This work by Johan Friedrich Ludwig (19th Century) had suffered a substantial tear, and two lesser ones. There was also mold growing in the paint film, and had unfortunately spread beyond the varnish; in our initial assessment we had hoped that  it was contained.

From the reverse all of the tears were sutured to provide minimal abrasions to the front. In-fill and in-paint were carried out on the front with original colors to conceal the areas. All active mold was taken care, which did leave some residue behind that could have only been removed if the paint film itself was removed. A sheet of aluminum backing was adhered to the stretcher bar to give maximum stability. The date of the painting is 1928, and its canvas was a lightweight material and had started to deteriorate. Careful cleaning lightened the color of the paint film, as well as the frame.