Treatment of an Etching of a Cheeky Monkey

Once removed from the frame, it was apparent that the print needed to be removed from the backing board, to which it was adhered with an animal glue. Firstly, the perimeter of the backing board was cut down. An attempt to mechanically remove the backing board was abandoned in favour of a moisture sandwiching technique, which was safer and quicker in the long run. The backing was then easier to remove, and any areas that were not sufficiently saturated, were moistened with a steamer or sprayed water and removed. The object was then washed and light bleached in an alkaline water bath before pressing, remounting and reframing.