Gouache

I have a problem with the treatment of a mid-20th century
painting--apparently gouache on canvas.  The paint is applied like
oil paint, that is, in rather thick layers, with substantial
impasto.  One color area (the blacks) has traction crackle, while
the browns all have cracking, with paint that is curled up and
flaking off.  The main problem is the difficulty in softening the
very stiff curled-up paint enough to lay it down.  Solvents do not
soften it at all, and water more or less turns it to mush.  Heat is
necessary, but cannot be applied locally with a tacking iron because
there is too much impasto.  My question is whether something nasty
is likely to happen if I put it on a vacuum hot table with a
temperature of perhaps 140-160 degrees F.

In addition, of course, if anyone has had experience with a problem
like this, please feel free to contact me with suggestions.

Barbara Appelbaum
Appelbaum and Himmelstein
444 Central Park West
New York NY 10025
212-666-4630
Fax: 212-316-1039


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:30
                 Distributed: Monday, January 10, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-18-30-006
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