How healthy is your framed artwork?

The maintenance of the frame is crucial to the ongoing health of the artwork.

Inferior framing materials and techniques can do serious harm to your artwork. In fact, a great percentage of damage to artworks that conservators encounter is caused by detrimental framing materials.

Using our simple health check will help you to determine whether the framing materials are still providing adequate support and protection for your artwork or whether they need attention and updating.

Artworks can in most cases be re-framed into their existing frames provided the internal depth of these frames offers enough space for the new materials to be fitted in. The artwork and the frame often represent a unit that you will want to preserve. This is simply done by updating the materials such as matboards, protective glazing, backing boards and hanging supports. This provides the artwork with a healthy stable environment once again while allowing you to keep the look or the design. Old mat designs and decorations can be recreated such as watercolour washlines or gilded elements on matboard.

Checking your framed artwork for developing damage or potentially harmful framing materials will help prolong the life of your valued items.

Take your framed artwork off the wall for a closer inspection. From the front, please answer the following:

• Are there any spots or discolouration visible on the artwork?
• Are there any colours fading in the artwork?
• Does the bevel on the matboard appear yellow/brown in colour?
• Does the surface of the matboard show spots or discoloration?
• Does the artwork appear to have slipped behind the window mat?
• Are there signs of the glass not being clean on the inside?
• Are the corners of the frame separating and not securely joined?
• Does the glass show any visible cracks?
• Can you see any other signs that could indicate frame deterioration?

Now, turn it around and inspect the back:

• Is there any visible discolouration or staining on the back of the frame?
• Is there any tape starting to lift away from the back?
• Are there visible signs of insect infestation?
• Are the hangers and the wire/cord coming loose or showing signs of stress?
• Is the frame hanging on the wall without sufficient space for air circulation behind it?
• Are there any other signs on the back that could indicate frame deterioration?

While you have to artwork off the wall, take this opportunity to inspect the hanging fixture in the wall to see, whether it is still attached securely.

All questions in this health-check can be regarded as critical to the life of your framed artworks. If you have answered Yes to any of these questions, it is advisable to bring the framed artwork to us for an inspection and assessment.