Painting Restoration Videos: 17 Stunning Rescues by a Second Generation Art Conservator

Painting restoration videos are some of the most calming things you can watch online, and Julian Baumgartner makes the very best of them. He runs a second generation art conservation studio in Chicago, and on his Baumgartner Restoration channel he films dark, dirty and torn paintings slowly coming back to life. His channel has 1.97 million subscribers and 254 videos, and his older classics sit between 2 and 7.4 million views. This past month his four part rescue of a San Gennaro painting has pulled in hundreds of thousands of views for every episode. Below are 17 of his most loved rescues, with the view counts we saw this week, and a gentle, safe way to care for the art in your own home. One rule first: leave cleaning with solvents to the pros. Ready for the good kind of satisfying..

Painting Restoration Videos That Feel Like Magic

Imagine a bright studio wall lined with old paintings, each one half dull and yellow and half glowing with fresh color. That is the moment everyone waits for in painting restoration videos. In his studio, Julian takes off old varnish, fixes tears and fills in tiny losses, and he explains every step in a calm voice. People say it is like a warm bath for the brain. Most of us will never clean an old master, but we all have a print, a photo or a thrift store frame that deserves a little love. Which one is hanging in your home..

You will need: a soft dry cloth, a notebook, a phone camera.

How to make it: 1. Walk around your home and pick three pieces of art you love. 2. Take a photo of each one and note where it hangs. 3. Write down anything that looks dusty, loose or faded so you know where to start.

Ave Maria Brought Back to Life

The Restoration of Ave Maria, narrated version, is the biggest of his painting restoration videos, with 7.4 million views over seven years. Watching years of grime lift away to show soft blues and glowing skin tones is pure joy. At home, the kindest thing you can do for framed art is simple dusting. A clean, soft makeup brush is gentle enough for carved frames and will not scratch. Do it every few weeks and your art will stay brighter for years. When did you last dust your favorite frame?

You will need: a clean, soft makeup brush, a dry microfiber cloth.

How to make it: 1. Take the frame off the wall and lay it flat on a towel. 2. Brush the carved parts of the frame from top to bottom with light strokes. 3. Never brush the painted surface of real oil paintings; just dust the frame and hang it back up.

A Huge St. Francis Painting

Big Isn’t Better, It’s Just Better; The Restoration of St. Francis has 6 million views. Of all his painting restoration videos, this painting was so large that just moving it was part of the show. Big art needs care when it goes on a wall too. Two hooks spread the weight and keep the frame level, so it will not tip or fall. If you found a large painting at a thrift store, this is the safe way to hang it. Where would a big piece look best in your home?

You will need: two picture hooks rated for the weight, a level, a pencil, a measuring tape, a hammer, a helper.

How to make it: 1. Measure the wire or hangers on the back and mark two spots on the wall with the pencil. 2. Check the marks with the level and tap in the hooks. 3. Lift the painting with a helper and settle it on both hooks.

Painting Restoration Videos Love an Old Master Clean Up

Another of his older painting restoration videos, an old master painting cleaned up, has 5.7 million views. There is something special about seeing hundreds of years of dirt disappear. Many of us have framed prints behind glass, and they get foggy with dust and fingerprints. A dry microfiber cloth is all you need. Skip sprays near the frame because liquid can seep under the glass and stain the print. Have you noticed how dull your glass has become?

You will need: a dry microfiber cloth, a second clean cloth.

How to make it: 1. Lay the frame flat on a soft towel. 2. Wipe the glass in small circles with the dry cloth. 3. Buff with the second cloth and hang it back up.

The Assassination of Archimedes

The Assassination of Archimedes has 5.3 million views. In many of his painting restoration videos, Julian shares what he knows about a painting’s past, and those stories make the work feel alive. Most family art has a story too, but it often gets lost. A simple label on the back can save it for the next generation. Write who painted it, where it came from and why it matters. What story does your oldest picture hold?

You will need: acid free paper or a blank card, a pencil, archival tape.

How to make it: 1. Write the name of the artist, the year and where the piece came from. 2. Add a short family memory about it. 3. Tape the label on the backing paper, never on the canvas itself.

