What a ₹9,200 frame actually costs to make
Moulding, mount, glass and hours at the bench: an honest breakdown of one of our museum frames.
Caring for oil paintings in coastal air
Salt, humidity and sun: what the Puducherry climate does to a canvas, and simple ways to protect it.
Puducherry is a lovely place to live with paintings, but the sea air is hard on them. Humidity sits above 75 per cent for much of the year, the air carries salt, and the afternoon sun is strong. A few habits keep a canvas in good shape for decades.
Hang paintings on inside walls rather than walls that face the sea or take direct sun. An outside wall stays damp after rain, and that moisture moves into the back of the canvas. If you must use an outside wall, ask us to fit small cork spacers on the back of the frame so air can move behind it.
Keep paintings away from the kitchen and the bathroom door. Steam and cooking oil settle on the surface and dull it within a year or two. Avoid hanging directly above a lamp or an air-conditioner, which dry the paint unevenly.
Dust the surface lightly with a soft, dry brush once a month. Do not use a damp cloth, polish or cleaning spray on oil paint. If you see white bloom, small spots of mould or flaking, bring the painting to us. We do not restore paintings ourselves, but we can tell you what is happening and put you in touch with a conservator in Chennai.
