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Message:: [QUOTE="bosko69, post: 11447787, member: 16283"]Here's more than anyone should/would want to know,unless one poss owned a painting by a US Tonalist artist !American Tonalists- George Inness,Whistler,Pinkham Ryder,William Keith,etc.(love these guys)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonalism" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonalism" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonalism</a> Worth note-"It is a documented issue that some Tonalist paintings, particularly those by American artists who used certain experimental or non-standard techniques, are prone to problems like craquelure and varnish issues. These issues are often linked to specific materials and methods rather than the Tonalist style in general."-more to boggle your brain !"Tonalists' techniques are significant and common case studies in art conservation today due to theirinherent vice—a term used by conservators to describe a work's self-destructive nature. Because Tonalists prioritized mood and atmospheric "depth" over structural stability, their works frequently present the following ongoing challenges: 1. Complex Material IncompatibilityTonalists often layered materials that responded differently to environmental changes, a major focus of modern conservation research. <ul> <li> <ul> <li>Layering Over Dry Paint: George Inness famously painted new compositions over old, fully dried ones. As these distinct layers aged, they contracted at different rates, leading to deep, permanent mechanical craquelure.</li> </ul><ul> <li>Experimental Mediums: The use of "secret" recipes involving non-traditional additives like bitumen (asphalt) or excessive solvents (turpentine) has led to paintings that never truly stabilize, often resulting in "blistering" or softening decades later.</li> </ul></li> </ul> <ul> <li> <ul> <li>2. Varnish and Surface Issues The specific "hazy" aesthetic of Tonalism relied on heavy glazing and varnishing, which are problematic for current museum staff:<ul> <li>Bubbling and Blistering: Applying thick, resinous varnishes over paint that had not fully cured often trapped gases, leading to the varnish bubbling mentioned.</li> <li>Irreversible Restoration: In the past, darkened Tonalist paintings were often over-cleaned or over-varnished, making modern attempts at restoration difficult. Today, conservators use synthetic pigments and reversible materials to ensure that any new repairs do not cause further chemical damage.</li> </ul><ul> <li> 3. Modern Conservation Strategies (2025) As of 2025, several high-profile exhibitions, such as Dawn & Dusk: Tonalism in Connecticut at Fairfield University Art Museum, highlight the need for specialized care of these works:<ul> <li>Climate Control: Because Tonalist works are highly sensitive to humidity, which triggers the swelling and shrinking of their multiple layers, they require strictly controlled environments.</li> <li>Minimal Intervention: Modern ethics favor "minimal intervention". Instead of aggressive lining (adding a secondary canvas), conservators now use specialized techniques like crack-flattening with controlled moisture and heat to stabilize the surface without altering the original's texture.</li> <li>Advanced Imaging: Conservators utilize X-rays and infrared photography to map the "hidden" layers of overpainting common in Tonalist works, allowing them to treat the structural core of the painting without damaging the delicate upper glazes.</li> </ul><ul> <li> </li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul>[/QUOTE]

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