Bringing Death Back To Life; Conserving A Funeral Painting - Part 1

Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉 Get up to 60% off your subscription ➡️ here: go.babbel.com/t?bsc=1200m60-y...
--
Like every collector of artwork, every painting lives a life whether the artist envisions it or not, and throughout that time a piece can be subject to any number of factors that can undermine its longevity. We labor to keep our minds and bodies sharp and healthy and that is precisely the role of the conservator for the painting. Some paintings require minimal attention and maintenance and others much more drastic interventions. For this collector's painting of a deceased monk, the task was simply Bringing Death Back To Life
--
More information on these so-called death portraits can be found here:
www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi...
smarthistory.org/crowned-nun-...
--
Support me on Patreon
/ baumgartnerrestoration
Official Baumgartner Merchandise
teespring.com/stores/bfars-store
Follow me on
Instagram - / baumgartnerrestoration
Facebook - / baumgartnerfineartrest...

[@shanettequao9043]

Ooh we have another client in the video!!! He’s super knowledgeable about the painting as well, I would have totally missed that little inscription!

[@debrascott8775]

I hate all the talking. Get to it.

[@kellyobrien189]

I personally enjoy the talking, the research, the history. I’m here for it all!

[@margaretbarclay-laughton2086]

​@@pikas_palacea person's knowledge is attained by learning I was brought up in a working class family we were regular visitors to our local art gallery and museum. You are being racist

[@Ragnar8504]

@@margaretbarclay-laughton2086 I don't see where racism comes into play here but I see plenty of selfishness and rudeness. Debrascott's comment reads like it was uttered by an impatient toddler rather than a sensible adult.

[@russellcraven251]

Thankfully Julian is up to the task.This could be a train wreck in a less talented set of hands😊

[@geraldinemernies9356]

"I can barely speak English " said the most well spoken person I've ever heard

[@jojowellness3123]

I have PTSD. I struggle nightly to relax enough to sleep and avoid nightmares when I do sleep. I am enthralled with your work, Julian. The editing of your videos are perfect; you know exactly when to slow it down, speed it up, do a close-up, etc. The ultimate pleasure is listening is your narration! Your explanation of the process along with your soothing voice is better than any meditation video. My brain melts into this fascinating process. If I fall asleep, I easily and happily rewind to continue to point where the content is new to me. This is NOT saying your videos are boring. In fact, the opposite is true. But when the grief from the suicides of my son & granddaughter overwhelms me, I find solace and comfort by letting your voice and videos bring me to a place of serenity. You cannot know what a salvation your work is to me. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your gift with us fortunate enough to have found you.

[@artnerd3727]

I’m so sorry for your losses. I feel similarly, these videos help me fall asleep and calm down especially when my trauma comes back. Julian and his videos are such a good send

[@katieeckler7543]

Sending you peace 💜 these videos help me soo much too.

[@everydaygoth]

I struggle with my PTSD too and have the same sentiments about this channel and Julian's work. As much as it saddens me to know someone else out there experiences this pain, it is also a comfort knowing I am not the only one. Thank you for sharing your experience. You are not alone. 🖤

[@jrsinsf]

Nice to see Kit in the background. When your schedule allows, it would be fun to see how her training is going.

[@merseyviking]

Agreed! I just hope she hasn't been subject to the tyranny of the KZbin comments section. I watch several channels where a female presenter has had constant comments about their looks (and worse), and it has turned them off from appearing.

[@seijunsejuki]

​@@merseyvikingyeah it's a shame, pretty much any time a woman does anything on camera, The misogynists come crawling out of their hole.

[@kathyjohnson2043]

​@@seijunsejukihoping that none of them are into art 🤞

[@devernepersonal3636]

I agree, I miss Kit. She plays off the energy of Julian quite well. They have a professional chemistry if that makes sense. But i did notice a lot of comments were very rude towards her as though she didnt belong here on the videos she appeared in (which is quite sad, because she belongs anywhere she wishes to be, as does any person) so i am afraid much like merseyviking said, she may herself have decided to no longer appear.

