St James the Great with St Paul, Colchester - The Adoration of the Shepherds

The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1778, hangs over the altar at St James the Great with St Paul, Colchester (Diocese of Chelmsford). It was painted by George Carter, who presented the painting to his native parish following his return from Rome. 

 

The large painting (241 x 317cm) was in a very poor condition, with extensive beetle damage to the stretcher, failing of a canvas seam and other deformations, and a large amount of dust, dirt and dead insects over the surface of the painting and accumulated on the bottom edge between the stretcher and the canvas which caused bulges along the lower edge. The bottom edge was also extensively water damaged. The canvas had shrunk significantly, and the paint and ground layers were cupping and flaking. Ageing cracks were all over the painting but no drying cracks visible. Under the UV light, it was confirmed that several areas had been retouched previously. Finally, across the surface, there was a heavily oxidised and yellowed varnish which had become extremely degraded, patchy, and discoloured.   

 

Lincoln Conservation undertook extensive conservation work to the painting, including de-framing, dry and wet cleaning, removal of discoloured varnish and old repairs, fills and retouching.  The canvas was relined to restore correct tension, flatten deformations and secure the failed seam. 

 

The frame was too weak and too large for the painting – in particular the spandrels were made from an inappropriate material and did not cover the edge of the painting. A new slip frame and spandrels were therefore constructed to better fit the painting. During cleaning, traces of gilding was found on the frame, and as such the new areas of the frame were gilded and toned back to a suitable patina. 

 

Finally, the painting was rehung in its original position in the church.