Hardly any other place in the world is as emblematic of art and culture as the Austrian capital Vienna.
Numerous greats such as Schiele, Beethoven or Klimt once called this city home and undoubtedly left their mark on the cityscape and society. Countless museums, galleries and art stores line the streets of Vienna today, not only attracting millions of tourists each year, but also decisively shaping the local population’s love of art.
No wonder then that the collecting works of art of all kinds is part of good manners for many Viennese. Be it to enhance the style of one’s own four walls or as a long-term capital investment for grandchildren and worse times. Sometimes it happens that more paintings, busts and other artifacts accumulate than the available living space allows. If you don’t want to part with your treasures forever, especially if they are intended as an investment, it makes sense to store them off-site. Self-storage providers like STORE ROOM for example, offer the perfect space for this. However, since there are a few things in the storage of art we would like to explain the most important things in the following lines.
Source: Städel Museum
The most important aspects of art storage at a glance:
- Room temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 40-60
- Avoid sunlight, natural light is less of a problem
- Paintings during Storage leave in frame
- Air-permeable packaging such as wooden boxes and polystyrene frames are ideal
The right indoor climate
Probably the most important factor in storing of works of art is the room climate. This is especially true for oil paintings, which are very sensitive to their environment and are susceptible to mold or cracks in the material. Temperatures of about 20 degrees and humidity of 40-60% are ideal conditions, as they normally prevail in the museum. Therefore, it is not recommended to Therefore, storage in the basement or attic usually not recommended, because the humidity there is often higher and the antique painting quickly becomes an antique disposable product.
UV light is poison for the painting
Besides too high or low temperature and humidity, sunlight is the greatest danger for many art objects. Photochemical processes on the canvas lead to changes in the color pigments and unwanted expansion of the materials when exposed to direct sunlight. Artificial light, on the other hand, is less of a problem and can even be beneficial to the preservation of the object if irradiated in phases. In principle, however, darkened rooms are ideal.
Source: Hessian State Parliament
Packing the work of art correctly
For longer storage periods, good packaging of the objects is of course of utmost importance. For busts, statues and the like are Bubble wrap or blankets are well suited. With paintings, things are a bit more challenging because the materials used are usually more sensitive to their environment. It is important to leave the canvas in the frame during storage, as the paint layer can suffer considerable damage when rolled up. It is best to stow the painting together with the supporting frame in a wooden box, which can be additionally secured inside with styrofoam or cardboard. Here, the priority is to ensure that the painting is not packed completely airtight and that an air supply is possible, otherwise condensation can form and the risk of mold is considerable.
As you could see, storing artwork is not a science. However, there are a few important aspects to consider if you want to enjoy your painting even after a long period of storage, or if you want to sell it for a good price. We hope to have helped you and your works of art with this article and will of course be happy to answer any further questions you may have about storing your art treasures.
Your STORE ROOM Team 🤖
