Part 6 – Care of Egg Tempera Paintings
Since it is an organic
medium, mildew can be gently wiped off with a moist cloth, applying a little
physics to the genome of mold means it will disappear if the painting is placed
in the sun for a few minutes and gently vacuumed with a soft brush attachment.
Unlike oil, properly tempered egg and pigment will not develop the craquelure
of aging on the surface as seen in old oil paintings. Egg tempera colors are less likely to yellow
although certain varnishes will yellow on egg tempera as on oil. Egg tempera will also not fade as much as oil
as long as lightfast pigments are used just as with oil.
Sustainability of the Substrate
In a recent article on egg
tempera painting the author failed to mention that as important as the medium
is to the painting, so is the substrate on which the painting is painted. Proper preparation of the panels includes
applying hide glue, tempering of the paint (grinding the egg mixture with the
pigment) and the final curing all contribute to the longevity of an egg tempera
painting resulting in few if any problems.
The environment in which the painting exists must also be
considered. Will addressing these issues
completely protect a painting? Probably
not entirely, but they will greatly enhance the life of the painting. Consider
what had to be done to bring two Leonardo da Vinci oil paintings to this country
– Ginevra de’ Benci from
Liechtenstein and Mona Lisa from
France, both painted over 500 years ago.
Both had to adhere to elaborate environmental control procedures to
prevent damage. Ginevra de’ Benci was
the more difficult as it had resided in the same gallery of a castle in Liechtenstein
for centuries. The National Gallery in
Washington, D.C. had their handler place a special climate-controlled case on
the floor of the gallery in the castle directly below where the painting had
hung for centuries. The case was left
open for days to a week before the painting was carefully packed and the
controls set on the case. It was then
transported by air, but arrived on the east coast of the U.S. during a winter
blizzard. The plane was diverted which
set all the wheels in motion for the case could not be opened in customs. It was allowed to change to a new flight
undisturbed. When the painting arrived
in Washington, D.C. the case was placed on the floor of the gallery where the
painting would then reside and the controls were set to gradually adjust to the
climate of the painting’s new home before the case could be opened and the
painting hung in its new home.
Next Up, Part 7 – Conclusion: Techniques – Craft as much as Fine Art! (on June 18)
