Whistler's Mother and the coverup...

There is a divide in the art world over the merits or otherwise of restoring art works, masterpieces, to their original 'as painted' state.

I for one have always been concerned that the restorer may just go too far in removing the outer layers of the artwork and thereby changing the character and appearance of the piece and portraying something that the artist had never intended to portray.

Well a restoration has just been completed on Whistler's Mother, painted by... um... Whistler and I'm not sure that the painting is improved by the process. I've included the original and the 'cleaned' versions below... see what you think.

Whistler's Mother prior to restoration...

... and after restoration.

Now I must admit that I'm a little sceptical about the above...

The restorers are insisting that this is a true representation of the artist's original work. Now I might be prepared to accept what is being sold to us except for one thing... I think they have gone one step too far in their efforts to convince us.

You see, the restorers have released a second of Whistler's masterpieces that they have 'restored', which they say proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the first masterpiece, that of his mother, is in fact just as the artist painted it.

See what you think...

Whistler's self portrait.





Now scroll down and see what they've 'restored' it too...

Whistler?

I think not.

Bear.