From The Shadows 

Me: oh, tacks ... Good on the last conservationists 60 seconds later: staples?!? Oooh, Julian is gonna get 'em!

I love how you tossed that cosmetic canvas aside in absolute disgust 😂

Skinning a painting seems like one of the biggest mistakes a conservator can make. You can’t go back after it’s been skinned. Makes my heart wilt.

I just want to say that I love your new posting schedule, Julian. Going back and forth between your behind-the-scenes series and your conservation work is *chef's kiss*

The inscription looks to me like "Braham, London, August 1813" per your suggestion at the end of the video that this may be an actor, I think it could be John Braham, who was a Jewish opera singer in London active at the appropriate time. Other drawings of him are similar enough, though I wasn't able to place this particular costume or what he would have been performing in 1813 (edit: Someone else sleuthed it! It's a copy of a portrait of Rubens by Van Dyck now at Sudeley Castle)

It may seem strange but as an artist, I have learned so much about painting. I had a professor that broke a lot of your rules such as staple fastening. I bought UV stabilized varnish to coat my paintings. Thank you.

Love the Kit cameo. At some point in her training, it would be great to see a side-by-side comparison of her progress from beginning to present.

losing it at the realization the varnish jar (jarnish if you will) is a pickle jar. the contrast of some of julians more high-tech gadjets and imaging with.... a beat to hell pickle jar. is amazing

Anyone else get excited over the doggo at 7:45 or just me?

FYI. This is a 19th century copy of a portrait likely depicting the famed artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens. What appears to be the original painting is at Sudeley Castle, but there are copies in various private collections (one sold at Christie's in 2010) as well as an engraving. The Sudeley painting is possibly painted by Sir Anthony Van Dyck and was used as a reference for Rubens' likeness as depicted in a painting of the gallery of Cornelis van der Geest - a 17th century Antwerp based merchant and art collector. The Van der Geest Gallery painting has remained in Antwerp to the present day at the Rubenshuis. It is painted by Willem van Haecht whose father may have been one of Rubens' first art teachers.

The subtle changes in his face makes all the difference. It went from a good portrait to a sublime portrait. Thank you, Julian.

Kudos to the gentleman who saw the beauty of this painting and took a chance on it. It is beautiful.

Staples? NOT STAPLES!!! It is always so enjoyable to watch Julian take the painting from a distressed state to one of unity and “calm” for lack of a better term.

Cropping and Staples and Overpainting! Oh My!

I love how the careful attention to small details resulted in a balanced restoration that pays respect to the sitter, the artist, and the taste of the new owner. I would love it if Kitt could have her own video documenting one of her projects this year! It would be great to see how her knowledge and skills have improved under your mentorship, Julian!

I want you to know that I work in a very busy kitchen all day and when I finally go home to my 5 hours I have before I have to sleep, I like to smoke and watch your videos. This mix of pure film talent as well as a passion and love for art is amazing. God bless you, friend.

6:51 - I always love Julian's looks of excitement! 🙂

I'm am never not comforted by your videos. 🙏 I can feel my entire nervous system relaxing minute-by-minute. 😌

I've done a lot of photo restoration, and while i don't have to worry about things like patching canvas, I'm always struck by the similarity of our technique when it comes to repairing image loss. Getting way in there and making tiny additions of color while taking care not to just overpaint. I've always found it so satisfying to bring back an image all but lost.

The last video I watched was from a channel called “Into the Shadows” about rabies, and it creeped me out to much to sleep. Naturally I came to Julian’s channel for a sleeping aid, despite having seen most of them, and immediately see that he’s just published a new video called “From The Shadows”. Absolutely perfect. Just the satisfying title alone will help me relax.

I cringed as you started talking about this painting. How abused it had been by the previous conservator and just shook my head back and forth as you painstakingly restored it to a much better condition. I am certainly not in your line of work, but admit that you have taught me much. One thing is for sure, conserving any piece of art needs to be done by experts with credentials and experience. That puts you at the top of my list IF I should ever need to have anything restored. Thank you for another insightful look into your world.

I will never get tired of seeing the restored paintings at the end of the videos. You truly make them come to life.

I've been following and watching your videos for years now and as a makeup artist, I learn so much from how you mix and give colours to how to apply them on the canvas. Above all, be passionate about what you do. I love you with all my heart. ❤

As always, it is a pleasure to watch your videos. And a wave to Kit for her cameo appearance. My first thought upon seeing the painting was: "Heavy overpainting on forehead, cheeks, and nose."

I love what you did with this painting. It looks much lighter in both color and weight. Can we talk though about: A. The dog! I think this is the first time I’ve seen it! B. The floral shirt! Wowza! Not seemingly your typical style! Excellent work.

During that pandemic this was my anti anxiety sleep channel. Like I could sleep with out it. Feels so nostalgic to comeback to it

Ok... we all saw the cute puppy in the background! We need details! What's its name? Is it yours? We want to see its face!

I love how he pitches the liner off the table! LOL - Julian you don't have to say a word, your actions and your face say volumes! Thank you!

Another great video! Two quick cameos: Kit and the little doggie! Also, I LOVE that floral shirt!

