This question relates to oil painting on a flexible support (canvas) on stretchers, and primed with an acrylic primer;
Has there been any testing, or studied historical examples, where a layer of acrylic ground was applied to the back of the canvas? (The canvas would be sandwiched by two layers of acrylic.)
The idea is that it would decrease susceptibility to changes in atmospheric moisture as well as stiffening the canvas.
What are your views on this idea?
Thanks in advance,
Ron Francis.
Thanks for asking this Ron.
i understand what you mean, but not a good practice as acrylic is porous, so it doesnt block penetration at all. consider using polyester as your canvas, as it is inert to RH change.
Fellow artist’s opinion. It seems like something that’s wrong, but I can find little logically against it. Sizing the back solely with acrylic medium is sometimes advised against as the dried acrylic gell remains open to absoption of dirt, but one would think this less of a risk with acrylic gesso. The gesso is mildly porous to moisture, but stops rapid water absorption. As it’s not a complete blocker, it has less risk of creating a hidden unwanted hermetic mirco environment of mold.
Restorers would however likely resent its presence when repairing canvas tears as its an intervening layer to the broken fibers. Reweaving would be almost impossible (though this is rarely done anyway with most canvases) edge gluing perhaps? Or with a lop sided smile, just bridge layer strand fibers over the top as though the gesso isn’t there.
As to stiffening I suppose the orthodox view would be to just put more layers on the right side.
Marc Kingsland.
I presented a similar question some time ago regarding applying a ground to the reverse of a failed painting on canvas and re-stretching to use the newly primed side as a painting support. I don’t recall hearing any serious objections to the practice, and there was some support for the notion that what i proposed was possibly more sound than overpainting or sanding down a failed paint surface. Anecdotally, I have noticed no apparent issues with the canvases I executed to evaluate the technique, but I am not a conservation professional so please don’t accept this as a professionally qualified opinion.
