Sylvia Krauss ACR

10 Jun 2025

I have been practising since 1996 after finishing training in Germany and have a broad range of experience, gained in the museum environment as well as in private practise. My expertise covers paintings of all periods and techniques, painted sculpture, frames and contemporary art.

Thanks to securing a number of very rewarding project employments during my earlier career, I have gained invaluable experience working in Germany, Britain and the Netherlands. Each year however, I spent the summer holidays travelling the Western Highlands of Scotland, falling in love with country and people.

I am delighted that finally relocating to Scotland in 2005 to help preparing some of the Old Master paintings now on display at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, has enabled me to keep doing the work I am specialised in and enjoy very much, whilst living where I really want to be.

Training

1990 - 1993 - Apprenticeship: conservation of mural paintings at private conservation studiuo in Germany

1993 - 1994 - Apprenticeship: conservation of easel paintings and painted sculptures at private conservation srudio in Germany

1994 - 1998 - State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, Course of Study: Technology and Conservation of Easel Paintings and Painted Sculptures (graduated 1996, Masters equivalent)

Work History

2012 - 2014 - Glasgow Museums, Project Paintings Conservator, 500 Years of Italian Art

2010 - 2012 - National Trust for Scotland, Project Conservator, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

2008 - 2010 - Glasgow Museums, Project Paintimngs Conservator, Museum of Transport Decant/Riverside Project

2007 - 2008 - Glasgow Museums, Project Paintings Conservator, Old Masters/Kelvingrove Refurbishment Project

1998 - 2007 - Sylvia Krauss freelance paintings conservator in Stuttgart, Germany 2002 – 2005; Paintings Conservator at Stichting Kollektief Restauratieatelier Amsterdam, Netherlands 2000 – 2002; Paintings conservator at Lamport Hall Preservation Trust (Hamilton Kerr Institut Internship), Northamptonshire 1999; Project Paintings Conservator at Staatliche Museen Kassel, Schloß Wilhelmshöhe, Germany 1998; Assistant Paintings Conservator at Alte Pinakothek, Doerner Institut, Munich Germany 1996 – 1997

Painting, oil on canvas, style of Canaletto, A View of the Rialto Bridge

The painting had a brittle, torn canvas with extensive cupping, poor adhesion, and pinpoint paint losses. A dull, degraded varnish disfigured it. Treatment involved consolidating flaking paint, repairing tears (with inserts), removing old varnish, lining the canvas, filling losses, retouching, and applying new varnish.

Painting, oil on oak panel, A Winter Landscape near a Town, by Klaes Molenaer

Before treatment, the painting had an open upper panel joint, "fixed" by screwed battens. A thick, discoloured varnish and old, discoloured retouching (especially in the sky and joint) disfigured it, often hiding the artist's delicate technique. Treatment involved removing the old varnish and overpaint, rejoining the open panel, and then filling and retouching the joint and other worn areas. Finally, a new varnish was applied.

Painting, oil on canvas, Portrait of a Cow

Vandalism left the painting cut from its stretcher, with a separate narrow edge. The main canvas had flaking paint along the cuts and prior paint loss due to poor adhesion. Treatment involved removing canvas edges, flattening, and re-positioning the central canvas. Repairs included local consolidation, cut repairs from the reverse (with inserts), filling losses, lining for strength, and retouching.

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