Painted Seascape | William Bradford

We were very honored to work on this beautifully painted seascape by well-known artist William Bradford last fall. It's one of the client's most treasured possessions, and even though layers of surface grime and yellowing varnish were obscuring the details, it was clear that this piece would be stunning once restored.

The painting before treatment - layers of grime and yellowed varnish have darkened it significantly.

Shockingly, as we were cleaning it, we discovered that an unknown restorer had previously attempted a cleaning - but had instead damaged the surface and then painted over the damage to hide it. How upsetting! Thankfully, this was not the first time we'd seen a sub-par "restoration" job, so we were well prepared for the challenge.

Restoration is in progress - you can see streaks where the old varnish has begun to come off, but there’s still a long way to go!

After removing all the grime, varnish, and over-painting, we smoothed out the areas where the surface had been damaged and restored the faded rigging lines. The end result is a much more vibrant, dynamic painting that truly showcases Bradford's mastery of light and composition.

The final product, with its vibrant color restored!

We hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into the restoration process, and remember: if you have a painting in need of restoration, always take it to a certified art conservator to ensure the work is done properly!