Uncovering the Original Paint Treatment

It turns out you really can use duct tape to fix anything! While attempting to expose a small patch of the original painted surface by picking away the top layer of modern paint, a historic paint specialist discovered that the varnish applied to the original surface created a sheer layer, allowing the 1980s latex paint to be removed surprisingly easily. A team from International Fine Art Conservation Studios (IFACS) used duct tape to remove all the modern paint, revealing the original nineteenth-century decorative paint treatment beneath, which was almost completely intact. Members of the IFACS team then hand-painted the areas of paint loss, and finally added a new protective varnish layer on the top.