Damaged, Icon, Fix It

[@BaumgartnerRestoration]

Hi! A few folks below pointed out that during the retouching process I covered up a "W" and "O" (an "N" was totally lost.) This wasn't deliberate and the fact is I totally missed it on the first pass and thought those were losses. The letting was so faint and tiny and not being an expert in icons it wasn't on my radar. That however is no excuse and the icon is on it's way back so that I can correct the issue. While 100% perfect 100% of the time is the goal it's simply not realistic and sometimes we're fallible. This is one of the primary reasons I exclusively use archival and reversible materials, from adhesives to varnishes and yes, paints. So that if a correction needs to be made; a slight change in the color, the addition of something that was lost or in this case the removal of retouching over the original is necessary it's quick, safe and easy to do. I'll be sure to post a follow up video on this once I receive the icon and talk a bit about the process of removing the varnish and retouching and why I missed it. Spoiler: I'm human and it does happen. 🤷‍♂️

[@butterbee_bb]

Great response! ☺️ Just to make sure, from left to right the letters are omicron, omega, nu (all lower case). The nu is very visible at 15:46 for example. Keep up the good work and transparent attitude!

[@bethbleas8378]

...and love your integrity!

[@renerpho]

Thank you very much for the comment! I'm looking forward to the second video.

[@renerpho]

One thing to add: While I can't tell 100% from the video, I think that a faint cross in the halo may have also been painted over. It would be expected in an icon like this. Please make sure that, by the time you correct the retouching, you know what should be there in the image, and what shouldn't (and if it should be there but isn't, that it is truly an anomaly in the image).

[@russergee49]

Thanks Julian! Really appreciate that you’ll be taking care of this icon and making the correction.

[@4jonah]

I need Julian to fix my broken soul and spirit in this manner. "Yes, it looks shattered now, but nothing we can't fix. We will coat him in washicozo and fish gelatin..." These are so soothing

[@blubbblubb6239]

laughing far too hard on that :'D would definitely need that fix as well ;)

[@Anni_Mau]

When he discovers you tried stitching your soul and spirit back together yourself using staples...

[@ShipCreek]

Watch out for the hot table....🤣

[@kalieris]

Oh, so much same.

[@ellasmommy9278]

Lol. Can I be next in line?

[@ScottHebertArt]

imagine brining your painting into Julian to get restored and he creates this beautiful video and does great work and then at the end he hits you with the ICON FIX IT pun. >.

[@caitlinpenny7412]

Well he is a dad so we must permit him a few dad jokes.

[@Mad9977]

😅

[@katnhat7695]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jimcoope7194]

We all knew Julian "wood" have to add one or two puns!

[@firaelle6962]

English isn't my native language, so i stared at your comment for around 4 minutes before getting the joke

[@alexalexiadis]

Hello to everyone from Greece!! I leave in Greece and I made a little research about this icon!!!I see the Greek letters and this icon is from Serres(Σερρες)a town in north Greece!In this town it appears to call Virgin Mary with this name (ΜΗΡ ΘΟΥ Η ΕΛΕΟΥΣΑ)which it protects pregnant woman from eclampsia!! Julian made a very good job to this Greek Orthodox Icon...also Virgin Mary holds baby Jesus in her arms,the reveal is stunning!

[@margeryk000]

Thanks for the added info!

[@alexalexiadis]

@@margeryk000 Thank you!!

[@feralbluee]

thank you so much. i am part Greek and i really wanted to know what the words meant. Alexa from New York :)🇬🇷

[@alexalexiadis]

@@feralbluee Hello Alexa!!!Alexandros here from Greece!! Την αγάπη μας και τα φιλιά μας από την Ελλάδα!!! Αλέξα να είσαι πάντα γερή και δυνατή!!!Σε ευχαριστώ πολύ!!

[@feralbluee]

@@alexalexiadis sweetie, i can’t read Greek! wish i could. but i love whatever it is you’re saying. efcharistó :) 🌷🌱🌼

[@olafowl5678]

It amazes me how Julian uploads rather frequently, especially considering the Huge amount of work he has just from restoring

[@SoCalCaitlin14]

Right?!

[@rubenroxo3827]

And the way it's always informative and it feels fresh !

