Hokusai - Conservation Before & After
I made a post last year about this Hokusai - Waterwheel at Onden that I picked up at an estate sale. It’s an unusual variant, and at the time I wasn’t sure whether the print was genuine, so I thought I’d post an update now that I’ve had it professionally conserved
Similar ‘sunset’ Variant: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/56131
Similar ‘sunset’ Variant: https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/anime-starts-here-japanese-subculture-reimagines-tradition/katsushika-hokusai-1760-1849-24/292423
The print had previously been framed with acidic mounting materials, which had caused yellowing and discolouration of the paper, particularly in the lighter areas. The verso was also covered with several layers of old backing material
The first photos show the print before conservation and the old backing on the verso. The next photos show the print after the treatment, followed by the finished result in its new frame. Although not all of the old backing could be removed due to the adhesive, most of the (many!) layers were successfully removed, and the remaining material was reduced as much as possible without risking the print
I’m really pleased with how it turned out and for anyone who commented on the original post, thanks for the opinions - thought you’d appreciate seeing how it ended up