Salvation

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As conservators our focus is to save the pieces that mean the most to us. We work tirelessly through adverse situations often with competing interests to fins the balance that will satisfy all interested parties. And through this work it's essential that we maintain focus, determination, patience and demeanor if success is to be achieved. Yet, if we are able to not lose composure and stay grounded, the work itself may in fact give us a piece of salvation as well.
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[clauds]

Julian: just wanted to say that I started watching you in 2020 as a form of comfort while dealing with my long term chronic illnesses. At the time I was 18, volunteering in a country house and dreaming of the day I could be paid to work with objects. Today I’m 23 and an Assistant Conservator at one of the biggest museums in the world. And your content has been not only a comfort but also a motivation and inspiration for my own career. So cheers from this lil conservation nerd. 😊

[georgflausch]

Julian, I'm not sure if you will read this, but I guess I can tell you something about that newspaper snippet. It appears to be from one of the old newspapers of the German community of Chicago. On the right side is an article announcing an upcoming theater production of the Volkstheaterbühne (the Volkstheater was a German theater in Chicago) which is staged in the "Vorwärts-Turnhalle", a gym of the German community (still existing under the name Vorwaerts Turner Hall) and the permanent residence of the Chicago Volkstheater since 1872. So we can deduce that the restoration where the newspaper snippet was inserted was done in Chicago, probably at some point before 1917 when staging German plays became somwhat less popular.

[boigeorge]

16:31 humble request for a short where you iron your shirt using the hot table.

[amcconnell]

I love that Julian's narration documents each stage, regardless of how many of these videos he has done. It means you can jump in at any stage, on any restoration, and not be left behind - but for the long term, regular, viewer the repeat of process explanations becomes something of a signature, a comforting reminder.

[seantiz]

That painting started out looking like a mosaic painted on potato chips and you magically managed to flatten them and restore it into a work of art.

[zimtt]

When I watch these restorations, I can't help but picture the original artist, standing over your shoulder, watching with amazement and approval.

[fugithegreat]

I love that the baby is under the mother's veil, it's such a sweet touch.

[heartofarcana]

I didn't even notice the stars in the original! Beautifully done.

[suzisaintjames]

0:40 fun fact: if you place a puddy knife under your wire cutters you won't scratch the wood, when you are prying up the nails. 💕🌞🌵😷

[wandapease-giyo]

Something I have noticed over the years I have watched you is the cleanliness of the rooms and areas. No tags of paper that have snuck down to the floor, no tools out of place, just clean and organized. That is way harder to maintain than anyone but a good housekeeper would understand! Great work Julian!

[PecsTO]

I had to tell you: I was having a particularly bad panic attack when my husband turned on this video (we subscribe and watch you regularly). The sound of your voice, and watching you work through the restoration, calmed me right down. It was the balm I needed. Thank you, Julian.

[glazdarklee]

Whenever I watch these videos I experience two reactions. At first I imagine that I could, perhaps, master the technical steps of the initial process. But then Julian starts to actually paint. And I realize that I am watching a form of aesthetic magic known only to those far, far more talented and skilled than am I.

[dpaulsen]

You're a magician, I swear. While you retouch, I'm like "pssh that doesn't match. Another dot? Okay that looks weird. Another? Hey where'd it go?!"

[eloquentsarcasm]

Conservators are every bit as skilled as a surgeon, one heals the living, one heals art, an "Art Surgeon" if you like, lol. Been watching Julian for years now, and his skillset growing over the years and all the tricks of the trade he's picked up is amazing. For HIM it might not seem like much as he lives his life every day and works on paintings constantly, but for us viewers every restoration is a wonder to behold, some a different conservator might not even try, but Julian doesn't give up easily. Every bit of art rescued is a gift to the future, one day, maybe decades from now, a young artist will see one of those restored pieces and be inspired to create a masterpiece. A very time-consuming method of "paying it forward" in a way.

[LishB]

I love watching the colors go from sad and dull back to being vibrant the way the artist intended 🤩 the delicacy of Mary's veil really stands out after removing the yellowed varnish

[golden]

You are the Saviour of Paintings and your videos save me from anxiety and panic attacks. The repetitions of words of the methods are so soothing. Also, my favourite shirt so far - the blackish flowery one.

[notcamilledesmoulins]

Today a porcelain doll that is very dear to me fell down and broke it's foot and hand. Me and my mum started try to repair it, but after a while we had to take the glue off a part of the doll. We didn't really know how to do that without damaging the material further. I remembered your videos and said: "We should use a solvent to soften the adhesive", without realizing I was basically quoting many of your videos. This proves I've learnt something about restoration after all! Thank you so much for your channel and your work <3

[rickvaiBBB]

The final seconds where the painting is shown side by side, before and after, really brings home the work that was done to restore it, absolutely incredible.
The only thing that could have made this better was the owners reaction.

[tiborfenyvesi]

The music is the A major piano sonata K. 331 1st movement by W. A. Mozart, great choice.

[avocado]

I love seeing the family hand prints on that painting back in several shots. I always wonder if it's Julian's family's hand prints or a client's, either way it warms my heart to think of a family adding their hand prints to the back of a painting... And wondering what the front looks like ❤