All the paintings displayed here have undergone a relining process unless otherwise stated. Relining is a process where by a new canvas is applied with special adhesives to the backside of the original canvass. Virtually every painting displayed in a museum is relined. The purpose of a relining is to reinforce the old antique canvass, which in time will dry out, and deteriorate.

When this occurs the painting is in danger of being punctured or torn by the slightest external pressure. Also the original canvass will tend to sag in time. When this occurs the surface of the painting may become uneven with bulges or ripples that interfere with the viewing of the painting.

For over one hundred years restorers have used the relining process, which not only flattens out any irregularities in the original canvass but reinforces it as well.

At the turn of the century there appeared in England large restoration shops that were established to restore the huge reservoir of neglected antique paintings being bought up by the newly rich collectors of the industrial revolution.

This new class of patron was anxious to fill up their estates with fine period paintings and acquire an instant family 'pedigree'. These 'restoration mills', some of which also appeared in America, typically used the 'screw press' method of relining.

The screw press, an apporatis similar to a book press had a large flat steel bed on which the antique painting was placed face down with an application of adhesive spread on the backside. A new piece of canvas would then be placed on top of it.The press would then be screwed down from the top, as another sheet of steel would lower down and compress both canvases under enormous pressure.