This blog is part 1 of our 'Conserving the Reynolds Frame' series. You can read our other articles using the links below.
Following the success of the campaign to #SaveTheFrame – thanks to your support – we’ve removed The Snake in the Grass from the walls of the Museum in order for conservation to begin.
Image: Art handlers carefully remove The Snake in the Grass from its position on the west wall of the Library Dining Room
This week, art handlers arrived to deinstall The Snake in the Grass from the walls of the Library Dining Room. The painting was carried through the Museum up to the conservation studio, ready for work on the frame to begin.
Image: Initial dusting of the back of the canvas following the placement of the work in the conservation studio
After a meandering journey through the Museum, the painting was set down in the conservation studio and removed from the frame, ready for storage in a bespoke box for the duration of the project.
Image: A rather old bit of cardboard was found securing the canvas into place in the frame
Image: The canvas is wrapped before storage in a made-to-measure crate
The Save the Frame crowdfunding campaign, in partnership with Art Fund's crowdfunding platform Art Happens, was successfully completed in November 2018. Thanks to the generous support of the public, we raised £16,711, 111% of our £15,000 target. As well as fully funding the conservation of Sir Joshua Reynolds' The Snake in the Grass, the extra money raised also funded the conservation of two of four Piranesi frames in the Picture Room. To everyone who donated, a warm thank you for your support.