[@heehoopeanut420]

I can't even imagine the planning and scheduling that goes into doing all of these big conservative all while filming them, voicing them over, editing, AND getting the videos out regularly??🤯 idk how he does it all

[@smey02]

Do you think he is cutting and editing the videos himself? I dont think so....but if yes its actually impressive, and something I would definitely let somebody else do if I was him

[@daarianaharis]

I get the impression that Julian is a rather pragmatic sort of guy. I'm sure he uploads exactly as much as is practical for him to at least break even on it. With Patreon and sponsorships I'm sure this is not an insignificant part of his income, and I'm happy that he chose this second career avenue.

[@Will_Salcedo]

24:27 RIP the O, W, N on the child's halo.

[@rachellerodney1294]

I noticed that too☹️

[@CarrieRay]

This was a big loss in the restoration of this piece. It belongs in the Christ child’s halo. I am usually impressed with Julian’s work, but he missed this important symbol

[@hunderslash]

@@CarrieRay he made a followup where he fixed it, which was nice

[@CarrieRay]

@@hunderslash yes! I did see that later and was very glad to see it !

[@TaraHisakata]

Julian, do you ever find antiques for your own home and restore them just for you? Do you have any favorite pieces you have collected over the years?

[@rafaelaschulte4459]

I would watch awhole video about this topic! GREAT idea!!!!!

[@alexalexiadis]

He is to busy….he has not time to answer!!!LOL

[@kathyjohnson2043]

He did comment once that, if I remember correctly, he had some paintings in his home that were done by friends.

[@stephenvale2624]

My guess it would be like the cobblers children and shoes situation. When you perform this level of highly skilled work, the last thing you would want, would be to stare at your own work in your home and think about spots you might have missed or want to do over.

[@art_see_shan1849]

Great Question

[@peterbockholm3176]

I lived in a monastery for some years and saw many icons in this condition. I always looked at them trying to imagine what they would look like if they were clean. It's inevitable that many get dirty due to the environment they're in, with many candles and incense for example. Cleaning them is strangely enough often of low priority or even a non-issue. Icons often are supposed to have "patina" and cleaning them could make them look to new.

[@iwillroam]

Yeah, Julian's gone on at length before about how paintings and icons don't have "patina". I had thought they did. I thought that was something they aged with and made them look better because people seemed to go on and on about the old paintings not needing cleaning. But he explains it's just dirt, grime, soot. Learn something new every day. Some people like the look of the dirt, I guess

[@gl15col]

The owner wanted it cleaned, and that's their right. I think the original painter wanted it to look the way he originally painted it, and would be happy to see it in it's original lovely colors.

[@marmotarchivist]

This reminds me of the “Black Madonna” of Einsiedeln (CH), an icon in a monastery near where I live, created in the 15th century that was originally painted in flesh tones. The accumulation of soot from the constantly burning candles darkened the wood so that as far back as the 17th century, the icon was known as the “Black Madonna”. The statue was removed before the arrival of the Napoleonic troops, hastily buried in the earth and later brought to Austria, where it had to be restored. The conservator remarked that there were old paint flakes that were flesh toned, but he decided to remove them and paint everything in the black colour that was already dominant. So the icon was permanently given the colour that it accidentally had for most of its existence.

[@lefterismplanas4977]

Even icons where not made to look dirty. They where made with love to look like what they are representing. And that "Patina" is just taking away from it

[@JohnDavidHays]

@@gl15col Not really. Icons are supposed to acquire smoke and wax and olive oil and patina. Remember these are not “art” they are windows and spiritual tools. Some are the loci of miraculous interventions by the saint. Icons are not supposed to be cleaned or restored. The accumulation of dirt and wear is the normal result of years and generations of veneration

[@TheNinjaKiwi1]

Julian, if you ever decide to make a podcast and just read the Dictionary of Conservation I would be a subscriber for life. Your videos are some of the best and most calming videos on the internet, bar none.

[@kathyjohnson2043]

He did read the conservators code of ethics in one video.

[@buffystar3]

@@kathyjohnson2043 do you remember which one?

[@haven.liz16]

I believe it is titled “vows” and depicts a bride in the thumbnail

[@eli.3082]

Yeahhhhh me tooo

[@hestergunter3692]

I find his videos so interesting, but his calm voice makes me so sleepy that I struggle to keep my eyes open 😅

[@jeremysalkeld8742]

24:47: I'm pretty sure that was covering up paint that was supposed to be there. A nimbus of omicron, omega, nu is a pretty standard feature of icons of Jesus.

[@Masaki_1337]

24:47 On the halo on the right, left and top are three Greek letters - O (omicron), W (omega) and N (nu), forming the word. This inscription is of a fundamental nature, since it indicates the Deity of Jesus Christ. Being is one of the names of God. In the Greek tradition, the letters are arranged as follows: O (omicron) on the left, W (omega) at the top, and N (nu) on the right.

