Lowy has just completed a challenging conservation of a large mural study painted by John LaFarge. Part of the collection of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, “The Angel of the Sun” has been installed in the library rotunda of the College of Staten Island and will be the center of an upcoming exhibit on LaFarge. The mural is the original study for one of two large tondos that were designed to face the altar in Manhattan’s St. Paul the Apostle church. The companion mural, called “The Angel of the Moon” was completed and installed as a part of a commission awarded to LaFarge in 1876; however contractual disagreements with the church caused LaFarge to cease work on “The Angel of the Sun” and prevented completion of the final mural. The full scale, 112 inch square study was painted in tempera emulsion on paper and was later mounted to canvas. The study was sold to Augustus Healy in 1911. At this time the tears, losses, insert repairs and general poor condition of the work were documented. After later becoming part of the the Brooklyn Museum’s collection, where it was in storage for years, the study was purchased privately, probably restored again, and then gifted to the Staten Island Institute in 1976. Not surprisingly, after so many years of obscurity, the artwork was in poor condition, so when the Institute decided to display it, they knew that it had to be conserved and contacted Lowy. “Examining the work was in itself a challenge,” explains Marie Bruno, the head conservator for the project. “It had been rolled on a large drum for so long that we were initially able to see only the three feet that were exposed without risking further damage.” Examinations revealed an extremely fragile, unstable paint layer lifting from a weak, oxidized paper support. This support, which was comprised of six overlapping panels that were shaped to form a circle, was only semi-attached to a very dessicated canvas. The four corners of the canvas were gilded. There were large areas of overpaint, extensive cupping, and flaking throughout. Solubility problems and a wax coating on the surface further complicated the treatment options. Bruno and her co-conservators began by spraying a gelatin solution over the surface to stabilize and relax the fragile layers of the painting so it could be carefully unrolled. Finally, the study was viewed in its entirety for the first time |
Above: Rolled mural in front of specially
designed vacuum table.
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in decades. Recounts Bruno, “The mural was so large and the condition so delicate, that the paint consolidation became the most essential as well as time consuming stage of the entire treatment.” Conservation objectives were to consolidate and stabilize both the paint layer and the paper support, and to provide a suitable structural framework in which the mural could be safely exhibited. While
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Above: Marie Bruno applying solution to
surface of mural.
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Dennis Fox |
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David Frye |
Lowy’s Production manager, Dennis Fox, got his first job in picture framing after graduating college as a geology major. "I loved what I studied but didn’t love the type of jobs I was offered when I graduated," he laughs, "so I took a decidedly more comfortable job at a small frame shop. After a few years I had mastered the technical skills of the framer and knew how the business ran, so when I decided to move back to my hometown of Mamaroneck, NY, I opened my own framing studio, where I worked mostly for galleries." One summer, Dennis heard through a friend who worked at Lowy that they were looking to fill a part-time position in the fitting department. "I thought it would be exciting to work with all the antique frames,so I took the job, thinking it would be a temporary thing," he remembers. That was ten years ago, and today as Production Manager, Fox is responsible for all framing projects, from the time a salesperson writes an order to its eventual completion. What does it mean to be "production manager?" At Lowy, all frames are either antique or custom made. After the salesperson discusses the job in depth with the client, Dennis relates the details to the appropriate craftsmen, offering ideas and communicating the client’s vision. "For example, in the case of an antique frame that needs to be sized, I’ll work with the carver to determine where to make the cuts and how to resolve the carving elements." When the frame comes back from the carving shop, Dennis will consult with the finishers to talk about cleaning and restoration. "We might do test patches to determine how much we can clean without damaging the original patina, then discuss repairs to the gesso or gilt layer that may be needed." Once the size of the frame is correct and the surface is finished, Fox works with the fitting department, then hands the work over to be shipped out. "I’ve always been a history buff, always loved to touch and examine antiques to see how they were constructed and kept alive," he says with a soft smile. "Our artisans are masters of their crafts but don’t always visualize the entire process. I am one step closer to the client’s voice. My job is essentially critical path management, or to put it more poetically, to turn the client’s dream into reality ." |
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"People often ask, ‘How do you make the art and the frame stay together?’," recounts David Frye with his characteristic humor, "and when I first began to learn about picture framing, I asked the same thing. Now, with nearly twenty years under my belt, I can tell you the answer: with great care." How did David discover his talent for handling and fitting works of art? While completing his Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art at the University of South Florida, he taught art and worked part time at a frame shop. As his interest in teaching began to wane, his fine art background and growing expertise in framing techniques made him see it as an intriguing career path. "I found the work absorbing because it combined precise technical skills with a surprising level of creativity." After university David moved to Montreal, where he was manager of the framing department at La Gilde Graphique for six years. He had heard about Lowy, and when a twist of fate brought him to New York he was hired by Lowy and became manager of the fitting department two years later. David explains his passion for his craft: "You have to take into account the vision of the client, the type of frame, and of course, the needs of the work of art. What type of material should be used for matting? What sort of hinge will protect it best? Then you need the engineering skills to execute the plan." Yet in spite of its intricacy, most of David’s work is invisible. "Of course one sees the mat and the frame, but the archival methods of fitting and hinging -- which are of equal importance -- are hidden." He also marvels at the variety of art he handles at Lowy. "It’s not unusual to work on a Monet landscape, a Renaissance panel painting and a Homer drawing in a given day. As both an artist and an art lover, it is inspiring to be so intimately involved with such great works of art," he enthuses. David is also an accomplished artist in his own right, and recently developed his own cyber museum to exhibit art works he has created over the past two decades. With so many hats--framer, artist, webmaster, teacher--how does he keep it all together? "With great care."
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