Oil painting on plywood

Lalit Kumar <renukalk [at] wilnetonline__net> writes

>An oil painting on ply wood has developed large fissures in the top
>layer. The fissures are running vertically and horizontally at three
>places. ...

I would like to add my voice to the advise given by Maartje Witlox
regarding transfer of the painting on plywood in question. In fact,
I would go one step further and would suggest in the strongest
possible terms that transfer should only be considered as a last
resort. Such defects are common in paintings on plywood. If the
fissures reported are not accompanied by structural deterioration
that would threaten the integrity of the panel, I would highly
recommend resolving them locally, consolidating the paint, ground
and wood appropriately and compensating for losses/gaps by filling
and inpainting.

The defects reported may be (and sound) minor compared to the damage
likely to be sustained during transfer. Avoid this course of action
if at all possible. As Maartje argued for the preservation of the
ground, one must similarly consider the support as an integral part
of the painting. It is not just an image. It is a painted artifact,
every aspect of which may contain important cultural/historical
information. The original support should not be discarded without
very compelling reasons. Especially when that removal poses a great
risk to the painting itself.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:57
                  Distributed: Wednesday, June 8, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-18-57-009
                                  ***