by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

2/11/2026

CAMConservation, paper conservation, Indian painting

At eight feet in length, this nineteenth-century painting on paper from the Pahari Kingdoms of India is much larger than its counterparts. Along with its unusual size come some unique conservation considerations to help stabilize the artwork's painted surface.

by Julie Ribits, Head of Conservation

1/13/2026

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, pigments

When "Study to Homage to the Square/From Inside" by artist Joseph Albers arrived in the museum's conservation lab for treatment, conservators discovered the painting’s verso included a complete list of all materials the artist used to create the image. This information proved invaluable for conservation treatments.

by Hou-mei Sung, Ph.D, 宋后楣 Curator of East Asian Art

6/5/2025

East Asian Art, Japanese Art, painting

This summer, the East Asian department awaits the arrival of 40 Japanese paintings from Dr. Toshihide Hirose of Hirosaki, Japan.

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

2/6/2025

Alice and Carl Bimel, Shahzia Sikander: Collective Behavior, Indian painting, paper conservation, CAMConservation

My initial examination of the painting revealed that some of the paint was poorly attached to the paper support, so before the work went into the gallery, it made a stop in the paper lab.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

12/12/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, John Francis, still lifes

Basket of Fruit, a still life by American artist John Francis (1808–1886), was last conserved here at CAM in 1975.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

9/26/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Italian Altarpiece

After a very close and extended examination by our conservator , it seems certain Madonna and Child was originally part of an Italian Renaissance altarpiece.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

8/29/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Constable, British catalog project

A few weeks ago, we posted about cleaning this landscape painting by British artist John Constable (1776–1837). The conservation treatment proceeded as quickly as we expected.

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

8/22/2024

CAMConservation, Chuck Close, Keith Hollingworth, paper pulp print, Art Bridges, Denison Museum, Denison University, portrait, paintings conservation

Denison Museum at Denison University (Granville, Ohio) will show nine Cincinnati Art Museum pieces in different media from August 29 to November 29, 2024, in their exhibition Portraying Identity .

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

8/1/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Constable, British catalog project

We brought this lovely landscape, Waterloo Bridge by British artist John Constable (1776-1837), into the conservation lab to be examined for the British catalog project. Not conserved for more than 60 years, the painting’s varnish is now noticeably yellow.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

5/9/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Sir Joshua Reynolds, British catalog project, John Steuart Curry

Boy with Grapes, by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), is the 45th painting examined in the paintings conservation lab over the last eighteen months, for the British catalog project.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

4/11/2024

British catalog project, Hoppner, paintings conservation, bituminous paint

This charming portrait of the Honorable Augusta Herbert, by British artist John Hoppner (1758–1810), is long overdue for cleaning.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

3/14/2024

CAMConservation, British portraiture, paintings conservation, Henry Raeburn, British catalog project, CAM British Painting catalog, CAM British Paintings

As paintings conservators, we may use chemicals, but we certainly don’t give facials.

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

3/7/2024

CAMConservation, William E. Hentschel, paper conservation, air brush, printmaking, brayer painting

Two prints by Willim Hentschel came through the paper lab with old hinges and pressure sensitive tapes. The artist’s work is unlike any other in the collection.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

2/15/2024

CAMConservation, Cezanne, paintings conservation, hidden paintings, X-ray, XRF macro-scan

Last month, three Northwestern scientists brought their highly specialized scanning and imaging equipment to the museum and spent a week in our Paintings/Objects lab.

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

2/8/2024

paper conservation, Woo Chong Yung, C.Y. Woo, Wu Zhongxiong, Asian Art, Asian painting conservation

Preparations are well underway for the upcoming exhibition From Shanghai to Ohio: Woo Chong Yung (1898-1989). In fact, we have been developing the show for more than four years.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

1/18/2024

CAMConservation, Bouguereau, surface cleaning, visitor favorite, paintings conservation

This visitor favorite, Girl Eating Porridge, by French artist Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825–1905), was acquired by the museum in 1884, a mere ten years after the artist painted it.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

12/7/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Weir, Twachtman, X-ray, hidden paintings

This small painting by American artist Julian Alden Weir (1852–1919) was donated to the museum by the artist in 1911.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

11/2/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Thomas Gainsborough

These three portraits by 18th-century British artist Thomas Gainsborough are in the paintings conservation lab to be examined for the British catalog project.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

10/5/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, panel paintings

This small round painting, attributed to the studio of the 17th century Dutch artist Frans Hals, was recently in the paintings conservation lab to have its discolored varnish removed.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

8/10/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Theodore Robinson, Impressionism, American Impressionism

We’ve had this painting by American Impressionist Theodore Robinson (1852–1896) listed for varnish removal for a while. That’s because curators and conservators know that Impressionist artists rarely varnished their paintings.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

7/5/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Thomas Barker, CAM British Painting catalog, CAM British Paintings

Another work recently conserved for the British catalog project, The Approaching Storm by English artist Thomas Barker (1769–1847), presented a challenge.

by Kristopher Reisser, Conservation Intern

6/8/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, cam intern, mather brown, portrait, European Paintings

When I read the curatorial file for this painting, I discovered a remarkably expansive biography, not just of the painting itself, but also of the sitter and the artist. What is most interesting to me, though, is the sitter’s story.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

5/11/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, hopper

We recently cleaned Sunlight on Prospect Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts by Edward Hopper (1882–1967).

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

4/13/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Impressionism, Pierre Auguste Renoir

Painted by the French Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), Fog on Guernsey recently paid a visit to our lab for cleaning—and it let us in on a charming secret.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

3/16/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, British portraiture

This portrait of an anonymous lady by an anonymous British artist was so dirty that only the most basic details were visible before conservation.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

2/16/2023

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Sir Joshua Reynolds, portrait, British catalog project, European Paintings

These three portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723–1792) have come out of storage and into the conservation lab for the museum’s British catalog project . They are due to be examined, and perhaps treated, before heading to our photography department for high resolution imaging.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

1/19/2023

paintings conservation, CAMConservation, Selden

Before the work was shipped to the museum from out of state, our curator of American art, Julie Aronson, PhD, contacted a professionally trained paintings conservator in that region to examine it. He noted a few areas with cracks and lifting paint that might be jeopardized during transport. With permission from the owner , the conservator applied the three tissue paper patches you see here to make sure that no paint flakes were lost in transit.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

12/15/2022

X-ray, CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Paul Cezanne

A few months ago, I posted about the complicated surface coatings on Cézanne’s Still Life with Bread and Eggs.” But what was going on under the surface was even more of a surprise.

by Conservation

10/6/2022

CAMConservation, Manet, paintings, paintings conservation

Look for the recently conserved painting in our gallery soon.

by Conservation

9/15/2022

CAMConservation, paintings, Paul Cezanne, still lifes, paintings conservation

Look for Bread and Eggs (and onions!) to return to the permanent galleries soon.