CONSERVATION REPORT

James Walker Portrait

Institution of Civil Engineers

Lucía Muñoz-Barrena
Fine art restorer

1st December 2014 London

Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

INDEX

I. INTRODUCTION____________________________________________________PAGE 3

II. IDENTIFICATION DETAILS ____________________________________________PAGE 7

III. CONDITION REPORT________________________________________________PAGE 7

IV. TREATMENT RECORD

VI. 1. PAINTING RESTORATION____________________________________PAGE 8

VI. 2. MOULDING FRAME RESTORATION___________________________PAGE 11

V. REFERENCES_____________________________________________________PAGE 13

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

I. INTRODUCTION

Restoration of oil on canvas portrait of James Walker (1781-1862) from the Institution of Civil
Engineers in London.

James Walker is represented sitting in a chair facing forward while the body turns to the
diagonal. He is holding in his right hand a paper, probably related to his work in Civil
Engineering. The background shows vaguely an interior. Predominantly dark palette in the
noble robes and in the background. Some light spots in the face’s skin and hands. Red used in
the velvet of the chair and the curtains.

I.1 BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES WALKER

James Walker (1781-1862)

Civil engineer of Limehouse, London and eminent engineer who worked with John Urpeth
Rastrick on the evaluation of locomotion types for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway

James Walker worked on various engineering projects, including:

 Greenland Dock, London (c.1808 - c.1862)

 The Regent's Bridge, London (1816, since demolished)

 Survey for the Leeds and Selby Railway (1829)

 Start Point Lighthouse, Devon (1836)

 Advice on alignment of Hereford and Gloucester Canal (1838)

 Improvements to Aberdeen Harbour (1838)

 Wolf Rock Lighthouse (1840–1862)

 Bishop Rock Lighthouse (1858)

 Needles Lighthouse

 Completion of the Caledonian Canal (1838–1848)

 Alderney Breakwater, Channel Islands (1847)

 St. Catherine’s Harbour, Jersey (1847–1856)

 Improvements to navigation in the River Tyne (1853–1861)

1823 James Walker, Limehouse, became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

1829 Took his pupil, Alfred Burges, into partnership; the firm became Walker and Burges.

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

1863 Obituary

James Walker, LL.D., F.R.S., L. & E., &C., was born at Falkirk, N.B., in the year 1781.

His education commenced at the school of that place, and was finished at the University of
Glasgow. He had talent and was industrious; so that his studies were completed with
distinction in a comparatively short time; and in the year 1800, when he was nineteen years of
age, he was articled to his uncle, Ralph Walker, at that time an Engineer in considerable
practice in London. Under him he was employed at the East and the West India Docks, and
became conversant with the best class of constructions, eventually succeeding his uncle in the
greater portion of his works.

Mr. Walker was intrusted, in 1803, with the formation of the Commercial Road, an important
work, which was excellently carried out, and where he eventually tried the system of providing
stone tramways for facilitating the traction of the heavy loads passing along that important
route, from the docks to the metropolis.

He was appointed Engineer to the Commercial Docks in 1806, and the extensions and
improvements effected up to the time of his death were designed by, and executed under, the
superintendence of Mr. Walker and his partner, Mr. Burgess.

At the decease of Mr. Telford, in 1834, many of his important works fell into the hands of Mr.
Walker, and he was at that period, and for many years after, constantly consulted by almost all
the branches of the Government, and by many public boards and corporations; especially that
of the City of London, for which latter body he made numerous reports upon the City sewers,
and the navigation of the River Thames, projecting the plan of embankment., now known as
'Walker’s lines;’ upon which the present constructions are in a great degree based.

He also had under his charge the bridges at Blackfriars and Westminster, executing extensive
works for their maintenance, until their demolition was decided upon.

