Kingston city hall is getting some fresh faces this summer. The city is in the process of restoring some of its vast collection of artwork — dozens of portraits of former mayors.
The conservation program takes time, but, then again, the mayors have been hanging around for years.
Over 60 paintings help tell a political as well as a social history of Kingston.
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City curator Paul Robertson says time and storage location have taken their toll.
“Paintings are particularly venerable objects that we have in the civic collection and they are very much affected by where they are kept, the conditions of humidity and temperature and light levels.”
The latest portrait to get a facelift is that of Robert McLean, who was Kingston’s mayor back in 1846. Robertson says the restoration work revealed a number of finds.
“The garments that he’s wearing are much more crisp and aligned with what the artist originally intended. The most exciting feature is the sunset off behind him which was completely over-painted, it was hidden.”
The aim is to preserve the city’s history one portrait at a time. Free city hall tours begin again in late May with the portraits once again taking centre stage.
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