Greek Icon of Virgin Mary "Hodegetria"

1. Before icon restoration. Icon was brought to my studio after its "professional" framing. Some abrasions of the paint and ground layers that occurred during framing are visible as light patches (especially around the center bottom area).

2. Before icon restoration (detail of the damaged paint layer).

3. Before icon restoration (back side of the framed icon). The frame is much thicker than the icon panel; the framer used nails to keep the icon in its place. Some nails chipped the wood of the panel.

Description of the icon restoration: the damages of the paint layer were retouched. The icon was reframed with brass mending plates that were screwed into the frame. This allows the wood panel to expand and contract in response to changes in the humidity of the air without damaging the icon (see diagram of properly framed painting in "Care for Your Paintings" in aic.stanford.edu/treasure/paint.html).

© 2002-6 Olga Nikolic-Litwin, Conservation of Paintings and Icons, NYC, New York