Any attempt to mention all the works upon which Mr. Walker had been engaged at some
period of his long professional career, would involve the enumeration of nearly all the principal
undertakings of the kingdom; but among them must be mentioned the construction of
Vauxhall Bridge over the Thames, and of the Victoria Bridge over the Clyde, at Glasgow; the
improvements of the River Clyde, which, from the death of Mr. Telford up to a recent date,
were under his direction; the great repairs of the Caledonian Canal and the Crinan Canal; the
Coffer Dam and River Wall of the New Houses of Parliament; the extensive works of the
Birmingham Canal, including the Tame Valley Canal, the Betley Canal, and the Netherton
Tunnel; the extensions of the Bute Docks at Cardiff; the Pier and Harbour of Granton; the
improvements of the Harbour of Belfast, and the Harbour Works at Dover; the designs and
execution of the Harbours of Refuge at Alderney, St. Catherine's, Jersey, Dover, and Harwich,
on the former of which he was penning a Report in his own hand on the day before his
decease; the Tyne Piers; the completion of Plymouth Breakwater, and the foundation for the
Fort about to be constructed there for the War Department.

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

But, perhaps, the most lasting monuments of his skill may be found in the various Lighthouse
Works of the Corporation of the Trinity House. As a difficult and successful engineering work,
the Bishop Rock Lighthouse, off the Scilly Islands, may be placed in the foremost rank with
those of John Smeaton with the Eddystone Lighthouse; of the elder Stevenson, with the Bell
Rock Lighthouse; and of that built on the Skerryvore, by Alan Stevenson, his son.

For many years the extensive drainage operations in the Fens, particularly in the Middle Level,
occupied his attention; and the great cut, nearly 30 miles in length, by which, with its
numerous branches, upwards of ninety thousand acres of valuable land are rendered
susceptible of cultivation, is a work deserving the attention not only of the Engineer, but of the
landowners in similar districts.

At an early period in the history of railway, Mr. Walker was appointed, in conjunction with the
late Mr. Rastrick, to report on the system of traction to be employed on the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway. Their recommendation was that a continuation of locomotive with
stationary power should be used; but their Report was replied to so effectively by Robert
Stephenson and Joseph Locke, that the celebrated Rainhill trials were instituted, and the
locomotive system was fully established.

Mr. Walker never entered largely into railway engineering, preferring the other branches of
the profession; but he did construct the Leeds and Selby, and the Hull and Selby Railways, both
now forming valuable portions of the North Eastern system of lines.

The printed Reports proceeding from Mr. Walker's pen are very numerous, and they are
valuable as giving the history of many important works. He was a strict disciplinarian, was very
regular in his business habits, and indefatigable in his attention to the works under his charge.
He was fortunate in attracting to him a number of men who have since risen to eminence in
the profession; and he was very ably seconded by his partner, Mr. Burges, and subsequently by
the late James Cooper.

Mr. Walker was connected with many of the principal scientific bodies of the kingdom. He was
a fellow of the Royal Societies of London and of Edinburgh, LL.D. of Glasgow University, (an
honour conferred only upon distinguished students of that body), a member of the Senate of
the University of London, and an honorary member of several foreign societies.

He joined the Institution of Civil Engineers, as a Member, in the year 1823, was elected a
Member of the Council and Vice-President in 1826, succeeding the first President, Mr. Telford,
in 1834, and occupying the chair for nearly eleven years, during which time, by his attention to
the interests of the Society, he contributed largely towards placing it in its present position.

In the year 1845 it was considered desirable to introduce certain modifications in the
constitution of the Society, one of the chief points being the limitation of the period of holding
the post of President, in order to afford opportunity for the leading members of the profession
to attain consecutively that honourable position. This and other proposals necessitated the
revision of the Code of Bye-laws of the Institution, and, after several special meetings, the
proposed modifications were carried, and Mr. Walker resigned the Presidential Chair, in which

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

he was succeeded by Sir John Rennie, who occupied it for three years. Subsequent to that
period no President has held the position longer than for two consecutive sessions.