[@frank-t6857]

​@@devernepersonal3636I wish the admin of this channel could permanently block them from accessing the comment section.

[@carlotta4th]

The detective work looking into a piece's origins is always infectious and I'm sure the client'll be ecstatic seeing some of those missing letters restored.

[@Karmy.]

Yeah that's always one of the best parts of these videos for me, learning when it was painted, where it was painted, why it was painted (like in this case of it being a death painting), and who painted it

[@barbarahaberman349]

Your patience is astonishing. My summer project involves stripping 1970's paint off of a 1920's curio cabinet. I must admit there have been moments when I just wanted to drink the stripper and be done with it. Every time I pick up ANOTHER cotton ball, I think of you.

[@jessi4894]

I feel your pain... I'm going to be spending this weekend stripping 2020s coral paint off of a 1930s desk. The woman who committed this crime offered me the leftover paint for "touchups." I politely declined.

[@dc1929]

the opening knowledge share between client and conservator was so insightful to witness. thank you for including it!

[@dragonshibari]

Hey Julian! I can't explain how much help you have been in keeping my artwork safe and beautiful. Had a piece done on paper distort due to using too thin of a sheet, so i used heat, moisture, and pressure to fix it. Came out better than I ever could have hoped, and its one of my best pieces yet. You inspire me in so many ways, and the way that you help artists and collectors is absolutely amazing. Thank you for everything! ❤

[@carlotta4th]

With paper usually a small bit of moisture and pressure as it dries is enough. I wouldn't want to add heat to paper unless water wasn't an option.

[@katharinem9874]

I'm not an artist, but I tried painting a watercolour card for mother's day and ALSO used those techniques to fix the distortion!

[@ultracurious]

​@@katharinem9874And now you are an artist 😉 Every artist in history started with a first piece. I hope you keep trying it 😃

[@tristynlinde]

I love how passionate the client is about this unusual piece!! It's always so cool to see people talk about their more niche interests, and this client is clearly super interested and knowledgeable

[@ArthoR1992]

Thank you, client, for joining this video!

[@warrior921994]

23:22 the look from Kit ❤

[@valarya]

23:24 haha Kit cameo! 🤩 I cannot wait to see the cleaning of this painting and cannot wait to see how the well-spoken client reacts to it!

[@justrelaxing1501]

I noticed Kit too and it was funny when she flipped the painting so she could hide behind it...I had to laugh. Can't wait for the following parts.

[@allonewordcaps]

I enjoy seeing the client too. And as an art historian it is wonderful to see all of his hard work finding out more of his painting.

[@brokencompass5706]

As someone who has adhd and struggles with focusing on a long video I found you to be one of the few people who I can watch in one sitting.

[@ivorybow]

I love it Julian when you go into such depth and detail about the process. But I groan when I realize it's a two parter, and I have to wait for the final painting. I have never heard of a "funeral painting," and I am excited to see the painting emerge.

[@tjduprey]

I get excited when it's a 2 or 3 parter. More time to spend with the painting and with Julian.

[@muffin._.milk.]

@@tjdupreysame! I loved the 7? Maybe more general Hamilton series!

[@jenniferlynn3537]

It was only after I watched this video that I realized it had just recently been uploaded; otherwise I’d NEVER have made the unforgivable mistake of watching the 1st in a Baumgartner multi-part series before Julian had made them all available!!! 😕

[@Rouverius]

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Great job. Looking forward to the followup👍

[@BryanBraddy]

Love, love, love having the client in to start the conversation! Adds so much backstory for why the painting ended up with Julian.

[@andreasm5855]

at 23:23 the way she laugh at the camera lol 😅

[@EliotChildress]

That last vacuum bagging was easily the best you’ve shown on video. Not a single crease in the plastic. 10/10.