Painting Restoration Videos Can Make a Split Painting Whole

A painting split into pieces and made whole again drew 5.2 million views. Seeing a torn canvas lined up and joined so you can barely spot the damage feels like a small miracle. Real canvas repairs are a job for a conservator, but a small tear in an inexpensive paper print is something you can fix. The trick is to work on the back with archival tape, never regular tape. Do you have a poster or print with a little rip?

You will need: archival document repair tape, a bone folder or the back of a spoon, a clean table.

How to make it: 1. Lay the print face down on a clean surface. 2. Line up the edges of the tear and press a short strip of archival tape over it. 3. Smooth the tape with the bone folder and let it rest under a heavy book.

Days of Scraping on a Mathias J. Alten Painting

One of his longest jobs was a painting by Mathias J. Alten, the Michigan artist who also painted this view of Mount Hood. The video, with days of careful scraping, has 5 million views. Like most painting restoration videos, it is a lesson in patience. You can practice the same slow and steady mindset on a small wooden frame. Sanding, staining and waxing an old frame takes a weekend, and the result looks lovely around a print. Are you a patient maker or do you like quick wins?

You will need: a small thrift store wooden frame, fine sanding pads, wood stain, a soft cloth, clear furniture wax, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Remove the glass and backing and lightly sand the frame. 2. Wipe on the stain with the cloth and let it dry overnight. 3. Rub on a thin coat of wax and buff it to a soft glow.

Painting Restoration Videos Bring Back Mother Mary

His Mother Mary rescue has 4.9 million views after eight years online. Many of these older paintings come in gold frames with chipped corners, and fixing them is part of the job. At home, a small gold leaf kit can hide a chip on a thrift store frame. It takes a gentle touch, but the shine you get is worth it. Would you try gold leaf or start with gilding wax?

You will need: imitation gold leaf sheets, gilding size glue, a soft brush, a small paintbrush.

How to make it: 1. Brush a thin coat of size on the chipped spot and wait until it feels tacky. 2. Lay a small piece of leaf on top and press it with the soft brush. 3. Brush away the loose flakes and let it set.

An Emma Gaggiotti Portrait

His rescue of a portrait by Emma Gaggiotti Richards, the Italian painter whose work Aurora is shown here, has 4.7 million views. She was famous in her day for soft, glowing figures, and seeing that glow return is a treat. You can give an old family portrait a fresh start too. A new wide mat and a simple frame make an old photo or painting feel special again. Who is in the oldest portrait in your family?

You will need: an old family portrait or photo, a new frame, a precut mat in cream or white, acid free tape.

How to make it: 1. Take the old portrait out of its frame with clean hands. 2. Center it behind the new mat and fix it with small pieces of acid free tape. 3. Put it in the new frame and hang it where the sun will not hit it.

Painting Restoration Videos With a George Inness Landscape

George Inness’s The Roman Campagna drew 4.2 million views. Inness painted the Roman countryside more than once, and this 1873 view shows why people love his warm, quiet light. Landscapes like these look wonderful grouped together. A landscape gallery wall of thrift store paintings and prints brings that same calm feeling to a hallway or living room. Would you mix gold and wood frames or keep them all the same?

You will need: four to eight framed landscape pieces, paper, painter’s tape, picture hooks, a level.

How to make it: 1. Trace each frame on paper and cut out the shapes. 2. Tape the paper shapes on the wall until you like the layout. 3. Hang the hooks through the paper, tear it away and hang the art.

A Guy Wiggins Frame Rebuilt

In painting restoration videos, sometimes the frame needs as much help as the painting. His video on rebuilding the frame for a Guy Wiggins painting has 3.5 million views. A frame changes everything about how a painting looks. Gilding wax is the easiest way to give a plain thrift store frame a rich gold finish. You rub it on with a finger or a cloth and buff it, no special skills needed. Which plain frame could use a little glow?

You will need: a plain wooden frame, gilding wax in gold, a soft cloth, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Clean the frame and let it dry. 2. Rub a small amount of wax on the raised parts with the cloth. 3. Let it sit for a few minutes and buff it to a warm shine.