[@ringlófa]

Exactly, I'm surprised he didn't notice!

[@melod3331]

I’m Greek and I didn’t knew that ,thank you 💜

[@petervandermolen9835]

I am very impressed by your work. Glad you restore where needed and don't make it "new". That balance between retaining age and patina yet restoring the damage comes from your obvious skill, but also appreciation and restraint. Now THAT impresses me most! Thank you so much!

[@Songbirdstress]

And figures? He didn't recognise Mary and Jesus? Wierd.

[@Songbirdstress]

Could you explain more, I can't read that at all? Actually on Jesus' halo? I can read "Mother of God" above Mary, mu, (tau)?, rho (mater mother) theta, sigma (theos God) then above Jesus iota, sigma short for Jesus, chi, sigma short for Christos, Christ. Excuses for my rusty transliteration ( it was never perfect to begin with😊)

[@jessicanielsen7831]

Okay, hear me out... a cleaning complilation... 🥰🥰. I know that Julian edits with time in mind, but I am always wanting more of the cleaning and varnish removal... the appearance of long hidden colors and details makes me so happy

[@charmainesmith1362]

Yes!!! More cleaning and varnish removal pls!!! 🙏

[@magellantv]

Everything about this video is beautiful.

[@lauraw3117]

Something we don’t typically hear is the approximate age of the art you work on. Can you include that in your videos? 🥰

[@Nashifruit96]

Julian cleaning the face of baby jesus: “This child”.

[@iantaakalla8180]

When the person who is a restorationist are not versed in Orthodox iconography

[@jacksparrowarrrr]

I came here to say this 😜😂

[@louisemagill8295]

*Jesus 😊

[@vandergrad]

Every time I watch one of his videos, I am reminded of how many fields of study that Julian needs to be skilled in, in order to properly restore a piece... Chemist, Carpenter, Engineer, Artist, Art Historian... are there any that I've missed?

[@daniedel6333]

Saint, as in patience of as Saint!! LOL

[@that_thing_I_do]

I do like his carpentry..unexpected pleasure.

[@mariek2070]

Customer service, accountant/estimator, investigator, buyer ($ vs needed product), showman, janitor....Many MANY hats!

[@IreneWY]

You missed CAD

[@paulamccarthy9511]

@@IreneWY I don’t believe you know what the definition of the word “cad” is. How has Julian “behaved dishonorably towards a woman”?

[@Valhayden-ju7xt]

I'm just a blue collar worker that just happened to watch your series, I have learned so much that I didn't know about art. Your a great teacher.

[@MoondustManwise]

Considering how often Julian prefers the medium of artificial adhesives, seeing him use hide glue is always like stepping off the last stair only to realize there was one more stair beneath that you just missed walking down.

[@CorwynGC]

Julian prefers the right tool for the job. In this instance he gives us his reasons for this selection.

[@MoondustManwise]

@@CorwynGC I know, I more meant it was a very odd sensation to see him pull out something he historically isn't fond of

[@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648]

Technically, Julian seems to prefer things that can be readily removed if someone in the future wants to treat the original artwork differently. Both hide glue and, say, Titebond can be undone, but the process is easier for hide glue.

[@EmmitWest]

Never have I wanted to witness the client's reaction to seeing a restored painting more than this one. Surely they had no idea what was underneath.

[@brandzai]

Hello Julian. I noticed that on the child's halo there was writing (basically an "O" to the left side of his face, and a "W" above it. There would have been an "N" on the right side but that was lost in damage) which was touched up with gold paint, but not re-written, so to speak. Was this an oversight? I can't imagine that but can also not come up with an explanation.

[@popcorny007]

Letters in the gilding? That would be inconsistent with the other white-on-blue text. Edit: I see what you mean at 15:18, very very faint pearl lettering in the gold halo

[@joanneshellings5457]

Correct "W" "O" "N"

[@florianbooneiam]

Yes, I noticed that too. Maybe neither the owner nor Julian were aware of their theological meaning and importance to the icon.

[@firstnlastnamethe3rd771]

I think it says: "GOD"? But I only see the O & D. ...SOD, WOD, MOD & BOD seem outta the question. 🤔

[@bkbff]

@@popcorny007 At 23:01 when he starts on the baby, you can see it clearly. There is a letter to the left and above in the halo. It does appear that he gilded over them.

