GF Watts's Limnerslease Conserved and Reopened
January 20 2022
Picture: wattsgallery.org.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Last month saw the reopening of George Frederic Watts's Limnerslease in Compton, Surrey, after several months of conservation work after an electrical fire in September 2020. Although the building was thankfully not destroyed, thick smoke left a residue on the interiors and on many of the paintings. Conservation work has now been completed and visitors are once again able to see Watts's house and studios.
According to the Watts Gallery's blog:
Our De Lazlo Paintings Conservator, coordinated a team of four freelance paintings conservators working within four temporary studio spaces within the Clore Learning Studio in the building. Each of the 27 oil paintings by G F Watts were photographed, de-framed, examined and cleaned with full condition reports written; this included the full assessment and treatment of the four by three metre square painting, The Court of Death on loan from the Tate.
The Court of Death and The Patient Life of Unrequited Toil were the only two artworks to remain in situ in the G F Watts Studio during the building works, both crated in the centre of the space, requiring invigilation throughout the project whilst cleaning and redecoration took place.
