Agreed - ‘Appreciating a piece of art which is viewed only now and again, as in an art gallery or museum, is appreciated the more*.’*
I’m physically past walking around art galleries or museums so am stuck with digital reproductions. I have a vivid imagination, which helps.
There’s a parallel here isn’t there with hearing? Music can’t be enjoyed as much with gradual hearing impairment, discussed in another thread. But imagination and careful listening with eyes closed helps.
I pressed my silent mechanical self-winding watch up against my right ear then my left ear and heard nothing, but continued to listen, with eyes closed, until a distinct ringing of faint metallic ‘tinks’ came through. I’d like to say I could count them, but I’ve read that my watch beats at 4 ‘tinks’ a second – impossible to count!
There are always wheelchairs, spectacles and hearing aids, if needed, to appreciate as well as can be expected, both art and music!
Sad but true. Not unlike films, created for a big screen cinema and surround sound. But like Bonzocat
though still physically able and willing, I do not drive and both of us off far from our village to a museum for the day is not possible because of leaving the dogs for too long.
However, there is this for online wanders
And if you have better VR tech
All you further need, as Bonzocat says, is imagination!
For many years she had a place in Le Lavandou in the var. I went a couple of times and it was beautiful. She’s not a friend as such so we don’t keep in contact really so I’m not entirely sure whether she’s still there, and whether france is now her primary home, but it certainly always used to be her place for calm and quiet. She was a very different (better) person when she was there in my experience than anywhere else.
Hopefully this is the right thread to ask?
I’m looking for an expert @DrMarkH would you please share your knowledge?
I have a painting that I’d like to clean but really don’t know the correct way of doing it (I thought soapy water and a bit of natural sponge).
The painting is oil on artist board and may have been varnished. For most of its life it has been over an active fireplace, probably not the best place to hang paintings.
The artist Dennis F Harle, is from Sandwich in Kent and was a friend of my Father. Maybe @Wendy_Cooper-Wolfe & @Lily knew of him?
Here’s the painting
Amateur cleaning of paintings is definitely not to be recommended as one easily do a lot a lot of irreversible damage!
The following might be useful:-
The outer layer of discoloration will be dirt from the atmosphere and some at least will probably be loose and removable with a gentle brush. Soapy water will probably also remove dirt, but unless it works evenly all over the surface, you might find the paining becomes blotchy and looks far worse than it did before. Nevertheless, if you do decide to risk it, first test one corner with a damp cotton bud
Beneath the dirt there will be further discolouration caused by the varnish yellowing with age. This is best left as any solvent may also dissolve the paint underneath!
However, one could take the painting out of its frame and give the frame a clean and that would certainly improve things. Is the frame waxed or varnished? If the former, rewaxing after cleaning would be the way to go, but if it’s varnished I’d recommend a traditional varnish as modern ones often look too bright and ‘plasticy’ and the frame will look too new.
Hello, yes Dennis Harle was well known in sandwich and i think may have been part of the barbican players (amateur dramatics) that both my parents were in. I’m sure my brother will know more, I’ll ask him. Good luck with cleaning it.
Thanks Mark,
After your reply, I’ll get a professional to clean it or at least give me a quote.
It’s quite yellowed apart from being over the fireplace, it’s had at least 40 years of cigarette smoke to give it the patina look.
He was also a well known ornithologists and was a warden on the nature reserves.
BTW, I was at school with a Cooper maybe a relative of yours, Hazel Cooper lived in Eastry?
Hi, I don’t know a Hazel Cooper from Eastry. Which school? My brother was at Sandwich secondary 1963-65 ish.
My brother is Tony Cooper, he still lives in Sandwich.
I can’t find the photography thread, and this isn’t my work but I find it very nostalgic and moving views of England that others may too find familiar and enjoy
I also greatly appreciate the photographer’s patience to capture a magic moment.
Thanks - had missed that portfolio - slightly unusual colour saturation -most photos seem slightly desaturated giving a sort of dreamy, or painterly atmosphere.
Loved especially the one of the fisherman gazing into the water reminded me of a being on the beach in front of Rabat’s Kasbah des Oudayas in 1976. It was August, yet cool and humid, the ocean had a layer of mist and the beach was unusually empty. A scrawny old man in a faded indigo djellaba appeared and walked towards the water’s edge. He stopped and rested on his stick gazing into the mist and remained there motionless for nearly an hour.
My imaginary backstory was that he’d lived his life in the interior and never before seen the sea, OTOH he might have done that every day.
I was amazed in the transformation the restoration team at my previous place were capable of, old pictures coming back to life, many priceless and lent by foreign governments.
