This watercolour painting by the renowned North East artist, Thomas Swift Hutton, (1860-1935), was one of a pair of coastal scenes. The painting was foxed with small, orange-brown circular marks appearing across the surface although predominantly in the sky, (a common characteristic of foxing).
The paintings were both completely stuck down to an acidic mount which was removed to allow treatment to proceed and to prevent any detrimental effects from the acidic material.The foxing marks were successfully reduced and the painting was ‘float’ mounted. Although the paper had been unevenly trimmed by the artist, the client preferred this method of mounting as it allowed the painting to be visible right to the edge and importantly, did not obscure the signature.
Treatment
Backing removal, washing in filtered water, reduction of foxing marks, addition of an alkali reserve to help prevent future foxing and restore strength to the paper, re-mounting.
Before Conservation
‘Bathing Pool’, Whitley Bay, (1927), T.S Hutton. Orange/brown foxing is visible, particularly across the sky.
Detail of foxing in the sky
After Treatment
Float mounted in conservation-grade mount.
Detail of sky
Zoe Finlay Paper Conservation 