Pastor Livingston, I presume

Posted by millerfenwood in Frame Restoration, Works on Panel

This painting depicts John Henry Livingston, an American minister and fourth President of Queen’s College (now Rutgers University). Mr Livingston passed away in 1825, and judging by the materials used, this painting dates from that time. Currently, the wood panel is unstable and there are areas of loss in the paint film as well as considerable amounts of dirt particulates across the surface. The painting and its frame will be restored, and a cradle added to accommodate the painting within the frame.

Cleaning efforts have begun, and besides uncovering a heavy amount of contaminants, more surface damage has been discovered.

Along with being a pastor and a professor, Mr. Livingston also authored a few non-fiction books, and we like to think that possibly this portrait was staged with one of those works. Stay tuned for more…

John Henry Livingston was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. on May 30, 1746. He graduated from Yale and went on to study law, but abandoned it for the ministry. He graduated from the University of Utrecht, Holland, in 1767, and with the degree of D.D. in 1770 was invited to take charge of one of the Reformed Dutch churches in New York, and was ordained by the classis of Amsterdam on June 5, 1769.

Upon his return to New York City in September, 1769, he was made pastor of the Fulton Street Reformed Dutch church, and was instrumental in settling the dispute in the church between the Coetus and Conferentic parties. In 1784 he was appointed professor of theology for the church and later became president of Queen’s college, New Brunswick, N.J., and a professor of theology from 1807-25. He married Sarah, daughter of Philip and Christiana (Ten Broeck) Livingston.

His publications include: Funeral Service; or Meditations Adapted to Funeral Addresses (1812); and A Dissertation on the Marriage of a Man with his Sister-in-Law (1816).

He died in New Brunswick, NJ on Jan. 20, 1825.

In view of Dr. Livingston’s great efforts and achievements in the areas of theological education, church constitution, liturgy, psalms, missionary endeavor, and the unity of the church, as well as his great patriotism, he is still called “Father of the Dutch Reformed Church” in America.

Alabaster Bust by Lombardi

Posted by millerfenwood in 3-dimensional Work

This bust suffers from several dings and a detached section on the back at the area of the child’s bow. While there is dirt particulates across the surface, the strong discoloration is likely a product of the type of stone used which is alabaster.

The bust will be carefully cleaned and the detached part of the bow will be reattached. There is a wonderful display of delicate sculptor-work along the child’s blouse with an intricate design on the clothing, and the cleaning is helping to bring this out. The craftsmanship of the work continues to the bonnet and how it renders a realistic weight to the fabric.

Stay tuned for more…

Four Parchment Restorations

Posted by millerfenwood in Custom Frames, Works on Paper

Lengthy storage with non-archival means left these works on parchment with stains and creases. Cleaning was delicately carried out with both wet and dry treatments, before rounds of chemistry baths de-acidified the parchments, neutralizing the acids as well as lifting the stains. Some in-paint and repairs of tears was necessary. New archival 8-ply mat in American Marin mahogany frames with UV-filtering glass rounded out the restoration.