The group continued to meet with and have contact with Ronald Bertie as they began to refine the process of looking for a sponsor. It was found that it would take complete conservation of the painting and its frame and would cost substantially more than the estimated stabilization to restore the painting. There were not many organizations who could afford the cost, nor were there many that had the talent to do the restoration. Again, many letters and telephone calls were made. There were still very few results, after a period of almost four years. The group began to use networking techniques to search for potential sponsors. A short list was developed. Many corporations, foundations, and government organizations were contacted. Ronald Bertie, who was working with the Rochester Museum and Science Center, Rochester, New York, learned about the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. He made contact with James Gold and Anne Cassidy of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). They met in Rochester, New York, on a snowy day in February 1998 and began discussions on the project. A written proposal was developed and forwarded to Mr. Gold. Mr. Bertie had several meetings and telephone conversations with Anne Cassidy, who is the Collections Manager at OPRHP's Collection Care Center on Peebles Island in Waterford, New York, and the group from Washington Commandery (August Lodise, Batreld Gout, Harold Goodrell, Conrad Kupinski, and Gifford Bull) was contacted by Ronald Bertie. The group from Washington Commandery and Ronald Bertie met at Peebles Island to discuss the future of the painting. It was decided that New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation would take physical possession of the painting. Mr. Bertie met Anne Cassidy at the studio of West lake Conservators, Inc., in Skaneateles to pick up the painting and transport it to the Collections Care
March 2005
Center in Waterford, New York. Staff at OPRHP's Collections Care Center prepared a temporary stand in the moving truck to support the rolled painting while it was moved to Peebles Island. It took over an hour o load the painting into OPRHP'S vehicle. It took this amount of time because of the size and tragic condition of the painting. The painting was transported to New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Peebles Island, New York. There was made a complete evaluation of the processes needed for restoration of the painting and the frame. A team of experts would painstakingly begin the process. Photographs were taken during the process. It was found that a coating containing lead had been applied to the backside of the painting. This lead-containing coating would have to be removed. The lead coating was removed very carefully and slowly so the painting itself would not be damaged, using a very sharp knife. The process to remove the lead coating took several months to perform with all the safety precautions that were used to protect the people from the lead. After the removal of the lead coating, the painting was in the proper condition to begin the process of restoring the proper colors and cleaning the painting. The Art Conservators at OPRHP's Collections Care Center used organic solvents to remove aged and yellowed varnish that obscured the painting's vivid colors. In addition, nine tears and three holes in the canvas were repaired with fibers taken from the painting's tacking edges. (Fabric from the tacking edges was inserted into the holes matching the weight and texture of the original canvas.) To give the painting proper support it was lined with a synthetic fabric and mounted to an aluminum panel. Hundreds of losses in the painting's painted surface were filled with synthetic gesso and carefully in-painted from the front of the canvas to match the surrounding artwork. A final surface coating was applied to the painting to saturate the colors, to provide an even gloss, and to protect the paint surfaces.
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