Most damage we see is slow, and almost all of it was avoidable. Not dropped frames or removal vans — sunlight, radiators, and someone reaching for the wrong cloth.
Light is the main enemy
Works on paper, photographs and watercolours fade permanently, and fading cannot be reversed. Keep them out of direct sun entirely. If the only wall available catches afternoon light, museum glass is worth the cost — it filters most of the ultraviolet and pays for itself the first summer.
Steady beats ideal
Canvas and panel move with humidity. A room that stays at a consistent moderate level is kinder than one that is perfect on average but swings from damp to dry. Avoid hanging above a radiator or a fireplace in use, and keep work off external walls that get cold.
If a room is comfortable for you year round, it is probably comfortable for the work. The trouble starts where conditions change quickly.
Dust, and nothing else
A soft dry brush across the surface of a frame is the whole of domestic maintenance. Never use water, never use a proprietary cleaner, and never spray anything near a painting — including glass cleaner, which wicks under the frame. If a work looks dull or yellowed, that is a conservator’s job, not a cloth’s.
Hanging and moving
Use two fixings rather than one — it stops the work drifting out of level and spreads the load. Carry paintings by the sides of the frame, never by the top edge, and never with a hand on the canvas. If a piece is going into storage, stand it upright and never flat with anything resting on it.
Bronze and sculpture
Indoor bronze needs nothing but dusting. Outdoor bronze wants waxing once a year to protect the patina. Handle polished surfaces with cotton gloves where you can — fingerprints etch over time.
If something has already happened — a tear, a knock, a bloom under the glass — do not attempt a repair. Photograph it and send it to us. We work with conservators in each of our cities and will tell you honestly whether it needs treating or leaving alone.