[@vsGoliath96]

A super knowledgeable client *and* a Kit cameo? Looks like this is a good episode! Spoiler alert, they're all good episodes.

[@angelique_cs]

That little vacuum again...as good as a cup of coffee for me 😊 This client seems like the perfect person to work with Julian. I wonder if he's also a fan of the channel!

[@debmacie1612]

LOL. When I was little, I had a friend in our neighborhood whose Dad was very curmudgeonly and unfriendly. One day he was doing woodworking in the garage and and a poor unsuspecting sales person came by and interrupted him. She sweetly asked him what he was making, and he solemnly said (and I swear this is the honest truth) “sawdust”. It has been a running punchline in our family for years. So when you said you were making sawdust I nearly laughed myself out of my chair.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

I have a sneaking suspicion that there aren’t many people on Earth who could do this. It’s so soothing to watch you heal a painting.❤️🤗🐝

[@lorna5609]

Deborah, thank you for your profound definition of what Julian does. He is indeed a healer of paintings…and my soul as well.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@lorna5609 mine too! I can feel myself just deflate and relax when he starts to work❤️🤗🐝

[@willowrolin9957]

Love seeing peaks of Kit, if she's comfortable with it I'd love to see more of her (hell, maybe when it makes sense I would absolutely love a video where she is the main conservator on the painting? ) Obviously only if she's okay and comfortable with it, it's not easy. And hoping the comments would be kind enough to behave themselves 😒

[@heartofmythril]

"I can barely speak English" Don't lie. You speak English with a delicate eloquence that brings me back time and again.

[@Pepa14pig]

I love your videos so much and have seen all of them. So much so that when you said the warm water didn’t work I said to myself “wood router?” and felt like I passed an important exam when I was right 😂😂😂

[@AvalonDreamz]

Absolutely makes my day when I get an upload from Baumgartner! This is going to be really good. Thanks Julian!! So excited for this. 🤓

[@Acornhouseworkshop]

I perfectly understand using the scalpel to get the thin wood off. Known tools are always safer. But you might look into Luthier thumb planes for future projects. They are small enough that you have much more control than with a larger block plane, but can still pare down the wood quicker.

[@kathyjohnson2043]

Luther or luthier?

[@Acornhouseworkshop]

@@kathyjohnson2043 luthier. (Stupid autocorrect!)

[@nekkidnora]

"Shipping a nearly-400 year-old piece of art? Sure, cut it apart with a saw and roll it into a tube, that's fine!" ASDFSKHL WHAT THE HECK

[@annabellelee4535]

Oh, don't forget the best part, cutting the canvas with the saw. I bet it was a power saw! I wonder what the seller was thinking?

[@justsayin1958]

As I've watched your videos I'm becoming more critical of other 'restorations' I've watched. Saw one on a museum/house restore in the UK and they focused on the frames and not the paintings themselves. So they have a museum full of beautiful frames with at least 500 years worth of European portraits and paintings that are dark brown with old varnish and dirt, and all I can think is what a waste of time and money.

[@annabellelee4535]

Some paintings are not in good enough condition to be cleaned safely. It's why the Mona Lisa won't ever be cleaned. Museums also often don't have the funds to restore paintings and are often afraid of what may lie under the darkened varnish.

[@justsayin1958]

@@annabellelee4535 I get your point except these were carefully stored - unlike this poor painting.

[@annabellelee4535]

@@justsayin1958 Many museums won't clean their paintings. Many have the art on loan and they don't want to pay if a painting is damaged.

[@annabellelee4535]

@fluffy_unicorn859 I really enjoy his work.