[@tbp.whiteraven]

The little circles you covered with gold paint at 24:48 one little O above the head and one little O on the left side of the aureola on the aureola of baby Jesus were not defects I'm afraid...those were parts of the cross pattern. There should be one on the right side of the aureola too, so that the three suggest a cross...

[@Shcreamingreen]

These were "ό ών", "I Am". Incredibly obvious and important detail.

[@bethcrane5780]

Ok, as it was winding down I was mesmerized by how lovely this couplet is and then ended laughing out loud. Icon fix it, indeed. Thanks Julian, you do amazing work.

[@Ladypuppy510]

Of all the restorations I've watched you do, this one felt the most vibrant. How different it looked once completed. Funny I'll never be involved in the restoration of any art, yet I find myself completely engrossed in your videos. Thank you so very much for sharing your work.

[@sailorarwen6101]

Funny anecdote for you. My cat enjoys watching the retouching process 😆 I assume it’s the quick movements of the little brush, but she does not look away from the screen when it’s going on.

[@FoxDusk]

Man, as a fossil preparator, I've found myself thinking back to Julian's techniques that he's accumulated over his career. I've come to realize that some of his cleaning methods also apply to fossil cleaning and repair! I now tend to roll my own cotton swabs and I also have been increasingly using novel methods to reach a finished and cleaned piece. Watching his videos, for me, is both entertainingly soothing and educational! I'm always curious if there's another way I can improve my workmanship on how to more effectively complete projects!

[@moleperson]

That’s amazing!! Really proves how important it is to share techniques that might not otherwise reach public spaces. What techniques of his have you found that apply to your work?

[@kaerix0]

These are the most relaxing videos on KZbin.

[@POVLA]

Saint Peter just informed the artist that his work has been restored.

[@AI-hx3fx]

Really appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship on a folksy yet beautiful icon. The motions and precision in restoration is an art in and of itself. For the curious, the Greek inscriptions from top to bottom are: - "ΜΡ ΘOU" ("Meter Theou", "Mother of God"; the "OU" are stacked as a ligature) - "IΣ•XΣ" ("Iesous Christos") - "H ἘΛEOUΣA" ("I Eleousa", "The Tenderness"; the "ΛE" is joined and "OU"" is stacked as ligatures). The pose and the name mean this is an icon of the "Eleousa" or "Showing Mercy" type.

[@davidmiller9485]

Yes the Icon is called "Theotokos with child". The child is Christos or Christ. There are many variations on this theme.

[@cindikeane4718]

This was amazing. It is a picture of the Blessed Mother holding the Christ child. Seeing you restore this beautiful piece filed my heart with love and appreciation. In almost all Greek Orthodox iconography, the (Theotokos) Blessed Mother always has somewhat of a stern face. Anyway, beautiful work! Thank you!

[@MatthewBlackwell1015]

That pink is unusual for Mary to wear in an icon. My guess is that it was originally red and has faded significantly over the years. She usually is depicted wearing crimson, royal blue, or sky blue.

[@capuchinosofia4771]

Yup, i imagine it was just like vangoghs bedroom painting. According to his letters, the floor was red, not pink-ish. Seems like red has quite bad lightfastness

[@madiis18account]

​@@capuchinosofia4771 a lot of red paints used to be made with lake pigments, from organic sources like the madder plant and later cochineal insects. In fact it was through analysis of van Gogh's paintings that we were able to learn a lot about lightfastness and the breakdown of pigments when exposed to light. van Gogh was poor, and likely could not afford to use lightfast pigments like vermillion, so instead he used lake pigments - most commonly we find evidence of eosin and cochineal used for reds by van Gogh. Red lake pigments are notoriously terrible in terms of fading, many of his paintings lost their hue within his own lifetime, something he remarked upon in letters to his family. Interestingly with van Gogh, he knew his paintings would fade and intentionally (by his own words) painted them more boldly and vividly knowing that it would not last. Despite knowing the paints would fade he used them anyway because he loved the vibrant colours. Perhaps that played a role in why so many of his works went unappreciated until more recently, now that they're faded. There's been some effort to digitally restore some of van Gogh's works to how they may have looked when he originally painted them, and my god were they vivid to say the least. The floor of the bedroom was a most likely salmon pink colour, so still not a vivid red but certainly not a dull pinkish brown. Also, the walls were purple! Look up the Revigo project if you're curious to learn more and see the examples of digital restorations.

