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Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. 1907.

Wax Residue

A wax-resin mixture was used to infuse the structure of the painting, providing additional stability and minimizing its response to changes in the surrounding environment.


Pictured above:
Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. 1907. Oil on canvas, 8' x 7' 8" (243.9 x 233.7 cm). Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest. © 2003 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Fig. 1-Example of Wax Residue

Fig. 1

A photomicrograph demonstrating that excess wax-resin was not removed from the surface after the 1963 treatment. This surface wax-resin has discolored noticeably over time.
 
Copyright 2003 The Museum of Modern Art