Need Help!

[Whatknot]

I have an oil painting from 1987 on a 'canvas foundation board'. I was asked to reframe it. It was in a frame (no glass or matting) and it was cupped. When I pressed down on the edges to flatten it, the paint cracked, almost to the point of big chunks flaking off. I'm seriously kicking myself for trying to flatten it. Of course I'll have to 'fess up' and say I caused the cracking. I believe the finish is now rendered unstable and even if it's put back in the frame it came out of, it will probably start to flake. ANY idea what I can do to get out of this mess with my reputation intact? Could a conservator fix the problem and, if so, would the price be too high to consider? It is a painting by a local artist who is now dead. It's probably not that valuable, but it would be of some historical significance.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[PaulSF]

This is a job for a conservator. I think you're going to have to suck it up and pay the conservator's fee. When art comes in warped like that, you just have to point it out to the customer, and tell the customer it's going to stay warped.

 

[Prospero]

Don't feel too bad Whatknot. The real blame lies with the artist. Oil paint, properly mixed, should not flake off. Sad fact is, a lot of amateur artists pay little attention to the 'craft' side of painting. They tend to put too much turps in the mix and not enough oil. This makes the paint easier to apply on fine detail. They are actually trying to use oil paint like watercolor. Problem is, it is the oil in the mix that makes the paint stick. Not enough and it will crack and detatch as it cures. This process goes on for decades. I'm betting that the surface of the painting looks very matt. A good oil should have a nice semi-gloss look. There could be lots of other causes - bad priming (no priming), but what I have described is the usuall suspect.

Not that this is of any help in your present predicament. I hope your customer is an understanding person. It's not as if you have damaged the painting by carelessness or negligence. You have been presented with a work that was in a fundamentaly unstable state. It was going to happen sooner or later. By all means let a conservator evaluate it and give you a written report. If only to prove to your customer that it was not all your fault.

 

[Dave]

Good advice from prospero.

 

[Whatknot]

Thanks so much for your support everyone. The owner was most understanding and he pointed out that the artist was not a professional and that it's possible his methods were probably the cause of the problem. Huge lesson learned and I'm hoping I don't learn another lesson for a good long while!
Cheers!