[@capuchinosofia4771]

@@madiis18account ah what a lovely comment! Yes, i had read about the Revigo project recently which sparked my comment lol Thanks for the info!

[@madiis18account]

@Billy White Jr. van Gogh knew; many of his red paints faded in his own lifetime, and we know that he knew cos he wrote letters to his family about it. But yes, he was also particularly poor and even if he did want to paint with lightfast reds, probably could not afford them.

[@mwater_moon2865]

@@madiis18account Not to mention the light fast reds were very poisonous.

[@crimsonfox101]

Julian's videos are some of the best on KZbin. I love every single one he puts out

[@PkGam]

This is one of the most astonishing restorations I've ever seen! The paint was literally falling off, yet you still kept it together and adhered it back in place. Flattening it to boot! All of the touch ups looked just right (and yes, I seen the followup, I'll comment there too), plus the proportions around the edges were built back up nicely! The colors from the cleaning really came through as well! I'd never have guessed they were that good!

[@davidmontgomery1016]

I am always blown away by the cleaning process. The colors seem to explode once the dirt is removed. Really enjoy watching the process.

[@heatherinparis]

When Julian ran the brushfull of isolation liquid over the green areas of the painting I outright gasped with surprise/shock at how vibrant that green became. Just WOW!!

[@biaripardo3385]

Same

[@sosukelele]

If there's one thing I admire about these restorations it's the patience Julian has. I know that he goes about doing it in parts, taking breaks in between and everything, but that's still a lot of time spent getting as close as possible without going over the line. Kudos

[@biohack3077]

I made an entire story in my head... Julien's studio being in Chicago where there is a huge Greek community, had the opportunity to restore a very much loved family heirloom that accompanied a family in their voyage to the new world. Sometimes people's stories are as wonderful as the objects they are ephemeral custodians.

[@polarisedelectrons]

When I clicked on this, I thought the restoration was going to be digital. The fact that it is all done so thoughtfully and gently by hand is just amazing. This is beautiful.

[@nathnolt]

I feel like the retouching could have been a bit better, it looks a little bit flat, and it also looks to me, like the thumb of the left hand was still there in the non retouched version, yet was painted over. I don't mean to say that I could have done it better, I couldn't have. But just stating my opinion.

[@Vocalinds]

I was disappointed in the color of the gold retouching... To me it was too bright orange/yellow and didn't match.

[@juliend5047]

You’ve become the gold standard in Restauration. I have an old 17th century painting on wood and all the conservators I’ve considered so far do not compare to you in terms of craftsmanship etc. I’m considering to receive a quote from you. I live in Switzerland, so it’s not easy to send the painting to the US.

[@ghostoflazlo]

Like bro, you have kunshaus, national art museum or just shoot a mail to SKR. You have good, even excellent people, in Switzerland they just don't have a youtube channel hence you aren't as "starstruck" with them

[@xyz.anonymous]

What happened to the baby's halo? At 16:27 it has letters on it! In the final restoration they are gone :(

[@matthewrogers94mr]

Holy cow that is amazing how you restored this painting! I would've never imagined a painting like this could be restored and the paint job you do looks so close to original!

[@thehutch7728]

Ugh! The colour pop after the resin layer was GORGEOUS!!!

[@RastadasPT]

What an absolute shocker of a result! Turned out stunning, as the original artist intended.

[@dvukovic]

At 24:48 you have actually painted over "omicron" and "omega" symbols in the halo which are there to tell us that the person on the image is divine eg. jesus himself! On the right hand side which was damaged you should have added the "Nu" symbol, and not paint over everything.

[@Rene_Voortwist]

I just can’t imagine that Julian would miss this. There’s got to be a reason for him doing this.

[@dvukovic]

@@Rene_Voortwist I think it's just an honest mistake.

[@savegalkissy]

@@Rene_Voortwist they’re incredibly cracked and jagged, it’s hard to see the letters in the video. It’s most likely just a mistake

[@renerpho]

@@savegalkissy Yes. Sadly, these letters are present in all icons of this type, and are important to the image's content. I hope Julian reads this comment.

[@sticlavoda5632]

This is INCREDIBLY important. Without those symbols the depiction is not of Jesus.

[@catherine5599]

Julian, the gorgeous music during the paint retouching is so wonderful. Thank you for making my day.

[@LilithL641]

I love it too! Does anyone know what this song it is? Finding classical pieces is so hard and I’d love to be able to listen to it again.

