This colorful lithograph, L’Espoir du Volubius, by Alexander Calder (1989 – 1976) suffered from staining, fungal invasions, and creases that were dangerously close to becoming tears. Water baths and a chemical bath allowed us to treat the stains, fungus, and the problematic spots that were on the reverse. They also left the paper wet and swollen. With a burnisher we were then able to softly nudge the paper fibers, where the creases had formed, backed into a flat and uniform surface.

Alexander Calder (1898 – 1976) was best known for his kinetic abstract mobiles. He also did floor pieces, was a painter in watercolor, oil and gouache, did etchings and serigraphs, and made jewelry and tapestries as well designed theater stage settings and architectural interiors. His art reflects his reputation of being an amicable person who continually searched for fun and humor in his surroundings. Highly independent, he kept his distance from luxuries, and instead strove to be rich in creativity. His last words, “I’ll do it myself,” seem to sum up his valiant approach toward life. And yet, in the art world his reception has wavered through the years, as staunch critics have not always found serious value in his bright and playful color choices. One could say Calder’s fault was that he was a forerunner for new artistic styles like pop art, sound, multimedia art, and installations, and that he was not part of the slack-water where it’s easier to make judgements as the artistic landscapes are less fluid. But with the acceptance of these art styles, the Calder stock has since risen. Of course, the artwork remains the same. Britannica writer, Lynne Warren, captures his return to prominence, and also add great praise, with her concluding comment: “the reevaluations by 21st-century artists and art historians place his achievements in the highest echelons of art.”

Restoration is complete on a few of the Olendorf (1924-1996) sketches. We wanted to share how superb, masterly, and how fascinated we are with them. The first is of Saint-Tropez, a French Riviera location known to be popular with artists and tourists. Here Olendorf has captured a flat, confrontational scene where the apartment buildings stunt the view. Its his pen strokes, all the intricate roof-lines and shutter-lines, done quickly but with such ease that he’s able to add intricate detail without overloading the top-half of the picture. Overall, the lines sort of “arrest” the viewer and in-prison them within the scene, which we believe to be one of the mimetic qualities that Olendorf was going for.

The next two sketches are of Parisian streets, and are wonders at depth perception, lively detail, and showing Olendorf’s command of the monumental Beaux-Arts architecture. Again, his spontaneous pen strokes made it possible for him to add a great amount of detail without overbearing the eye, what would have happened if he had used a ruler. And the people and cars, the snapshot of Parisian life that he’s able to capture in a sketch. Vive la France!

We always come away impressed after looking at these sketches, and are very glad that by treating for mold and transferences, we were able to help clean and preserve these works which will hopefully last as long as the locations they depict.