new materials and techniques that could be used to augment traditional approaches to cleaning paintings.

A 1989 course familiarized participants with procedures utilizing cross sections, fluorescent dyes, selective filters, and polarizing microscopes for the identification of materials found in easel paintings. The course also included a demonstration of the use of enzymes, soaps, and gels to remove varnishes and clean paintings.