Conserving Monet’s Water Lilies: Varnish, Craquelure, and Care

Conservation at the Orangerie balances legibility with material dignity. Monet’s panels present varied surface histories, from thin glazes to high‑impasto strokes.

🧪 Materials & Markers

• Supports: Canvas on stretcher; some relinings historical.
• Binding media: Predominantly oil; localized glazing layers.
• Varnish: Selective, thin—avoid plasticized shine.

🧩 Common Issues

• Craquelure: Micro‑cracks stabilized; avoid invasive fills.
• Edge stress: Panel joins need gentle expansion allowances.
• Dust films: Low‑pressure dry methods; solvent use minimized.

🌡️ Preventive Environment

“Do less to preserve more.” — preventive credo

[^tech]: Technical campaigns include multi‑spectral imaging and micro‑fade testing in collaboration with labs.

🌿 Treatment Decision Tree (Outline)

• Identify issue → classify (structural / surface / optical).
• Non‑invasive first → dry methods, mechanical dusting.
• Minimal wet cleaning → solvent gels tested at micro‑scale.
• Document thoroughly → imaging + condition reporting.

📈 Monitoring Protocol

date,room,temp_c,rh_percent,notes
2025-11-01,oval A,21.2,49,"stable"
2025-12-01,oval B,21.0,50,"stable"