Exclusive:John Everett Millais Victorian painting damaged in Perth floods to go on display after conservation work
The painting was among many damaged in the floods of 1993.
A portrait of the wife of painter John Everett Millais, which was damaged in floods in Perth more than 30 years ago, is to go on display after undergoing conservation work.
The 1873 portrait of Effie Millais, wife and muse of the Victorian painter, has been re-glazed. Work has also been carried out on its framing ahead of its display in Millais in Perthshire, an exhibition at Perth Art Gallery.
The re-glazing was carried out following three months of technical research by postgraduate students from the Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research at the University of Glasgow.
The conservation team meticulously prepared the 19th-century frame, cleaning, repairing, and stabilising it before fitting new low-reflective glazing. The work ensures the portrait can be seen more clearly while protecting it from dirt and damage for generations to come.
The treatment also gave conservators the chance to re-examine the condition of the portrait, which was badly damaged during the 1993 flood and was last conserved in 1996. Millais had originally painted one of the couple’s children sitting on Effie’s lap, but later painted the boy out.
Anna Zwagerman, conservation officer at Culture Perth and Kinross, said: “It was nerve wracking, handling the painting so much, because that is where damage can occur.”
The painting was put in an X-ray machine and found to be in a stable condition, almost 30 years after it was extensively renovated following the flooding. It was among a large number of art works damaged when flood waters reached the basement level of the gallery.
Dr Zwagerman said: “It had previously had extensive conservation work following the flood damage. But when we looked at it, we realised it didn’t quite fit well in the frame. It had been a bit of a botched job - so work was done to make it fit better.”
The 1993 Perth flood, also known as the Great Tay Flood, happened when the River Tay rose to 6.48m above its normal level, after heavy snowfall, from blizzards experienced six days earlier, melted. The flood caused damage amounting to around £10 million and led to the creation of flood defences in the river.
Last year, Perth Museum hosted exhibition Waters Rising, which features original video footage of the floods, which saw more than 1,000 residents forced out of their homes.
The exhibition draws on over 300 items from the Millais family collection, loaned by the artist’s great-grandson, Sir Geoffroy Millais. Alongside the portrait are rarely seen paintings, drawings, personal correspondence and family heirlooms, many being shown publicly in Scotland for the first time.
Rhona Corbett, head of collections and museums at Culture Perth and Kinross, said: "This careful conservation ensures one of our most important works is safeguarded and celebrated as part of this major new display. Visitors can experience Millais’ art in greater clarity than ever before, while also connecting with the family story at the heart of his work, thanks to support of the Pilgrim Trust’s Fine Arts Project."
Support for the conservation came through the Pilgrim Trust’s Fine Arts Project.
The exhibition is free to visit at Perth Art Gallery.
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