How do I date an antique oil painting?

Dating relies on examining the canvas weave, stretcher construction, and framing techniques alongside the stylistic markers of the period. Pigment analysis and canvas stamps can also provide clues to the decade of creation. Clothing styles, hairstyles, and artistic conventions offer further evidence for narrowing down the date when a portrait or figure scene was painted.

What is the difference between canvas and panel?

Canvas support involves stretched woven fabric, usually linen or cotton, primed with gesso before painting. Wooden panels provide a rigid, solid surface that was favoured in earlier centuries. Panel paintings often survive with less cracking of the paint layer, while canvas offers flexibility and accommodates larger compositions easily.

How should I hang and care for oil paintings?

Keep oil paintings away from direct sunlight and dramatic fluctuations in temperature or humidity to protect the canvas and wooden frame. Stable indoor conditions prevent the paint layer from cracking or warping. Dust the surface gently with a soft, dry brush and avoid using chemical cleaners on either the paint or the antique giltwood frame.

How do I identify a portrait subject?

Identification often depends on inscriptions written on the reverse of the canvas, old labels on the frame, or family provenance records. Crests and coats of arms painted in the corners can also point to specific lineages. Many historic portraits remain anonymous if documentation has been lost over the centuries, requiring stylistic comparison with known works by the artist.