Under the presidency of Mr. Walker the Institution made important strides; the number of the
Members increased; the Society was enabled to remove to the present premises at No. 25,
Great George Street, Westminster; the Annual Conversazioni were instituted, setting an
example to all the other Societies of the metropolis; and the special feature of the Institution -
the free expression of opinion, at the discussions upon the Papers - was largely encouraged.

Mr. Walker had a peculiar talent for guiding the Meetings, and for eliciting the information
possessed by the Members and the Visitors; and he was solicitous to have invitations issued to
all those who were capable of contributing to the interest of the discussions, which he
generally summed up very cleverly. His extensive acquaintance among scientific men and
noblemen who felt an interest in the progress of Engineering science enabled him to induce
many distinguished visitors to attend the Meetings, and, in some instances, to join the Society.

During the period of his filling the Presidential Chair, he liberally assisted the then
comparatively young Society, as by his great wealth he could afford to do. The necessary
alterations, however, in the constitution of the Society not meeting his views, he ceased to feel
as great an interest as formerly; still, In his capacity of a Past-President, he was a not
infrequent attendant at the Meetings.

In spite of somewhat declining health, Mr. Walker continued to exercise his profession up to
the period of his decease, and to the very last he retained his vigorous and shrewd intellect. He
was eminently a man of business, and he had, at least, as much skill 'in the engineering of men
as of matter.'

It has been correctly stated, that 'his works were remarkable for their solidity and
permanency, and not less for their utility, as having a material share in aiding the commercial
progress of this country in the present century, during sixty years of which he had been in the
active exercise of his noble profession.'

He died on the 8th of October, 1862, and was interred, by his own desire, in his family vault, at
St. John’s episcopal burial-ground, at Edinburgh. 1

1
Andrew Tweedie, James Walker (13 December 2014) Grace´s Guide, British Industrial History,
<http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Walker

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

II. IDENTIFICATION DETAILS

Painting technique: Oil on canvas

Artist: John Prescott Knight R.A. (1803-1881)

Title: Portrait of James Walker (1781-1862)

Date: 19th Century

Owner: Institution of Civil Engineers. 1 Great George St,

London SW1P 3AA

Dimensions: Height: cm Width: cm The artist: J.P. Knight

Frame: It is water gilded and moulded frame made of wood and plaster

Inscriptions and label on the frame: `JAMES WALKER. PRESIDENT. 1835 TO 1845´ on the upper
part and: B. 1781. PAINTED FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTION. D. 1862. BY J.P. KNIGHT,
R.A. on the lower part of the frame. It bears a small label with the number 1 on the lower left
corner.

Frame dimensions: Height: cm Width: cm Depth: cm

III. CONTITION REPORT

The painting is in a very good general condition. It shows a

previous intervention that we can tell because of the state of the
varnish, which is clear, thinly applied, flexible and regular. The
painting is tightly fitted in the frame with new stainless steel tacks.
At the verso we can see a small dimension mended tear, probably
made by welding with polyamide applied by an electrically heated
needle. (Plate 1)

Plate 1 Tear
mended

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

The main damages are a big amount of

deep scratches performed on the varnish
layer, which cross the painting from side to
side, interrupting the overview of the
portrait. (Plate 4) It bears also an abrasion
mark on the background. It indicates
possible accidental contact with some sort
of sharp object. (Plate 3)

There is a big dig with distorted edges,

loose of painting which leaves the canvas
exposed. The dig is just in the middle of
the painting, which makes it more evident Plate 2 Dig already flattened/Texture of the canvas
and visible attracting the gaze of the viewer. shown through the painting layer
(Plate 2)

There are several cloth marks on the upper part of the

painting, due to an attempt of cleaning with a dump cloth.

Plate 3 Abrasion mark

IV. TREATMENT RECORD

IV. 1. PAINTING RESTORATION

IV. 1.1. Raking light examination

Using this kind of lighting, shining almost parallel

to the paint surface, shadows of the relief of the
painting are magnified, and some surface damages
are more visible.