A Cornelius Janssens Portrait

His rescue of a portrait by the 1600s painter Cornelius Janssens has 3.4 million views. Old portraits like that were made to be passed down through families. Your family photos deserve the same love. A wall of vintage portraits in matching frames turns a plain hallway into a family history gallery. It is also a lovely way to start conversations when relatives visit. Who would be in the center of your wall?

You will need: old family photos or copies, matching frames, mats, picture hooks, a level.

How to make it: 1. Scan or copy the originals so the old prints can stay safe in a box. 2. Frame the copies with matching mats. 3. Hang them in a neat grid or a gentle line down the hallway.

The Bold and Beeautiful Bee Painting

The Bold and Beeautiful, a painting full of bees, has 2.9 million views. It is one of the most playful titles in his painting restoration videos and one of the most fun paintings to watch return. Tiny bees are an easy and cheerful thing to paint yourself. A plain white frame becomes a sweet spring gift when you add a few bees and daisies around the edge. Who would you give a bee frame to?

You will need: a plain white wooden frame, yellow, black and white acrylic paint, a fine detail brush, clear sealer.

How to make it: 1. Paint small yellow ovals around the frame for the bee bodies. 2. Add black stripes and white wings once the yellow is dry. 3. Dot little daisies between the bees and seal the frame.

L’Aurora, Part One

L’Aurora, part one, has 2.8 million views. Restoring a painting this big takes many episodes, and viewers happily come back for each one. Old ceiling paintings often show soft skies and clouds, and you can bring that dreamy look to a simple wooden tray. It makes a pretty base for a coffee table or a lovely handmade gift. If you like this, our list of easy canvas paintings has more simple ideas. Would you paint a sunrise or a blue sky?

You will need: a round wooden tray, light blue, white and pale yellow acrylic paint, a sponge, a soft brush, clear sealer.

How to make it: 1. Paint the tray light blue and let it dry. 2. Dab white clouds with the sponge and add a little yellow near the edges. 3. Seal it with two coats so it can be wiped clean.

A Second Rescue for an Old Friend

A Second Rescue of an Old Friend has 2.5 million views. Paintings sometimes come back to the studio years later, and Julian treats them like old pals. Art at home needs regular care too. A yearly check is the easiest way to catch loose hooks, flaking frames and fading from the sun before they get worse. Mark a date on your calendar each year. Which piece would you check first?

You will need: a notebook, a soft brush, a microfiber cloth, a flashlight, spare picture wire.

How to make it: 1. Take each piece down once a year and dust the frame. 2. Shine the flashlight on the surface to look for cracks or flakes. 3. Check the wire and hooks, and call a conservator if a valuable painting shows damage.

Painting Restoration Videos and a Henry Ranger Seascape

His rescue of a Henry Ranger seascape has 2.1 million views. Ranger was an American painter known for quiet, moody scenes, and seeing his water and sky come clear is lovely. You can paint a calm sea of your own with just three colors. Blue, white and peach are enough for a soft sunset scene, even if you have never painted before. Would you hang it in a bathroom or a bedroom?

You will need: a small canvas, blue, white and peach acrylic paint, a wide flat brush, a small brush.

How to make it: 1. Paint the top half of the canvas with peach and white blended for the sky. 2. Paint the bottom half blue with a few white streaks for waves. 3. Add a thin peach line where the sun touches the water.

The Fourth Miracle Is Drawing Fans Right Now

His newest series is The Fourth Miracle, the rescue of a San Gennaro painting in four parts. Part one, Revealing the Catastrophe, has 441,000 views a month after it went up, and the next parts have between 288,000 and 369,000 each. These painting restoration videos keep pulling viewers back. A fun way to share in the feeling is to take a before and after photo of your own frame makeover. Will you post yours?

You will need: a thrift store frame, gilding wax or paint, a soft cloth, a phone camera.

How to make it: 1. Photograph the frame in good daylight before you start. 2. Clean it and add wax or paint to one side at a time. 3. Take the after photo in the same spot and light.