[@captnconfusion280]

i LOVE when your clients join you for the video! it's such a great insight

[@davidwarren9204]

Bolzano is an interesting place. It is in the foothills of the Alps that separate Italy and Austria, on the Italian side. Until world war 2, the border was drawn below Bolzano, so it was an Austrian town. After the war, the border was redrawn at the watershed (the semi-imaginary line along the top of the mountains where water would flow down into Italy, or down into Austria) above Bolzano, leaving Bozano inside Italy. It is still very "Austrian" culturally, and both languages are spoken and reflected in street signs, food etc. It is also the museum home of "Otzi" the 5000-year old frozen man, found a couple of decades ago, preserved high in the alps above the town. His frozen remains are kind of the ultimate "death portrait", of himself :)

[@kellysaderholm6741]

Yes! Otzi! Was wondering why the name Bolzano sounded so familiar.

[@damiencollard7255]

C’est amusant de vous entendre parler français avec un léger accent. Merci pour votre splendide travail !

[@fred6059]

I watched another conservator and knew she was using mulberry paper to hold the paint chips to the canvas. The education we receive here is amazing

[@noeraldinkabam]

I’m all for the instant gratification… Having to wait hurts. But it’s a good pain.

[@RetroTullamore890]

I swear, your videos are so satisfying and I could listen to you explain facing a painting a thousand times and it'll never get old! Thank you for documenting the process it brings me and many others so much joy!

[@kathyjohnson2043]

Yes, I was happy to see part of the early testing process; he doesn't show that as often.

[@TheKeystoneChannel]

I love when the client is part of the video!!! Can't wait for the result

[@phranerphamily]

I really really like the videos where the client comes and explains kind of what brought them to this painting in the first place. Thank you for another beautiful piece of work.

[@Mudhooks]

I’m just 5 minutes in but I have to say that it’s an amazing painting despite the horrifying condition. Sure… some might find it macabre… but I think it’s beautiful in its own way and will be even more beautiful at the end.

[@iwolfz364]

You got quite a lot of patience, I couldn't ever do this. Bunch of respect man

[@thepagan5432]

It is truly amazing how well the bonding layer works on the flaky painting. Looking forward to part 2, thanks for posting.

[@miamaria83]

On what time did you see him put on a bonding layer for that. I was looking through the comments to see if someone knew why he didn't do that.

[@melissafernandaperezsilva8155]

Love how the client knows sooo much about the painting and he explains so well!

[@Dick_Butt]

Julian has decided to become a necromancer for this painting it seem!

[@user-ll6se8kv9i]

Great investigation reporting by the client. Enjoy a good detective story. It was a fun restoration.

[@DEmma1972]

Noooooo, I am not sure how I will cope waiting for the cleaning of this. This painting looks like it will have lots of detail that cant be seen atm

[@wonderwend1]

Fantastic to have such an knowledgeable owner who has clearly done SO much research.

[@thebarghestiest]

Aww I'm so happy to see this, Cameron's a very good egg and I'm stoked that you're gonna be able to fix this old fella up!

[@choco._.milk33]

It's small but I love seeing how you figure out what materials we're used and how to sort it with the glue

[@GregBreden]

I have to clean loads of different types of labels and sticky tape from various things and have modified my methods for the better after watching Julian's techniques. Different industry but great tips on getting rid of various glues and attaining scraping patience.

[@monkeygraborange]

Try using plain old rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. I find that works 99% of the time!

[@GregBreden]

@@monkeygraborange Yep, Isopropyl alocohol is one of the produtcs I use but a selection of other solvents is also required, depends on the type of glue or oil and deposits I'm trying to get rid of. I learnt from Julian not to rush and to be gentle but persistent. 🙂

[@GregBreden]

@@fluffy_unicorn859 Yeh he mentioned using products or methods to do with bathroom tiles once too.

[@amyjones8114]

I always imagine the paintings saying….ahhhh…thank you, Julian…

[@chocolatefrenzieya]

How fun to see a client! A knowledgeable one, to boot!

[@ellasmommy9278]

I absolutely love watching these and I can't wait for part 2. There's a painting I did about 30 years ago for my daughter, I keep asking her to give it back to me so I can attempt to clean it. I don't remember putting varnish on it. But it's got to be dirty. Love you Julian! You're an art conservator, engineer, chemist. You are a true Renaissance Man.

