George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Bringing a Historic Work Back to Life Through Painting Conservation

Found in the basement of a state park building in 2022, this large artwork measures 9 feet 8 inches by 15 feet 6 inches and had been stored in the space for 50 years. It had been taken off the wall of the Taylor Opera House in Trenton, NJ in 1973 by a professional conservation company with the expectation it would be displayed in 1976. It was not.

Having been placed on an 18-foot-long roller tube without the expectation of a 50 year storage in an uncontrolled climate, the tube and had badly bowed over the years. This resulted in sever deformations of the painting.

The painting had not been cleaned when it was removed from the wall and it was covered in soot from a previous fire. It also had numerous old repairs, layers of dirt and varnishes.

The exposure to the heat and smoke had contributed to severe cracking of the thick paint layer. The Jute canvas that the painting was done on was now dry rotted.

With all its issues, the painting was salvageable. The original colors under the many layers were still vibrant. The Jute structure could be reinforced. The old repairs could be redone.

The Washington Crossing Park Association in New Jersey decided to save this painting! The conservation treatment process took two years and this historic painting is now owned by the state of New Jersey.