Exciting things are happening behind the scenes at the FAC! Conservator Yasuko Ogino, from Mobile Art Conservation Services, is hard at work restoring The Dream of St. Joseph by Miguel Geronimo Zendejas (ca. 1750), bringing this stunning piece back to life.The restoration process begins with a careful evaluation of the painting. The first noticeable issue is the old varnish, which has discolored over time and is visually distracting. Yasuko starts by gently removing the old varnish, which likely also covers previous restoration efforts—work that was done before the painting came to the Fine Arts Center in 1959.
As she continues, Yasuko removes layers of overpainting, including patches like the green area around St. Joseph’s shoulder and sections at the bottom that were heavily overpainted. During this step, she uncovered hidden details such as foliage that had been covered up for years! While some aging aspects of the painting—like cracks and discoloration—cannot be reversed, these elements contribute to the painting’s history and character.
Once the cleaning process is complete, the painting is revarnished to restore its depth and vibrancy. Any paint loss and surface anomalies are filled and inpainted, carefully matching the original pigments and textures. The final step includes toning frame losses to ensure the artwork’s overall presentation.
This three-day restoration is part of a larger effort to prioritize pieces in our collection that need attention. Yasuko is treating dozens of other artworks as part of this project, and each piece’s restoration is carefully considered to ensure the artist’s vision is preserved.
The Dream of St. Joseph will be part of our permanent collection reinstallation this fall, so be sure to visit and see the finished masterpiece up close!
The last photo in this post is the “before” photo! Check out the difference!