[@Yvonne_Reeder]

What a unique painting and history - I really enjoyed hearing your client talk of his investigation and results! ♥️ It never ceases to amaze me how diverse each painting is with its history. Thank you for taking us along on another restoration and giving us a Kitt cameo. **👋🏻waving at her👋🏻** And, if it's not too personal, will you IG photos of your upcoming travels? I'm elderly and mobility impaired so my traveling days are over. I travel vicariously through others. 😊

[@joedolceland]

Normally in the funeral painting in Italy, in particular for religious or nobility. In case of religious person, normally they sign with the original name and then the name chosen when they took the vote to Christ. Commonly in the old period nun, monk or priest where the third or second sun or doughier of a nobility’s. Sorry for my English. Love your video. ❤😊

[@_Julie_Bee]

Your French is good, i was wondering which part of Switzerland your family was from, I guess i got my answer! You are so privileged to have a right to swiss citizenship. I'll never be so lucky, even tho my favorite place in the world is a tiny place called Villars sur Ollon ❤

[@williamfreyholtz4267]

I most enjoyed hearing, and found fascinating the research and history from your client, that he has already done on the painting. I do hope he can find the birth date of the subject, so the age of the person can be reestablished into the painting.

[@MattGratt]

Watching these videos is a meditative experience - I find myself transfixed - I wish I had such patience.

[@Lumimyrsky]

I think this painting is rather peaceful to look at, nothing creepy about it 😄

[@caroltanzi29]

Julian: oh,- this project looks like an intriguing one. I so enjoy seeing the client and having a backstory. I have to wonder what his collection looks like. Can’t wait to see part two. Carol from California

[@Fennec333]

I love how vaguely threatening his walk towards the camera at the beginning of the babbel ad is 😂

[@petegalvs]

That was the best washikozo peel I've seen on this channel. Stellar work.

[@samanthadean1083]

This is one hot mess!!! Can’t wait to see the cleaning step, hopefully in the next video!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️

[@MrSoulswarrior]

Being a French Dude, you’re in the good way to learn our beautiful language ! Courage, je crois en vous ! 😌🙏

[@sarahwatts7152]

Love seeing the clients in these videos, particularly one who cares so much about the history of the painting

[@poptya]

lol how sad is it that the part of the video I enjoyed most, was watching two intelligent people have an intelligent conversation

[@jaymogrified]

Oh nooo…I’m relatively new to the channel and didn’t realize that these videos are sometimes cliffhangers 😭 Looking forward to seeing how it comes out and I’m particularly curious whether you’ll be able to figure out the guy’s name definitively!

[@guillermojperea6355]

Hi, Julian! Thanks a lot for your fantastically insightful, inspiring and lovingly made videos, keep it up for as long as possible! Best regards!

[@bbzecker5921]

En tant que francophone, ton français est excellent! Continue!

[@kjp76]

It's nice to see that she's still here and probably developing her skills.

[@walmartdog1142]

If Julian was a motorcycle mechanic, he would be that guy that could rebuild a Harley from nothing but an oil stain.😁😁😁😁😁

[@L4lN]

im too impatient, i want all parts posted at once! 😂

[@beadladee]

I dislike videos that are part one and two. I wait until all parts are posted then watch all at once. 😂

[@kathyjohnson2043]

​@@beadladeebut that requires just as much waiting !

[@margaretbarclay-laughton2086]

Patience is a virtue children😂

[@jacquelinetorres4697]

Did you get any splinters? Watching you with the scalpel chipping off the wood was giving me the heebie-jeebies. Splinters hurt so bad hope your hands are ok.

[@bitteroldman2714]

Looks like the right person bought the painting. Thanks for the video.

