Paintings Department: Repair of multiple complex tears
Senior Paintings Conservator Stephanie inpainting small fills on A.D.M. Cooper’s Untitled, early 20th century.
Artist Astley David Middleton (A.D.M.) Cooper was born in Missouri in 1856 and educated in classical painting. Inspired by the painter George Catlin’s depictions of indigenous Americans, Cooper journeyed west, working for a time as an illustrator for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The artist eventually settled in San Jose, where he earned a reputation as something of a rakish bohemian. With an Egyptian temple style studio in the middle of the city, multiple sources cite that he had arguments over commissions with his Stanford benefactors and a habit of paying off bar tabs with paintings. Cooper died in 1924, leaving a large body of work that includes many public artworks throughout San Jose and the wider Bay Area.
This work, an untitled dream sequence or death scene, depicts a beleaguered gold miner at the entrance of a brothel. He is dreaming of his immediate future, envisioning a cascade of beautiful women falling from the sky. It arrived in the Preservation Arts studio with multiple complex tears, some previously repaired and some open. These previous repairs and the embrittled canvas further complicated treatment, as it was prone to loss. Tears were stabilized and then carefully aligned by hand, using several methods of repair on the various tears including sutures and patches. The painting was then loose lined for further support, and the tear repairs filled and integrated. This composition, while consistent in theme with Cooper’s western oeuvre, is somewhat unique in the element of surrealism. Preservation Arts technicians delivered and installed the painting behind the billiard table in our client’s saloon, where she entertains and where the bon vivant spirit of Cooper’s artwork lives on. It was purchased from a bank auction, and our client later found an early photograph of the artwork installed behind a San Jose bar - perhaps payment for Cooper’s tab at the establishment?
Before and after treatment.
Detail, before and after treatment.
Studio Technician Kyle during installation in our client’s saloon.
An early 20th century photography of a San Jose tavern with our client’s painting installed behind the bar.