Caring for Archival Prints and Original Canvases

Artwork is durable, but it is not indifferent. A few habits, set once when you hang a piece, do nearly all the work of keeping it right.

Light is the main variable

Ultraviolet light fades pigment over years. Keep both prints and canvases out of direct sun, and away from the bright band of light that moves across a wall in the afternoon. If a sunny wall is the only option, ask a framer for UV-filtering glazing — it is a modest cost against the life of the piece.

Frame prints behind a mat

A mat holds the print's surface away from the glazing, which prevents the paper from sticking during humidity swings. Choose acid-free mat board and backing; ordinary card yellows and can transfer that discolouration to the print edge.

Prints arrive unframed, sleeved and rigid-backed, so any standard 8 x 10, 11 x 14, or 16 x 20 frame will fit without custom work.

Canvases prefer stable rooms

Stretched canvas responds to humidity. Bathrooms, unheated garages, and walls directly above radiators or fireplaces all cause the fabric to loosen and re-tension repeatedly. An interior wall in a normally heated room is ideal.

Cleaning, gently

Dust a canvas with a dry, soft brush or a clean microfibre cloth, always with a light hand and never in circles. Do not use water, glass cleaner, or any solvent on a painted surface. For framed prints, spray cleaner onto the cloth — never onto the glass — so nothing runs down behind the frame.

Moving and storing

Carry framed work with two hands on the sides, never by the top edge of the frame. If a piece must be stored, stand it upright between sheets of acid-free tissue, never flat with objects on top.

Done consistently, none of this takes more than a minute a year — and it is the difference between a piece that ages and one that simply stays as it was the day it arrived.