Middleton Place Foundation Picture Frame

  • Picture frame restoration work by a conservator
  • Picture frame restoration on the edging of the wooden frame

Restored frame hanging in houseIn the spring of 2023, the WLCC began treatment on a picture frame from Middleton Place Foundation that had some structural issues due to a pest infestation. The objective was to treat the frame for pests and then reinforce the internal structure of the frame, so it could be hung on the wall again.

The first part of the treatment consisted of placing the frame in an anoxic environment using a non-permeable enclosure. The oxygen inside was eliminated with different gasses, which deprived the pests of oxygen and, in turn, suffocated and dehydrated them. This process can take longer than some pest treatments but does not introduce any additional chemicals to the object that could cause adverse effects on its structural or visual integrity.

Following the pest elimination, the interior of the frame was consolidated and the hardware was changed to help better support the weight of the frame and painting. It has since been returned to the Middleton Place Foundation and is hanging in the main house.