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Conservation and Treatment of Oil Paintings
D. Distortion of original colour
The appearance of the colour of a painted image is subject to the condition of its varnish, old inpainting or retouch and the presence of surface dirt. Causes
Treatment The removal of the discoloured varnish and old retouches restores the original appearance of the painting. This treatment requires great sensitivity on the part of the conservator. Preliminary tests must be carried out to determine the solubilities of the varnish and original paint. Sometimes, grime or discoloured patches simply rest on the topmost surface of a painting; in such cases a conservator might lean the surface without removing the varnish. This can be done by aqueous means or by weak solvents.