Conservation: Transforming an 18th-century portrait and waistcoat | V&A

Follow the conservation of two uniquely connected objects acquired by the museum: a silk waistcoat worn by Bristol merchant Edward Curtis in the 1700s, together with a portrait of him wearing the exact same waistcoat - a rare double acquisition for the museum.
Watch as the yellow varnish on the surface of the portrait is gently removed to reveal how the colours of the oil painting match the finely woven silk of the waistcoat.
Find out more about our paintings: www.vam.ac.uk/collections/pai...
Follow more conservation stories: • Conservation & restora...

[@Lotsielots]

The V&A is a gem. The best large museum in London.

[@cstz]

A wonderful video as always. But in this case I wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about the story of this double acquisition. Were the two pieces already together when the V&A bought them? If not, how did you match them? Were you looking to acquire the painting and came across the waistcoat? Vice-versa? I'd love to know more about how the two pieces came together!

[@Familylawgroup]

I was wondering the same type of things.

[@dellaroux]

Or did the family/later acquisitors keep them together? The Boston MFA has a couple of similar "matches": the silver teapot in Revere's hand in Copley's portrait can be closely compared to one kept in a case right next to it; the silver tea service in a Cassatt painting of a tea party is (I believe I'm correct in saying) the same one shown in her painting....also displayed nearby. Material cultural "matches" to images in a work reflect doubly as both object and iconography.

[@rsmith6366]

The pair were bought for £9,500 by the V&A, March 6th 2019 at Cheffins, Cambridge. Antique Trade Gazette.

[@jimjam6422]

It doesn't take much research online to find out that the painting and waistcoat were auctioned as a 'job lot' for £9,500 and acquired by the V&A. Interesting that the two items have been kept together all these years!

[@wendynordstrom3487]

The removal of that yellowed varnish really makes a difference! I would also be interested in hearing more about who kept them for so long. More of the back story would be wonderful. Great video!

[@francesconicoletti2547]

I love that you can actually ground truth a painting restoration. To see what the painter saw and then see it’s image in a painting and see that those two things match after restoration of the painting adds another data point to the arguments about the accuracy of modern restoration techniques.

[@gooseface2690]

I must say, Mrs Mckever's outfit is equally striking.

[@chrisberry9017]

The skill of the artist in replicating in paint that gorgeous fabric is breathtaking! Thank you so much for sharing these items with us!

[@jimjam6422]

We are fortunate indeed to have such talented conservators in the UK - Bravo on 2 wonderful jobs!

[@melissahendricks4482]

That is amazing, she did such a great job, very interesting....

[@jhb1493]

Wonderful! I love to see the transformation in paintings that go through restoration! I'm very grateful to the V&A and other museums for preserving, restoring, protecting and SHARING treasures like this. Thank you.

[@cz2301]

You can follow Baumgartner’s restoration channel in YT, he’s quite famous now.

[@jo-vf8jx]

@@cz2301 I was going to say the same thing lol

[@christianfrommuslim]

Impressive! Our clothes are lucky to survive a decade.

[@Kaytecando]

Thank you, V&A!!!

[@Greywingedparrot]

All the videos on this channel are so interesting. Thank you for letting us see behind the scenes 💚

[@AngelDivinity111]

Such a magical pair!

[@Marina.Kudrevskaya]

That is a wonderful acquisition for the V&A! Great job!

[@catherinejustcatherine1778]

Congratulations yo the V&A experts And the algorithm finessers This video was perfectly executed & timed!

[@gwynvyd]

Are there some up close photos of the waistcoat? Perhaps the lining and at the seams? I am always interested in how quality garments we're constructed. Also the buttonholes seem to be bound in a thicker than usual thread- any static closeups? Thanks ever so much.

[@lazygardens]

Freeze the video on the buttonholes: they are "corded", with the thread worked over a cord to make the stitching more prominent. It also reinforces the buttonhole edges.

[@rsmith6366]

If you go to the V&A website - Collections - Edward Curtis Waistcoat, there are 7 high detail photographs of the waistcoat. British museums are currently digitising their entire collections (including photography), so the big museums generally have all their 'best' pieces fully logged by now. It's just the stuff they don't know they have that isn't online yet.

[@kylesty6728]

I hope these are displayed together. I would love to see this beautiful waistcoat one day.

[@rsmith6366]

I believe they are part of their new exhibition of Men's fashion; Fashioning Masculinitues: The Art of Menswear.

[@costumesbyantonia806]

Excellent video! Thank you for posting.

[@PAPERJAGER]

I love conservation!

[@londonhodnet4079]

Thoroughly enjoyable, thank you

[@ericowensnyc]

WHAT a great job you ladies have! 🙂🙂🙂

[@anonymousonlineuser6543]

Amazing!!!

[@krutibhavsar9534]

Wonderful ✨

[@janebaker4912]

Marvelous

[@wendystanley9744]

Fabulous video

[@oneshotme]

Very much enjoyed your video and so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@jeanhawken4482]

Wonderful

[@SigneofHorses]

Lovely. Thouroughly enjoyed it. I would have loved to see someone working on the aristocrat but I presume the camera was not available on those days.

[@marylou3995]

Wonderful. Thank you for the youtube

[@Familylawgroup]

How long did the conservation take, once started?

[@danilosimao3407]

LIBERA A TRADUÇÃO AUTOMÁTICA PARA TODOS OS IDIOMAS POR FAVOR

[@TheArmachillo]

I want this job, what can you study for this or to work at museum or restoration/conservation?

[@juliab.8200]

😃😍🥰

[@Onionbaron]

Ars longa vita brevis

[@undefined40]

I missed an assessment about the canvas and stretcher. Also, as she mentioned some surface issues due to the pressure from the lining, was the lining redone? Last a shout out to Julian Baumgartner, thanks to whom I understood what was done when and, most importantly, why on the paining.

[@wawawawatusi]

Is this the son of Edward Curtis who was acting as an agent for Bristol merchants engaged in the transportation of slaves to the West Indies in the 1710s?