Saturday, October 9, 2010

Term for the Day: Craquelure

Craquelure is a fine pattern of lines and cracks which forms over time across the surface of a painting.  Antique paintings will always display craquelure.  Being as a natural craquelure is something that’s nearly impossible to duplicate, this pattern of cracks is an excellent way to evaluate the age of a painting and to tell if it is an original or a forgery.  Curiously, patterns of craquelure vary depending on the geographical origin of the painting.  Paintings from France, The Netherlands, Italy, England and the Americas all display a different pattern of craquelure.  A trained art historian can decipher a paintings origin by studying the pattern of these lines.  Climatic conditions, altitude and the composition of suspensions used to hold the pigment can all effect this pattern of cracks.  It’s really a fascinating study.  Craquelure does not effect the value of a painting, but rather adds to it by providing more information about the provenance of the work. 

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