[@seriouslyreally5413]

The elephant in the room Julian, why did you not restore the Greek letters on the halo of the Christ Child that were clearly visible at 16:35 camera angle?

[@emersongarcia7128]

Because they were clearly visible. No sections missing.

[@SashaMonsteraki]

He covered them, though.

[@Fenrir11119]

This is an absolutely incredible transformation. It’s an entirely different looking piece. Incredible work!

[@BigGuy8059]

I have zero art training, but these restorations bring me to tears.

[@liaalexan224]

First thing that came to mind when i saw the painting i immediately thought about Greece because of the writing on it. I never thought I'd see julian restoring a painting from my country! Ps. This is Jesus Christ and his Mother, it's not just a portrait of a woman and a child!

[@slbarbieri1725]

He definitely knows that. He's worked on other icons

[@liaalexan224]

@@slbarbieri1725 just wanted to point that out because he said: "that child" in the video and I wasn't sure if he knew😁

[@skulldon9]

He’s Jewish, so maybe he actively chooses not to name them, as Jews don’t recognise the divinity of Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

[@sailorarwen6101]

Yes, as icons refer to paintings of religious characters I would HOPE most people are aware of the subject matter. Then again, when I took art history 101 I was the only person that seemed to know anything about the Bible so I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath

[@bcafed]

@@skulldon9 I'm not Buddhist, but I wouldn't neglect saying a picture of the Buddha is the Buddha.

[@bonihani17]

I work at a frame shop and watching Baumgartner's videos is always a learning experience. At my job, I am not allowed to restore artwork, only frame it as is. I can't help but imagine what I would do to help preserve artwork, rather than put it under museum glass with spacers and hope for the best. At least I use acid free materials when framing. Sometimes I wish I could do more.

[@cs3742]

"...eschewing using power tools..." Thank you Julian, I've never heard the verb eschew used in spoken language, only in erudite literature. 🙂

[@vertigo.frog2110]

for someone pretending to be smart you would think you'd know it's spelled eschew

[@cs3742]

@@vertigo.frog2110 Since misspelling has offended, Lately It has been amended. Let no more snarks be here appended, And now with smiles let all be ended.

[@tenjenk]

@@vertigo.frog2110 since their post wasn't made maliciously and they arent pretending but you're just being pedantic about a positive post, upon thyself may thy accusations lay.

[@the-chillian]

Julian, you covered up the lettering in Christ's halo here. That was original paint and, as this is a religious object, theologically significant.

[@SparkedSoul]

Ah, you can hardly see it until 23:55 the W is evident, then. It's difficult otherwise to make out.

[@triciac.5078]

I saw that, I cringed. I'm not even Christian and I know it's important.

[@the-chillian]

@@alexalexiadis He covered up the ὁ ὢν in the halo.

[@the-chillian]

​@@alexalexiadis This is absolutely incorrect. Christ is almost always depicted with ὁ ὢν in his halo, which also usually has a cross inscribed. This example lacks the cross, but not the lettering. My reply with a link to a Google search isn't showing up; perhaps they get filtered here. But Googling for "greek icon christ" will show you numerous examples. If you've never noticed this, you've been almost unforgivably inattentive in church.

[@alexalexiadis]

@@the-chillian You have absolutely right..sorry my mistake!!!I didn’t notice (my eyes betrayed me!)he covered it!!! It’s obvious I see it clear now with my glasses on!! No hard feelings…thank you!

[@Excitable67]

WOW!! What a transformation! The brilliant colors I never suspected were there under all that grime and old varnish! Incredible! This one had to be pretty exciting to do...

[@felimuller909]

For anyone wondering about the greek text: MH(TH)R (meter = mother ) θ(ε)ο(υ) (theou, of God) -- - - -- Ι(ησού)ς Χ(ριστό)ς (Iesous Xristos, Jesus Christ) 'Η ΕΛΕωΣΑ (he eleousa - the merciful (one)) 16:32 not sure why the writing in the nimbus of Jesus was painted over; ό ών (ho on) is a shorter version of ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ῶν (~ I am the one that is) from the revelation of God to Moses in Ex 3,14.

[@Antaios632]

I didn't get the pun until the very end, but I did think "what an odd title, I wonder what that's about, oh well, too excited to watch the video to think too much about it." 😂 I think my groan woke up the cat!

[@barelungs]

I am now waiting for a video where Julian addresses his mistake and returns the symbols to the halo of Jesus

[@melissac.5948]

No mention of it so far. Two of the three symbols were completely obvious before he painted over them. In the past, Julian has consulted with experts in order to do the best restoration possible. Why not in this instance?

