Project Overview

Heritage recently restored an century-year-old oil painting by the German artist Fritz Wagner: 'The Reading of the Will' Check out our article below to see how this process works!

About the Restoration

'The Reading of the Will' was painted during the early twentieth century. It depicts a group of people reading a document inside of a home. The painting surface required cleaning to remove a layer of debris that had built up over time. The most imperative goal of the restoration was to match a hole in the upper right quarter of the canvas. A patch was applied to the rear of the painting. This created a surface on which matching oil paint could be applied to blend the patch with the rest of the scene's background. Due to age, several pinhole-sized discolorations covered portions of the painting. Each of these was touched-up with paint to restore the original clean look to the interior of the room. Special care was taken to remove the discolorations while preserving the intricate details of the persons, sailing ship, and objects created by Wanger. After the touchups dried, a final protective measure was taken. A coat of varnish was applied to the surface, creating both a layer of protection and a glossy sheen. After curing for a time, the painting was placed back into its frame and the restoration was completed.

Fine Art Appraisal by Becky Dalton

• Phone: 309-453-1586
• Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

View Our Work - The Reading of the Will