Who is the Doctor ? Art Restoration Reveals Portraits Hidden Secrets

Mrs Calvert part 2 will be the next Patreon exclusive art restoration and that will be in the New Year. If you haven't joined yet please have a look and support the channel. I have an art restorer's workshop apron giveaway running when I reach 200 patreons! / bloomfieldartrestoration
In this painting restoration episode we carry on retouching the extender piece and make a decision on the hand restoration. We also find out more about John Riley and John Closterman and their Van Dyke Club. The portrait has it final touches and we research who the Doctor may be...?
Books:
The Restless Republic, Britain without a Crown : www.waterstones.com/book/the-...
The Last Royal Rebel The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth www.waterstones.com/book/the-...
Links:
Society of the Virtuosi of St Luke "Van Dyke Club" further reading
www.oxforddnb.com/display/10....
The Doctor Part 1 - • Restoring the Doctor -...
The Doctor Part 2 - • Cleaning a 17th Centur...
The Doctor Part 3 - • Varnish removal - The ...
Equipment:
iPhone 14pro
Yeti Blue Mic
Edited with Adobe Premiere
Would you like to advertise with us, direct business inquiries to: [e-mail]
ABOUT Bloomfield Art Restoration Is an unlimited series exploring the art restoration of oil paintings, period history, and artists lives.
ABOUT Bloomfield Art & James Bloomfield Bloomfield Art specialise in all aspects of art restoration, oil easel painting restoration and fine art conservation. We offer fine art restoration and picture cleaning services across the North West of England, We also offer a National Painting Restoration service. Bloomfield Art is an associate member of the British Association of Paintings Conservators - Restorer's (BAPCR) .
We have completed art restoration work on behalf of Christies London, National Gallery Ireland, the NHS, local authorities, schools, churches and historic houses. We have also worked on paintings by Sir Terry Frost, Ambrose McAvoy, Mary Fedden, Kyffin Williams, Robert Lenkowiez, Helen Bradley, L.S Lowry, R.R. Reinagle, J.Hoppner, W.Sant and many more. James Bloomfield is an accredited Art Restorer and Artist and has worked on 1000's of oil paintings. He was selected for the prestigious John Moores painting prize in 2012. He lives and works in Manchester England.

[@cs3742]

Thanks for the art history. It makes the restoration so much more enjoyable.

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Thank you I enjoy the research side of things more and more

[@theresathomas1258]

I so appreciate the research into the history and times of the paintings you conserve. It brings the artist & sitter to life. It’s not just a painting being conserved but the real history of real people.

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Glad you enjoy it thanks for your comment!

[@TexasLawyer313]

Great video! Love the ambient noises in the background - very relaxing.

[@dacrazyfarm]

I have such absolute respect and intrigue for your job. I am an executive chef by trade, but I've always had such a passion for the fine art. My job requires a lot of attention to detail, but at my age I would love to be able to take my skill sets somewhere else. Unfortunately, I do not live in a place that would allow for me to retain this kind of job, but I would give anything to be able to do what you do. It would be such a lifelong passion to be able to fulfill that. Kudos to you and what you do. It is forever necessary and desired and I hope that it is not a fading industry, especially knowing that technology is taking over everything. We will be lost without our traditions and our history

[@lynnedelacy2841]

I wonder if the doctor died before the portrait was finished and final adjustments made. It could be that family couldn’t pay the final bill and so it wasn’t finished properly Could also explain why it was rolled for storage in the artist’s studio and also when they decided to cash in on any inventory- they could have added the colourful strip and then painted over the thumb to make it more saleable

[@MrJusttobesure]

The rest of the hand is painted very well so a ‘mistake; on the thumb unlikely - looking at the nail which is also oddly shaped a previous injury looks to be the cause. Maybe he wore it as a ‘badge of honour’ if it was done while practicing medicine or it could have been received in another non work related injury and he’s showing that he still progressed and achieved. Great series and really good discussions/research 👏🏻

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Thank you glad you enjyed it

[@lynnedelacy2841]

That thumb and the fact the nail was somewhat deformed and his other hand was in a glove could mean perhaps he could have eczema or dermatitis. He obviously could not really have both hands in his gloves as it would look odd so perhaps the hand that is shown is the better one. I know of someone who can get quite bad eczema and has done all his life which has affected the development of his nails - particularly the thumb nail

[@lynneforgie6711]

Very interesting as always and a fantastic result.