[@iantaakalla8180]

I guess he took it in blindly, assumed it was a normal painting, then ignored that it was iconography because he never even thought it could be iconography.

[@gencox1107]

Every single time your retouching skills blow me away! This one was so relaxing with the music 😴

[@clownfromclowntown]

Idk why but up until 3:00 I thought that this painting was like, 2ftx3ft or something so seeing the actual size was REALLY jarring

[@slbarbieri1725]

Absolutely incredible! As a person who got a visual communications degree in the last millennium, I am living vicariously through these videos. I've always been fascinated with history and restoration (must be due to being a carpenter's daughter!) And I can appreciate this from the work standpoint as well as the historical. Kudos to you!

[@fredonitch8761]

Amazing how this youtube channel brings me peace of mind. Not just the voice but also the knowledge and great work done to restore and preserve all these art pieces. There is a book of Alessandro Baricco,"The barbarians" explaining how fields of knowledge can be destroyed by people without knowledge invading those fields. You, sir, are definitly not one of them. Thank you for inviting us in your wonderful world of knowledge (and sorry for my poor english).

[@georgeroditakis6460]

Hi, I think you repainted the letters ο ων 24:45 which are in every orthodox icon of jesus. It means the one who exist and i am pretty sure its kind of important. I hope i helped

[@elizabetht.6605]

I love how he kept the look of the antiquity. It still looks old, and loved, but vibrant at the same time.

[@fitp2183]

Why did you cover the letters on the halo?

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

👍👌👏 Almost unreal looking, so clean and colourful now. Simply fantastic again and as always (video and work).

[@JR-nw4to]

Gluing the wood perpendicular to the grain direction is going to be problematic in the future. Yes, it's not structural, however, wood is an anisotropic material. It will change dimensions in its width and thickness - but almost nothing in its length. The movement in the old timber, and no movement in the new timber is going to cause more issues - possibly even splitting the board...This is the first rule of woodworking

[@MQZ17]

The cleaning of the paintings is my favorite part of these videos, it's like a new painting comes to life

[@Shcreamingreen]

You've painted over "ό ών" on Emmanuel's halo.

[@CUlater44433AnimationandArt]

I did not realize the painting was that small so when it was revealed the actual size I was like "What's that wooden block for?"

[@emmafre-haack1746]

Essere silenziosi testimoni di tanta abilità, sensibilità ed amore per l’arte è una esperienza unica e preziosa. Quei due colpi sapienti di pennello per restaurare la manina del bimbo… emozionante, appropriato ed inimitabile! Un grazie sentito dalla lontana Europa…

[@Darscm]

“Icon fix it”. How great. A comedian as well as a magician because what Julian does with restoration is nothing short of magic coupled with expertise and experience. Thank you for the privilege of watching you work.

[@shanettequao9043]

Love these videos. Always so educational and relaxing 😌

[@corygottron1039]

this is the second video i've seen today with the greek name abbreviations. from what i can tell, MHP OY basically means mother of god. the line above the abbreviations denotes they are a holy figure.

[@corygottron1039]

the ic (sigma) xc(sigma) is jesus "In Eastern Orthodoxy, the most widely used Christogram is a four-letter abbreviation ICXC-a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for "Jesus Christ" (that is, the first and last letters of each of the words ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ-written "IHCOYC XPICTOC" with a transliteration of the lunate sigma common in medieval Greek as "C"). On icons this christogram may be split: "IC" on the left of the image and "XC" on the right, most often with a bar above the letters, indicating that it was a sacred name"

[@corygottron1039]

even the hand gesture baby jesus is doing is a representation of the icxc, his name.

[@Mr_Daddums]

Brilliant work! Although it looks like you painted over the symbols on the child's golden halo

[@sanewfield1]

Have watched your magic since the beginning of the channel, and am still excited to see the cleaning. Also, the painting becomes whole with your little dots of paint. Magic at its best.

[@Siansonea]

Excellent work. One might even say it's _iconic._

[@DipityS]

This has been one of the most enjoyable restorations - I think because the beautiful blues and other colours were so hidden and now are alive again. I liked the new technique of almost stop-motion you incorporated - (which you've probably used before) - I do enjoy the new skills you use being added to your videos as I know that must be more satisfying as a creator and we viewers reap the benefits.

[@stephendeluca4479]

"The child"? If this was a portrait of Abe Lincoln would he be referred to as "the man"? Come on, people.