21:32 (left hand bottom corner) 😀 who knew kosher dill pickles (yumm) make such great contributions to the art restoration world, in which You, Julian, are Number One!

I can’t believe I never watched this one. I have watched all your posts. The disdain with which you threw that staple filled lining was telling. I love your passion for the craft and dedication to doing it right.

I tune in solely to enjoy the sound of your voice. I do admire your skill, patience, and hard work but it’s your gentle, clear “story-telling” voice that keeps me coming back!

Such a joy to watch you work and this channel is by far the best picture restoration channel on YT. It is always one careful, well thought out step after another and I've seen enough of your videos now to be able to almost guess what is coming next. I think cleaning will always be my favourite part of the process but the final reveal is wonderful as well. Thank you for posting.

HI KITT! Always good to see she still around!

Totally off topic but i very much love that brown/floral pattern shirt you changed into around the 7:00 minute mark. Like wearing art while restoring art :)

Second comment: as well as the painting being softened and free from those hard edges, he no longer looks like he hasn't slept for a couple of weeks. The prior darkness around the eyes almost made him look sinister! Love the work you put in to this conservation, as always, Julian!!

I love that the subject was an actor, and not somebody’s rich foo foo uncle. Instead, he was proud of the character he was portraying. I especially love this one. A working man, proud of his trade and talent so much so that he paid to have his picture painted while in costume.

Hi Julian, This portrait is in the manner of Peter Paul Rubens… or Van Dyck. The skinning of paint surface makes it a bit tough to spot, but there are a great deal of qualities in what remains that show the technique of Rubens. I’m unsure what the “Graham London 1813” is… possibly this was a work done by a student at the Royal Academy in 1813 from a known work by Rubens. Possible a study from a group portrait, or individual sitter. Possibly an owners name. I’ve seen inventory numbers done this way before in blocks. Worth the effort to research this. The UK has a site that records all works in public collections. It’s a wealth of information when faced with an English provenance or clue. I believe it’s called ArtUk. Good luck.

Brilliant thank you. Cool shirt you’re wearing too. Beautiful piano music.

I’m loving the alternating behind the scenes and then restoration videos!!! ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Wow, that was a good restoration! There are patterns on his jacket now visable, and as you said, the brushstrokes in his collar etc are beautifully visible now. Kudos!

I love to just sit and watch each step taken to retouch and bring the paintings back to life. I am amazed with your patience. Wonderful craft. You are a Master.

When you uncovered that information on the back of the painting. I let out an audible whoa!! At this moment you're cleaning the glue off the back. So I'm anxious to find out what that information might mean.

The conservation work is always fascinating, and so lovingly done. And...it was good to see Kit in the background. The wee dog was a bonus.

Instead of glueing tears by placing single snippets of threads, the closeup at 17:15 made me wonder whether it might be faster or maybe just easier to be clean to just take such a frayed edge (as the threads are already perfectly aligned there), glue it down on one side until it's fixed, then cut off the rest of the cloth on other side and finish the attachment.

An incredible painting. a beautiful man - the expression so artistic and dramatically thoughtful.🌷🌱 i was on target with the expression. Rubens is an incredible artist. the movement and living character of his paintings are so exciting. 🎠🌷🌱 the collar is flowing and vibrant. the overpaint, although good, but is static. you are so meticulous, amazing, and creative. 🦋

So meticulously done, so neat and tidy, I recently saw other restorators, but I was shocked by how rough and not carefully they treated the painting. Julian is just the best! A true master in his work ❤

The videos where you have to repair scalping are always the most amazing ones. it's like having to replant a burned garden with as few seedlings as possible, and yet you make it look so effortless

Amazing work! Seeing how the steps bring the painting back is wonderful!

Dear Julian, a masterclass of restraint, we all know what you were really thinking, and what a beautiful painting you rescued.

Coming soon: "The Hell Were You Thinking?" a new 7-part series where Julian surprises bad conservators and schools them on everything they did wrong. 😂

David from Kansas City here, I didn't realize until now how enjoyable the forensic aspect of your work is. Here simply the prior work done on the painting and elsewhere the painter or other historic aspects.

Stunning piece! Bravo. Thanks for sharing.

I'd like to see an exhibition of restored art a gallery or museum someday. Images of the work before and during the process along with the finished work would be a delightfully fascinating way to spend an afternoon.

You made me laugh when you said Oomph as being the correct terminology to use. When i was doing my apprenticeship as a Chef my head Chef would always use the term "Essence of oomph" when a dish needed that little extra touch.

This painting looks so much nicer without that heavy gloss. Well done. And also, I love the tears in his eyes, so very moving.

It’s so nice to see another restoration video!

Just saw your name come up in every other comment on another restoration clip. The collective agreement was that you would be horrified at how aggressively they were scrubbing with the brush. Then your video comes up, so I’ve now been introduced to painting restoration asmr and I’m kinda excited! 😂

I don't know who edits your productions, but BRAVO. The timing is perfect for retaining interest in the restoration process. Your voice is wonderfully intelligent and has a sense of intimacy.

