Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
Does sunlight affect oil paintings?
1 Answer
Yes, sunlight affects oil paintings. Keep your oil paintings away from direct sunlight.
To maintain oil paintings that you purchased for your home, experts suggest that you keep them out of sunlight. Prolonged exposure to the sunlight coming in from a window can fade the colors in your painting. Do not hang your oil painting near a heat source or where it can get wet (bathrooms and kitchens are not safe for your oil painting).
You may wish to dust your oil painting so that layers of dust don’t begin to gather on its surface. This should only be considered to remove loose dust. Never spray any chemical substance on your oil painting. Do not use a damp cloth to dust your oil painting. (Again, your painting should not be exposed to moisture.)
To remove loose dust, use a soft brush that measures approximately one to two inches wide with natural-hair bristles. Do not use a dust cloth or a feather duster, as those items may catch or leave threads or feathers behind. Do not apply pressure or dust your painting for an extended period of time.
If you think that your oil painting is considerably dirty or believe that other issues may be at work, experts strongly suggest that you consult with a professional conservator.
Read about how to arrange your wall art and find oil paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
To maintain oil paintings that you purchased for your home, experts suggest that you keep them out of sunlight. Prolonged exposure to the sunlight coming in from a window can fade the colors in your painting. Do not hang your oil painting near a heat source or where it can get wet (bathrooms and kitchens are not safe for your oil painting).
You may wish to dust your oil painting so that layers of dust don’t begin to gather on its surface. This should only be considered to remove loose dust. Never spray any chemical substance on your oil painting. Do not use a damp cloth to dust your oil painting. (Again, your painting should not be exposed to moisture.)
To remove loose dust, use a soft brush that measures approximately one to two inches wide with natural-hair bristles. Do not use a dust cloth or a feather duster, as those items may catch or leave threads or feathers behind. Do not apply pressure or dust your painting for an extended period of time.
If you think that your oil painting is considerably dirty or believe that other issues may be at work, experts strongly suggest that you consult with a professional conservator.
Read about how to arrange your wall art and find oil paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2024
Related Questions
- What is abstract oil painting?1 Answer
- How do you maintain oil paintings?1 Answer
- Who is the father of oil painting?1 Answer
- How do I identify an oil painting?1 Answer
- When was oil paint invented?1 Answer
Shop for Oil Paintings on 1stDibs
"windy summer day" Ukraine, River, Sunflowers, Summer Oil cm. 100 x 97 1998
Located in Torino, IT
Sunflowers, Countryside, River, Yellow, Sky, Clouds, Ukraine
Georgij MOROZ (Dneprodzerzinsk, Ukraine, 1937 - St. Petersburg, 2015)
MUSEUMS
Moscow, Tret’jakov Gallery
Moscow, USSR Ar...
Category
1990s Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil
Hello Sunshine, Yellow, Indigo Blue, Pink, Aqua Abstract Patterns
By Gabe Brown
Located in Kent, CT
Carefully ordered patterns, geometric shapes and delicate lines in light blue, lime green, indigo, pink and aqua on a luminous golden yellow background. Signed, dated and titled on v...
Category
2010s Contemporary Landscape Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Panel
Seascape Moonlight with Crashing Waves Vintage British Oil Painting
Located in Preston, GB
Seascape Moonlight with Crashing Waves Vintage British Oil Painting
Art measures 20 x 16 inches
Frame measures 24 x 20 inches
This painting depicts a serene and dramatic coastal sc...
Category
1980s Post-War Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of Benjamin - Fleur de Lis Background, Oil, Antique Florentine Frame
By Peter Lupkin
Located in Chicago, IL
Twenty-first century Classical Portraiture has a casual feel as seen here in "Portrait of Benjamin" by Peter Lupkin. The very masculine Benjamin, with his heavy beard, dark tousled ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Still life of sunflowers oil on canvas painting russian artist flowers
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Natalia Pankova (1965) - Sunflowers - Oil on canvas
Oil measurements 50x50 cm.
Frameless.
Natalia Yuryevna Pankova (Russian: Наталия Юрьевна Панкова, Gorky, June 28, 1965) is a Ru...
Category
1990s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Red Houses No. 1, Norway by Calo Carratala - Snowy landscape painting
Located in Paris, FR
Red Houses No. 1 is a unique oil on laminated wood painting from the Norway series by Spanish contemporary artist Calo Carratalá, dimensions are 46 × 74 cm (18.1 × 29.1 in).
The art...
Category
2010s Contemporary Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel