Weston Park paintings undergo conservation work
Specialists have been treating historic paintings to protect them for years to come.
Weston Park has welcomed conservators from the Hamilton Kerr Institute for the 30th year, where they have been working on some of the stately homes paintings to keep them in good condition.
A team of 15 people has needed to safely take artwork from the walls.
Part of the University of Cambridge, the institute teaches the next generation of picture conservators.
This year, the last of the 300 paintings in Weston's Park collection have been treated for the first time.
The most difficult paintings had been left until last, as four paintings on the walls of the family staircase have been taken down to be worked on.
The full-length portrait of George, 4th Earl of Bradford is one of the largest in the collection and is believed to have been in its frame since it was painted in around 1905.
The work finished on Friday and staff at Weston Park say they can see a noticeable difference in the paintings, with colours and strokes more defined – giving them a new lease of life.
Gareth Williams, curator for the Weston Park Foundation has said: "We are indebted to Dr Mary Kempski and her team of conservators from the Hamilton Kerr Institute and always look forward to the work that they undertake. The work often reveals radical improvements in the visual appearance of the great works of art in Weston Park's collection."
