Lunar New Year 2022 Year of the Tiger. Paul Jouve (French 1880-1973) is known for his accurate depictions of African animals especially the big cats. The painting of three tigers stopping to drink from a pool of water was damaged in a fire.
Before removal of the soot. The soot has covered the entire surface.
Soot deposits are acid and eat into vulnerable surfaces, generating substantial damage if not removed in a timely manner. The fluffy characteristic of the soot deposits evolves into tenacious accretions which becomes increasingly more difficult to remove from the paint layer.
Close-up of an area with the gold embellishment to the surface, partial removal of the soot.
The removal treatment is performed with demanding methods that require the highest level of skill and an absolute mastery of techniques. Adding to the complexity of the surface was the combination of oil paint and gold. The soot was removed without compromising the paint layer.
Close-up of area showing partial removal of the soot, revealing the original painted surface.
The painting after the complete removal of the soot. As you can see the painting retained its artistic integrity.