Care for paintings and art objects

Caring for art in Aotearoa New Zealand is not about expensive equipment or specialist training. It is about understanding the environment your home creates and making small, repeatable decisions. This page gives you a practical system for protecting paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and taonga while keeping them part of daily life.

The guiding principle is simple: protect the object while making it enjoyable to live with. A work that is sealed away in storage is preserved but dead; a work that is damaged by sun or humidity is lost. The goal is to find the middle ground where the work stays safe and you still see it every day.

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First: Know What You Are Caring For

Before you do anything, identify the materials. A painting is not one thing, it is a canvas or board, a ground layer, paint (oil, acrylic, tempera, or watercolour), and often a varnish or glaze. Each layer reacts differently to light, humidity, and handling. The same rule applies to sculpture, works on paper, and taonga.

If the object is Māori or Pacific, care is not only physical. Many works carry whakapapa, tapu, or community significance. Do not assume Western conservation rules apply. For guidance, contact the artist, their whānau or community, or an institution such as Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) or Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. They can advise on cultural protocols for handling, display, and storage. Treat these objects as living cultural property, not décor.

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The one question: how do you care for a painting or art object at home without damaging it?

You are the first line of defence. Most damage is not caused by disasters; it is caused by small, repeated mistakes: hanging a canvas in direct sun, wiping a varnish with a damp cloth, leaning a framed work against a radiator. This page gives you a practical method for daily care, a simple condition checklist, and clear signs that you need a conservator. It is not a substitute for professional treatment.

This guide is an independent resource and is not affiliated with, or a statement from, the former TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre or the James Wallace Arts Trust. The Trust’s current operations, collection, and plans are out of scope here.

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The one rule that protects everything

Protect the object while making it enjoyable to live with. Every decision in this page comes back to that balance. If a display choice puts the work at risk, the work wins. If a care routine makes the work invisible, the routine is wrong. The practical method below gives you a home-care system that keeps paintings and objects safe without turning your home into a museum.

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The environment: what actually damages art

Most damage is slow and invisible until it is too late. The three main agents are light, humidity, and handling.

Light

Light is cumulative and irreversible. The UV component is the main culprit, but visible light also fades pigments. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) recommends that light-sensitive works (watercolours, prints, photographs, textiles) be displayed at no more than 50 lux, and oil and acrylic paintings at no more than 150-200 lux (ICOM, 2020). In practical terms, a typical living room with indirect daylight can exceed 500 lux on a bright day, so direct sun is the main risk. Keep works out of direct sunlight, use UV-filtering glazing on framed pieces, and rotate light-sensitive works every few months.

Humidity and temperature are the second biggest threat. The ideal range for mixed collections is 45-55% relative humidity and 18-22°C, per the Conservation Division of Te Papa Tongarewa (2021). Sudden swings are more damaging than a constant “wrong” level. Wood panels, canvas, and paint layers all expand and contract at different rates; a drop from 60% to 40% in a day can cause flaking or cracking.

Light is cumulative damage. Ultraviolet (UV) and visible light fade pigments, and the damage is permanent. The National Gallery of Australia recommends keeping light below 50 lux for works on paper and below 200 lux for oil paintings (National Gallery of Australia, 2019). Direct sunlight through a window can exceed 50,000 lux, so even a few hours of sun a week can fade a watercolour within months. Use UV-filtering film on windows, keep works out of direct sun, and track exposure with a simple lux meter if you are serious.

Relative humidity is the second major threat. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s conservation guidelines recommend a stable relative humidity of 45-55% and a temperature of 18-22°C for mixed collections. Wood panels and ivory are the most sensitive; they can crack or warp with sudden swings. In Aotearoa’s climate, the main risk is humidity spikes in summer and dry interiors in winter, so monitor with a hygrometer and avoid placing works near heaters, air-conditioning vents, or uninsulated exterior walls.

Light damage is cumulative and irreversible. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and visible light cause fading, yellowing, and embrittlement. The standard museum guideline is 50 lux for works on paper, 150-200 lux for oil paintings, and no direct sunlight on any work. Use UV-filtering glazing, and for works on paper keep light levels below 50 lux. For everyday living spaces, rotate light-sensitive works seasonally (every 3-4 months) to limit cumulative exposure. LEDs are safer than halogen or incandescent because they emit negligible UV and infrared; use them with a dimmer where possible.