Label
2024, “Endangered Art: Reclaiming a Legacy”
Irish artist Aloysius O’Kelly established his reputation in the Paris Salons. He employed a diverse range of painting styles throughout his career, including Realism, Pre-Raphaelitism, and Impressionism. For a time, he worked in Brittany, a French province with Celtic roots and a unique regional costume. The soft, dappled sunlight and sentimental naturalism of The Path to the Well (Brittany) is typical of his work during this time.
Before treatment, this work was disfigured by systems of cracks (craquelure) and destabilized by flimsy stretcher bars. Specialists applied a new backing, removed the old varnish, and cleaned the work. They in-painted areas of severe paint loss and installed the painting in a period-appropriate frame.