We welcome questions about painting restoration following a fire. Our experts can work alongside insurance companies and offer assistance during this difficult time.
Fire Damaged Painting Restoration
Fire may cause extreme damage to a painting. This may appear to be beyond help, but our conservators are often able to save severe cases caused by smoke and high temperatures.
Our conservation team is able to restore many issues facing a painting following a fire. Whether this is caused by a candle, electrical fault or forest fire, we can step in to save artworks from disaster.
Using specialist methods, we can restore the following damage:
- Smoke staining
- Thick soot deposits
- Cracked and flaking paint
- Tears and punctures
- Fire damaged frames
- Charred and lost areas
- Failing stretcher bars
- Loose and warped canvas
If you have concerns about a fire damaged painting, please reach out to our experts to discuss the possibilities. It is always worth exploring restoration to save treasured paintings from complete loss.
Historic smoke damage
Many historic paintings have been kept in rooms with open fireplaces, candles and airborne contaminants such as nicotine.
This heavy staining can go beyond the surface and disturb the varnish layer, hiding what was once a bright and attractive artwork for hundreds of years.
We can restore smoke damage, returning the original colours of an artwork. This treatment will allow you to see a painting as the artist intended, removing centuries of contamination. You can find out more about historic painting restoration here.
Secondary water damage
When flames are extinguished, water can disturb a painting. White marks may form across the surface, this is known as blanching and occurs when moisture is trapped under the varnish layer.
Although this can sometimes appear as if the painting has been wash away, it is likely to be hiding beneath the cloudy appearance.
We can also restore mould growth and other factors that may occur when an artwork is left in humid conditions. You can find out more about the restoration of water damaged paintings here.
