When I was about 20, I began collecting vintage images of Venice, particularly antique photos. When I came across this badly damaged tapestry of Venice, $4 didn't seem much of a risk or gamble-- even in its world-weary state, I still love it. Plus it's a chance to try my hand at cleaning stains from an old textile.
Based on the spill/fade/soil patterns, I think this cloth was on a buffet or some horizontal surface, maybe with small objects displayed atop it, as there are less-soiled squares that might have been the bases of vases or candelabra. I did a bit of research, but most information was on cleaning, and not on removing extensive stains. These may be mildew, but they don't smell bad, so I think it's more likely something was spilled on the piece.
Sorry, but I should have taken a photo prior to spot cleaning. We shall see how this goes. The first real area of concentration was the dome area, (which I DID snap before cleaning) which was the worst staining on the piece. I soaked the piece with glycerin, waiting 30 minutes, then blotted the glycerin through with a damp cloth, frequently changing the cloth underneath. You can see on the under-cloth the progressive blottings. This part is a test, and if all goes well, I'll do this method from one end of the piece to the other, probably in stages. Hopefully this will yield brighter colors, as well.
3 comments:
Interesting project. How do you get the rest of the glycerin out? Hope you will give progress updates on the cleaning.
Since it's *old*, try contacting a museum with a restoration lab. See what they recommend as cleaning agents.
C-90
Hope it works!
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