Art Front and Back
The front is visible all the time - the back is usually against a wall. It is important to the life and condition of a painting to keep the canvas in good condition. All things depend upon a good foundation for longevity; if the paintings support is not good then it is in jeopardy. Most paintings are on a canvas stretched over a framework of wooden bars referred to as stretcher bars. Good stretcher bars are designed to adjust to keep the canvas tight. The painted surface is a rigid film of color; as the canvas support flexes, the paint film cracks. All paintings on flexible materials will develop cracks. The tighter the canvas is kept, the less cracking will show on the surface. These examples of canvas condition, with pictures both before and after conservation, illustrate the value and necessity of periodic examination and conservation.