The Choir Invisible, between 1880 and 1909
Pinckney Marcius-Simons (American, 1867-1909)
Oil on canvas
Gift of Mrs. Hattie Bishop Speed  1942.45  

How much will it cost?  $10,000 

ADOPT NOW!

This otherworldly painting featuring a celestial choir of angels deserves to appear as the artist intended it. Fortunately, conservation treatment will result in major improvement, and help us preserve the painting for decades to come.  

A layer of grime coats the surface of the painting. Underneath that, testing has revealed that there are multiple layers of synthetic resin varnishes, including one that urgently needs to be removed due to what scientists now know about its chemical makeup and longevity. Once cleaned, a new coat of fresh, natural resin varnish will be carefully applied, and the result will be bright, colorful, and dramatic. 

Finally, the cost estimate includes a new frame for this artwork; the current frame is coated with bronze radiator paint (a neat trick that people used to spiff up their frames, decades ago!), and the fussy design elements of the frame compete with the busy action taking place in the painting. A much simpler frame profile will help viewers focus on the painting, and not its current, unfortunate frame.