Project Summary:

This portrait of Ephraim Banks, the first elected Pennsylvania Auditor General, is one of a series of portraits displayed at the capitol. At first, the portrait appeared to be a typical 19th-century painting on stretched canvas with a discolored varnish layer, but closer inspection under magnification revealed it’s actually a photograph mounted to canvas. Before the invention of colored photography, black and white enlarged prints could be painted with dyes, water, colors, or oil-based media.  

Prior to treatment, the thick, degraded and discolored varnish was obscuring the image, and the edges of the paper support were lifting and chipped around the perimeter. Scattered abrasions were seen across the image, and loss of original media on the sitter’s forehead suggested someone may have previously attempted a cleaning campaign.

After careful testing, we were able to find a blend of solvents that reduced the discolored coating without disturbing the photoemulsion layer. The paper support was stabilized using a reversible conservation adhesive and the losses were filled. The portrait was revarnished using a stable, synthetic resin to improve saturation and clarity of the image and the abrasions and small losses were inpainted to regain visual continuity. The painted photograph of Ephraim Banks is now clean and stabilized for continued exhibition.