At some point in time, every painting will benefit from cleaning because yellowed varnish and accumulated environmental residues like cigarette smoke and grime obscure the true colors of the paint beneath it.  Cleaning removes yellowed varnish, dirt and grime and reveals the painting as the artist originally intended it.

Every painting's unique history, as well as specific materials used by the artist, require careful selection of a cleaning agent.  The key is to use a cleaning agent that is strong enough to remove surface grime and old varnish, without altering the paint layer.  The restorer may evaluate organic solvents, often in unique mixtures, alkaline emulsions, and special enzyme solutions to find the proper cleaning agents to safely remove unwanted layers without damaging the paint layer below.  

    When the canvas of a painting deteriorates to the point that it is weak, cracked or brittle, cleaning can not be performed until the canvas is stabilized.  This is accomplished by melding the entire canvas to a fresh fabric support.  The process is called lining the painting.  The two-layer whole is then reattached to the wooden stretcher. 

At Middleway, a traditional, all-natural compound is used to line old canvas.  It is compatible with essentially any painting.  The term all-natural is appropriate because all the components of the adhesive come from biological (non-animal) sources.  This type of adhesive can easily be removed if desired and so the process is reversible.  In contrast, synthetic adhesives have a history of being difficult to remove without damaging the paint layer, and are therefore irreversible.  Reversibility of any restoration process is an important principle that a responsible restorer holds above all else.

Tears and holes are usually repaired by attaching a small piece of fresh fabric behind the damaged canvas with the same all-natural compound used for lining.  If there are numerous holes or tears, it may be necessary to line the entire painting.  The damaged area is then retouched to render the damage invisible.  Retouching is done in such a way that the fresh paint can be removed if desired.