We can also see that the artist used the paint in a

very thin layer. Even the texture of the canvas
shows through the painting. (Plate 2)

Plate 4 Scratches on the varnish layer

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

IV. 1.2. Ultraviolet (UV) light examination

It is a non-destructive analytical technique which

helps us to detect varnish layers, identify certain
pigments that have a characteristic fluorescence, or
disclose areas of previous restoration and later
additions to an artwork. In the picture we can
observe the presence of a retouch performed
recently due to the bright dark blue colour showed
under UV light. (Plate 5)

Plate 5 Recent retouch showed under UV

light
IV. 1.3. Elimination of the accumulated dust from the recto and the verso with a brush and a
hoover. Is essential to keep the dust out of the painting because it absorbs humidity, which
sets up a perfect climate for a wide range of biologic individuals.

IV. 1.4. Adjusting the stretcher keys applying controlled force with a tack hammer. Always
checking the tension of the canvas.

IV. 1.5. A distortion, caused by the dig, was flattened by applying controlled moisture and
weight, to encourage uniformity for the primary support as an initial treatment before filling
the loss. This process was carried out during 48 hours. (Plate 6)

Plate 6 Dig from the verso. Isolating area

moisturize Plate 7 Manufacturing the linen patch

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

IV. 1.6. The dig was reinforced from the verso with the placement of a patch. The material
chosen for the manufacturing of the patch is linen because of its resistance to moisture
changes. (Plate7)

IV. 1.6. Cleaning of the superficial dirt with a swab dumped in deionized water to remove the
clothes marks. Previous test for moisture response for the primary support and paint layer.

IV. 1.7. Retouching the losses with pigments bound with gloss varnish. (Plate 8)

IV. Plate 8 Retouching with pigments and varnish 1.8.

Plate 9 Varnishing
Protection of the painting surface with a low molecular weight varnish, applied by brush in a
very thin coat. (Plate 9)

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

IV. 2. MOULDING FRAME RESTORATION

IV. 2.1. Cleaning the superficial dirt

with a dusting brush and sucking
simultaneously with a hoover

IV. 2.2. Adhesion of elements

potentially dettached by injecting pure
Plate 10 Partial cleaning PVA, prewetting with ethanol.

IV. 2.3. Chemical cleaning with a mix of neutral soap with turpentine and deioniced water
(Plate 10) The water is in emulsion, preventing the free form dissolves soluble components of
water gilding.

IV. 2.4. Sealing cracks injecting ready gesso. This process requires time, because you have to
apply thin layers of gesso and let them dry in between the applications. Otherwise it would
crack, not accomplishing the structural function

IV. 2.5. The edges of the frame were painted in yellow in a later intervention, and on top of it it
was painted in dark brown, possibly in a second intervention. Under the two layers we can still
find rests of original gold leaf. (Plate 11 and 12)

IV. 2.6. The repaints have been removed with chemical products and mechanically with the
Plate 11 Yellow repaint scalpel.

It was retouched with acrylic gold painting and toned with watercolors as shown in the picture
next to this text.

Same method was used to touch the abrasion marks.

IV. 2.7. Reintegration of the black painting of the

inscriptions with black watercolor.

IV. 2.8. Framing the painting

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

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Conservation report of the portrait Sir John Rennie (1794-1874) 1st December 2014 Lucía Muñoz-Barrena Fine Art Restorer

V. REFERENCES

http://www.icon.org.uk/images/stories/CareConFRAMESGilDINGA4%20version.pdf

http://www.icon.org.uk/images/stories/care_and_conservation_of_oil_paintings6.pdf

http://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Paintings

http://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/
Paintings#Varnishes_and_Surface_Coatings_.281998.29

http://cool.conservation-us.org/waac/wn/wn27/wn27-2/wn27-205.pdf

http://www.e-conservationline.com: Article from e_conservation, the online magazine. No. 1,

October 2007, pp. 42-51/124

http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/behind_the_scenes/

http://www.commercial.unimelb.edu.au/ultraviolet

https://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/resources-ressources/ccinotesicc/10-7_e.pdf

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