the gesso layer. New gesso and silk gauze were applied to the back of the
remaining gesso layer, followed by a linen fabric and wax-resin paste. The
backing was constructed with redwood strips parallel to the original grain
of the panel; a wax-resin bulked with sawdust was used as an adhesive.
This backing was reinforced with a grid of aluminum bars and tubing, and
the spaces were filled with balsa-wood blocks. The back was then covered
with linen fabric (Figs. 2–4). Kolch’s examination found this painting
sound, except for flaking in one small area that had been retouched.
Apainting treated in 1945 also involved the building up of a
panel on a complete transfer in a similar way. In this case, because a pre-
vious transfer backing had left the paint layer insecure, the backing was
removed. Unfortunately, the redwood backing applied to this painting
differed from that described above, in that three horizontal strips of red-
wood were applied first, and the vertical strips applied between them were
“nicked” to allow air and excess wax to escape. Kolch reports that a pat-
tern from this backing is now visible on the face of the painting. It seems
likely that structural discontinuities of wood-grain orientation and pockets
of wax are responsible for this distortion. Other paintings built up with
redwood strips do not show such distortions relating to the backing.292 Horns
Figure 2, right
Panel reconstruction, Fogg Museum
Laboratory, 1940. The attachment of
redwood strips.
Figure 3, below
Panel reconstruction, Fogg Museum
Laboratory, 1940. The addition of balsa blocks
and an aluminum grid.
Figure 4, below right
Panel reconstruction, Fogg Museum
Laboratory, 1940. The sheet cork and linen
finishing layers.