Reuben Rubin
View of Jerusalem
Oil on canvas, 129 x 161
Collection Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Restoration Process: 2.5 years
Restoration completed in 2010
Painting Conservator: Maya Dresner

Main Reasons for Conservation

The painting was damaged during long term loan out of the museum. The back of the painting absorbed humidity probably from the wall on which it was exhibited . The result was that the paint layer separated from the base (ground) and a process of severe flaking has begun. Especially at the lower part of the painting large flakes of paint were lifting and also many paint losses occurred.

Two-Stage Restoration Process:

Consolidation of Paint Layer, Retouching

The painting was brought to the museums conservation lab for treatment.
The paint layer was secured by a facing paper. Next a consolidation process of the flaking paint and the entire paint layer was carried out by injecting adhesive between the ground and the paint layer. That was a long and delicate process due to the brittle characteristics to the paint layer. The facing paper was removed, paint losses were filled in with gesso and the final stage was the retouching of all the paint losses.