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Many thanks!

[@raquelpinheiro6300]

I wish I could smell this studio 😍

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

I am immune to the smell now, but im told it smells pretty good!

[@-miekeb-]

Beautiful painting!! Thank you and Happy Hollidays!! 👋

[@Lacey_Ann]

The thumb reminds me of the people with "clubbed thumbs" (they look kinda look like toes)

[@MrTooGay]

Enjoyed it.

[@lsimpson50]

Great work!

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@lecocguenaline4832]

Brilliant as usual... I thoroughly enjoy your commentaries, whether they are explanations of what you're doing or about your research into history / history of art. It's all fascinating... Great work!

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Many thanks! glad you like them! I enjoy the research part more and more

[@phranerphamily]

Happy Holidays and thank you for all the interesting videos and shorts this year!

[@nickimontie]

I saved this one for today as a gift to myself 😊 Merry Christmas!

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Happy holidays! hope you enjoyed it

[@Garden366]

Thank you so very much for taking us through this restoration of the doctor. I love that you provided history from the period as well which brought the doctor and the times in which he lived to life for us. Very good work all around! Merry Christmas!

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Thank you glad you enjoyed it

[@lornaperryman489]

Actually, the thumb might be a genetic mutation. My Grandfather had a right thumb similar to that with forshortened nail and slightly upturned 1st joint. A cousin also had the same.

[@jomercer21113]

I went to school with a girl whose family had distinctive thumbs like that, too.

[@Medard1947]

A very Merry Christmas to you, dear!

[@michaeldarby3503]

I think you should paint in an Iphone in his hand, would make me smile lol

[@j.d.m.3287]

yes, or, maybe an electric guitar with groupies hanging around

[@michaeldarby3503]

@@j.d.m.3287 oooooh, look at the hair, I think it might be an early portrait of Brian May

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

That would be cool! he looks like he's leaning on a bar already ...

[@dashinvaine]

Charles II wasn't chased out of his throne, it was his brother, James II, as I'm sure you meant to say.

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Yes my bad, I have much better understanding of the events since posting this video and just love the whole era,

[@srrfounder1]

🎅🎄🥳 Happy Holidays 🥳🎄🎅

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Happy holidays!

[@mobo8074]

Fabulous job! You discovered for us great delicacy and refinement of an accomplished artist! Thank you for enjoyable journey with Doctor! Merry Christmas 🎄😁

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Thank you Happy Holidays

[@lynnedelacy2841]

Did you mean James ll rather than Charles ll chased from his throne ?

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

Yes - Charles II suddenly died and James II was defeated by William of Orange

[@mark314158]

​@@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration Although not as suddenly as Charles I. He was suddenly taken ill - but managed to hang on for four days until, arguably, being finished off by his doctors...

[@pinkerbot]

General purpose shoes? 🙂

[@Elong.]

Are famous works (Mona Lisa etc) restored as well? Or are they just well preserved?

[@Bloomfield_Art_Restoration]

It would depend really, a lot of gallery paintings have been really well looked after for centuries so may well be in perfect condition. Accidents do happen though so there maybe some work on these kind of paintings. Also the way the painting has been made up may well contribute to it requiring work over time.Some paintings have really hard lives though.

[@ozelhassan8576]

Who is The Doctor? He or she is a timelord from Gallifrey and travels in a TARDIS. Lols

[@moniquedewyk6341]

Was that before Tom Baker or Peter Davidson?