Self-Portrait as Still-Life, 1949
Mary Spencer Nay (American, 1913-1993)
Oil on canvas
Purchased with funds from the Alice Speed Stoll Endowed Art Acquisition Fund  2020.6  

How much will it cost?  $3,535 

ADOPT NOW!

This amazing self-portrait is in desperate need of structural and cosmetic intervention. The artist mixed sand into the wet paint to add texture, which adds to the sensitivities of the surface and the restoration project. This would be a dramatic cleaning, resulting in strong visual impact. The cleaning tests also show us that the pinks and whites would be much brighter, adding to the vibrancy of the portrait. There are a few small pinhole losses in the canvas that need to be assessed and stabilized.  

This painting was acquired by the museum early in the pandemic and we had it sent to the conservation laboratory in Cleveland, as we knew it would require a full proposal. We are looking forward to having this important portrait carefully restored to hang in our permanent collection galleries.

Two details of cleaning tests indicate a brighter color palette underneath.  A cleaning test on the frame also reveals how transformative treatment would be for this artwork.