That squarespace smooth transition tho hahaha “from the shadows” 😂😂

25:17 Julien is describing my ideal lip product

The most 90s font ever 3:28 That's a fantastic choice

Ooomph. Totally get it. Technical term in many professions 😊 Thank you, Julian.

It’s absolutely amazing that you can restore the painting to its correct size so flawlessly

As an artist, I learn so much from watching you at work. Such a joy to see a master at work.

Nice to see Kit’s still around 😄

I'm pausing the video just to celebrate the moment when for half second he examines the removed lining canvas and immediately yeets it on the other side of the room.

Me at the start: Oh, it doesn't look so bad, a bit of cleaning and some slight retouching should be fine. Me when I see the staples: Everything I said was a lie

I reconstruct photographic depictions of theatre interiors that are either no longer standing, or in need of restoration, and require accurate depictions of how they looked when first opened. Although a totally different type of conservation, it requires the same extensive research, and detailed, sometimes tedious, work (which I love). Your dedication to integrity and your skill level, is an inspiration, and always the perfect medium to prepare myself for the current job I’m undertaking. Every time I’m about to start, there’s a mixture of excitement and dread, as my self expectations are high, and I strive for a totally accurate and believable rendering. Thank you for your amazing and obsessive work, you always put me in the right frame of mind.

The flower shirt is so nice!!!

My OCD kicks in big time....I can sit and do cleaning of rabbit glue daily... to the slow cleaning of removing the old varnish.....😂😂😂 I get so involved in just watching!

ok Julian, love “shining a light on the work…” while standing in a beam of sunlight!!! loved that.

Thanks for your meticulous work and descriptive, eloquent narration. Another great and varied restoration for us! ❤

It turned out to be a very beautiful painting that we couldn't see!! And you did a amazing job restoring it as well!!! I enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

Magic! You are incredible! Such a great story to tell and lovely painting to uncover. Bravo.❤

First, those shots with the morning sun were amazing. Second, that shirt is also amazing.

I’d really like to see a painting that was restored in the past by a brilliant conservator (someone you consider brilliant just by looking at their work). But it was so long ago that it needs to be restored again. Hear you talk about why that conservator did a brilliant job, the methods they used etc. Their method probably very dated, but it truly allowed the painting to shine on for a very long time.

I love watching you work, it's like meditation. Thank you.

I would like to thank you for the artist. Having worked on portraits and struggled to get just the look I wanted it is so satisfying. But then to see some heavy hand come along later and "correct it" is horrifying. It is so satisfying to see that heavy hand removed.

Beautifully restored, as usual.

Did I just see a cute dog randomly wandering around in the background? Cute! As always, love your videos, the care you guys take restoring the paintings.

Как жаль, что такая прелестная картина попала в прошлом в руки столь безответственных людей. Спасибо, что подарили ей новую жизнь!

Look, I'm never gonna use Squarespace...but Julian's segues into their adverts makes me consider it every time. 😅

the gasp i gusped when he said there was overpainting on the whole thing 😮

Oh joy another Baumgartner Restoration video!!!! Made my entire day! On another note, it occurred to me that perhaps the person doing the previous restoration, thought heavy handedness with the cleaning would be OK since they could simply repaint anything that they took off. The painting was so skinned It made no sense but that that occurred. I’d be crushed and very angry if anyone took this approach to something I worked hard on, to achieve the subtleties of a piece that I made to look a certain way only to have my paint and glazes removed by a less than competent person.

I had to chuckle at the point where you removed the old lining. For someone who normally comes across as very meticulous, the seeming disdain with which you discarded that old lining was quite telling

I wish we knew who the artist was. I love how realistic his work is. And how he captured the raw, brooding expression. His name should be remembered.

Julian: watching every moment of the video, I was so intrigued how this painting came alive. And the history behind it, that was found out, even added to the mystery of it all. Enjoyed it immensely. Thank you. Carol from California

Don’t you wish tht everyone in every occupation, could be as knowledgeable, fastidious, and honorable as Julian??🤷🏻‍♀️👏🏼 Such a master of his craft

Incredible!!! I am a retired surgical trauma scrub nurse....your techniques are much like a surgeon! M also an artist. Thank you for this❤

I do like this new format, outside and into other's worksplaces and back into yours. Addresses what sometimes comes across as a know it all or arrogant and definately, to me, more relatable.

A masterclass of trade and artistry in every episode , an archives of true quality process - priceless. Thank you Julien

I love this video! Loved seeing Kit in the background too along, I’m assuming, with her dog. The portrait looked warmer and so much better after your talented efforts. Thank you!

OT, but the dark brown shirt you’re wearing while removing the adhesive is fabulous!

The changes didn't seem drastic but what a difference they made. You can truly see how much softer the whole painting became. Enjoyed this restoration a lot.

Beautifully done.

I really like this painting…that sunlight illuminating that face..lovely.

I love the dramatic lighting matching the painting!

I've been enjoying your videos for years. Thank you so much for showing us your work! The changes were subtle, but magnificent in terms of how different the portrait looks.

My first thought when I saw the "before" state was, "Hey, that looks like a lot of overpaint." A testament to how much I've learned from you over the years, Julian. 😊