Clear varnish coatings are applied to the surface of historic paintings to provide a protective barrier layer and/or change their appearance. The natural varnishes used by the original artist would have given the painting its original finished appearance. Over a period of years these varnish layers degrade with age, which changes the appearance. Then it becomes necessary to remove and replace the coating. This removal and replacement is undesirable as it can lead to damage of the painting. Synthetic alternatives can provide a much longer life coating but may not give the same appearance. This thesis details research into the soft matter physics and fluid mechanisms that determine the relationships between the material properties of varnishes and their effect on the appearance of paintings
