Works on Paper Department: Compound tear repair on flocked paper
Paper Conservator Beth using a handmade filter to apply fibers to losses in flocked paper on Milton Avery’s Clara, 1933.
Milton Avery (1885-1965), an American painter, often depicted his wife and fellow artist Sally Michel, known as Clara. The couple were major figures in New York’s art scene during the Great Depression, when Avery created his signature style. Through his devoted depictions of American landscapes, everyday life, and domestic scenes, he gained fame as one of the greatest colorists of the 20th century. The owner of the print is an avid collector of American folk art and Asian antiquities.
Created in 1933, this portrait of Clara is a pastel on unusual black flocked paper. Velvet-like flocked paper is made by scattering small (likely synthetic) fibers onto a black-coated, adhesive-covered paper base. The drawing arrived at the studio significantly damaged, with a large, complex tear obscuring the figure’s face. Extensive damage from the tears resulted in visually disruptive creases and losses of paper and flocking. Treatment consisted of realignment, tear repair, and carefully replacing the missing flocking with adhesive-backed shaved black paper fibers using a handmade filter to maintain consistent application. Subsequently, the area could be integrated with its surroundings and the unique flocked texture recreated.
Before and after treatment.
Detail of the handmade filter for applying paper fiber.