[@Shcreamingreen]

Julian is still waiting for the Messiah, mind you.

[@jasoncooney3595]

It still amazes me how you match colors so well. Beautiful!

[@antagonizerr]

You definitely need a contour gauge Julian. It'd make mating uneven surfaces profoundly easier.

[@jacobfishel8913]

Listening to the music makes me feel like a child and fairy tales are real and the world is full of beauty and magic and unexplored things.

[@justinmihoc7691]

I'm afraid you painted over the Ὁ ὬΝ inside Christ's halo. Those letters (translating to "He who is") are a reference to the answer Moses received on Mount Sinai.

[@bethbleas8378]

oooohh! When that beautiful background color comes up! Amazing!!

[@TV-oj8uh]

I respect your work a lot but im sad that you erased one of the most important things in the icon, the inscription in the halo of Jesus. It comes from The Exodus chapter and it means `I AM WHO I AM`.

[@loverlei79]

I always thought if any of my hand painted icons got damaged I would send them to you. Now I know I can 🥰🤗💓💓💓

[@lilylomcari1750]

Would really appreciate more of a focus on the cleaning process. It’s very interesting and satisfying to watch it change. The painting part was great! Something like that for the cleaning as well!!

[@iglowinthedark3645]

I like listening to his voice. If he runs out of things to say he could start talking about the history of the painting

[@Alan2E0KVRKing]

I've watched many of your restorations, your work is always excellent, this Icon was just an amazing transformation!

[@thelatinist5024]

The lettering on the icon reads (with some complex ligatures): ΜΗΤΗΡ ΘΕΟΥ / Η ΕΛΕΟΥΣΑ / Ι[ΕΣΟΥ]Σ Χ[ΡΙΣΤΟ]Σ. In English, that is “The mother of God / The Tender One / Jesus Christ.” Both Ιεσους and Χριστός are abbreviated; hence the bar over the ΙΣ. There should be a similar bar over the ΧΣ. @Baumgartner Restoration More importantly, you’ve painted out lettering in the Child’s halo: ο ω and a missing ν; these are the letters typically seen on the acheiropoieta, and they stand for the Greek rendering of the name of God in the Old Testament: ὁ ὤν “he who is.” You’ve literally painted over the name of God. I think this is an oversight that absolutely has to be corrected.

[@googleaccount4471]

I agree brother

[@thelatinist5024]

To be clear, I’m not pointing this out as a “gotcha.” But as someone who does Latin and Ancient Greek for a living and a passion, watching this letters painted over was a bit gutting. And I don’t think if he’d seen it Julian would’ve overpainted that in a million years.

[@Gnarwhals]

I audibly gasped when the isolation resin went on; the immediate pop of colour blew me away

[@jaycornelius236]

Watched another art restorer channel from UK. Just not the same. BR is the best, in content, narration and videography.

[@miran248]

Channel name?

[@chrisduncan6600]

Absolutely brilliant. It’s so satisfying to watch the process and see the finished product. You can almost hear the piece breathe a sigh of relief at being restored to its original grandeur and somewhere the original artist rejoices! Magnificent!

[@miguelg1370]

I just need Julian to softly whisper, “washhicozzzo” in my ear…

[@purpleunicorn87]

Never would've expected the wall to be blue at all, much less *so* blue! Wow

[@dominikskorjanc]

I can't be the only one who thinks child's retouched hand looks a bit off?

[@dominikskorjanc]

Like the outline of the fingers comes before the fingers end?

[@t.mumpfield]

When he busts out the cotton balls and solvent-I’m giddy

[@kj7707]

It's a good day when Julian uploads 😌

[@IckyNeko]

"We can now see the entirety of the image without distraction." *Low flying jet noise* 😄

[@michalinaartysiewicz8776]

Julian, did you painted over what seems like the letters that are usually around Jesus head on icons? (24:47) Why? I am not judging, maybe it is what the client wanted, It is all reversable after all. I am just curious.

[@yazdhenab.]

I REALLY want to see the face of the owner when you show it's painting restored! It's an astonishing work!

[@shannonstevens3025]

God knows this man is truly truly talented! God knows since he gave him such skill! I have watched him so long and I am absolutely amazed at his work! Not only does he restore and preserve the art his skill with touch up just blows me completely away,thanks for allowing me to see such amazing work,bless you all, remember to love 1 another and choose peace over war,take care folks.

[@Anna-bv2sp]

Mind blowing!!! Absolutely amazing! Thank you ❤