[@denisestover2416]

I am a silk painter. I specialize in painting fine art on silk with dyes and steam setting them onto the silk. I use an acrylic varnish to adhere the painted silk on canvas. Would you attempt that or would it go to a textile specialist?

[@mingbotlarue5694]

Every time I see the lovely handled weight I think of the viewer who nade it for you and how stoked he must be that you get so much use out of it 🖤

[@Stop4MotionMakr]

There have been so many cliff hangers on this channel but this one I'm most excited for 😂

[@Haynhayn]

I’m devastated to be here 15 hours after it was posted 😭😭 looking forward to part 2!!

[@sophieekhegfejwgk]

It was really interesting hearing the story of how the client has been hunting down information about the painting and piecing its history together! Also interesting to see how you go about testing the adhesives - I'd always assumed you just applied water/solvents directly to the canvas

[@jakesmerth1919]

I can't imagine doing anything more than handing over the piece and saying, "You know best, give it some love."

[@ariwizzard]

hellllll yes art nerd of a client i absolutely love to see it

[@EdwinNikkels]

What a cliffhanger, Julian! The plot thickens!

[@GeminiStars]

Ooooo, this one clean is going to look amazing! I expect the cleaning to help puzzle out the inscription at the bottom - very exciting.

[@nonnaslilboy]

This is my therapy.

[@justjane2070]

Never expected Bolzano to be mentioned! My mother-In-law lived there and we visited often 😊

[@flowerdolphin5648]

"I can barely speak English and it's my mother tongue", lmao 😂 I used a fair amount of your quotes throughout all your videos for a vocabulary assignment in my college English classes. You use so many eloquent words I had never heard of before I started watching your videos.

[@lisajahn6839]

Cliffhanger! Wonderful episode, looking forward to next. Thank you all for making and sharing this!

[@gwencrable7286]

I was so engrossed in this. I love seeing the facing of the painting and the peeling off of the washi kozo paper. There's just something so satisfying about it. I was thinking,we hadn't seen Kit in awhile and then there she was in the background. How's the baby puppy doing? Can't wait for part two.👍🏾❤️

[@nowsynowsy]

A somewhat local painting! Good luck with the inscription, I highly suggest looking for sources in German, Bolzano has been Austrian territory for way longer it's been in Italy. Nowadays the main language spoken in Süd Tirol is still German

[@pierrefireball2505]

You are without a doubt, the person I love and admired for the wonderful conservation of painting. I saw and watch some from Worldwide Museums, but they tend to say, we did this or that, why it is so and then a very fast showing of such a process. While you on the contrary, you explain everything in very clear terms, telling "US" your viewers what you are doing and why it is done that way. It is very good or pleasing to "US" viewers, to see your amazing work, you are very much like an Artist making sure that what you are working on will be back to a state to almost pristine to the day it was created. Thank you, so much for the many videos you post and your patience in telling us about your profession.

[@mariAAAAAA_r]

Mondays just hit different when Julian posts, love it!

[@missmurrydesign7115]

Fascinating...

[@dennisp.2147]

Phrases I'd have never thought to hear on this channel, "hogging". Perfectly accurate but just not something one would associate with the precision one usually sees here. Sometimes radical problems require radical solutions.

[@jwuphoff]

Hi Julian! I have one major issue with you multiple part episodes… waiting for the next one! As always, wonderful job!

[@nut7317]

oh to be a painting conserved by baumgartner…😍😍😍

[@msmjserene]

Even though i've watched and enjoyed so many of your videos and the various artworks, i kind of hesitated with this one. Life events, the loss of loved ones, and my feelings about mortality have changed and intensified dramatically late in my life. I'm glad i did decide to watch it!

[@witness4Him]

Wow! You are so patient....

[@paavidyyd9385]

The highlight of my week, when a new video drops from Baumgartner ❤

[@711lobotomy]

my favorite Baumgartner staff member is the hip vacuum

[@tyshaver108]

What, router blade. Crazy & brilliant!