I started working at an arthistorical institute a year ago. my job is to aid in the preservation of the artworks and the accessibility of information about the artworks to the general audience - or, in normal English, I help put information on the internet. I don't think I would have ended up in this line of work if it wasn't for the love for preservation your channel has instilled in me. thank you, Julian, for indirectly presenting this opportunity to me.

I had to read the title twice 💀

7:20 we bought an old house and they used canvas wallpaper, and lo-and-behold, it was attached with rabbit skin glue. Let me tell you, these videos were the CRUTCH of my ability to restore the walls 😅

This one made me tear up.Artist unknown, sitter forgotten but now preserved forever.Thanks to your patron for seeing its value.

Watching you restore this painting was an experience in and of itself. I was struck by the fact that the sitter ACTUALLY once lived. ACTUALLY once wore that dress. ACTUALLY once loved and lost and laughed and cried and did all the other things that make life both full and mundane.

I will NEVER get over the drama of the cleaning process. I will also never understand those who don't want their painting (already under conservation) to be cleaned. It truly shows the artists true talent and the sitters true beauty.

Whoever painted that lovely portrait was very gifted.

She's a pretty lady. It's a shame her name and the name of the painter have been lost to time. And the restoration is stunning, as usual!

I LOVED that you showed your work under UV light. Very impressive to see the retouching spider across the painting.

I am home bound, so watching Julian doing Conservation on these works of Art makes me feel like I have my own personal Museum. I can revisit the paintings whenever I want. If there are particular paintings that I enjoy, I can revisit them as many times as I wish. I also like listening to Julian’s quiet voice telling about every aspect of each painting. Thank You Julian for allowing me to visit these Beautiful Paintings. They have really reached out and touched my heart. Sincerely, a Fan from Loveland, Colorado. ❤

I researched and wrote a biography of a California Gold Rush pioneer a few years ago and a publisher told me there were two stories there - obviously the first being the story of the pioneer but also my involvement in researching, compiling, and writing his biography. I, in fact, became part of his biography - his life's story. That surprised me and pleased me greatly to be made aware of now what is a personal tie to that person. And as it should be for you. You don't know the name of the artist, nor that of the sitter, but the artist's skill at portraiture, the beauty, and that "come hither" look you ascribed to the sitter's gaze plus now your involvement because you 'revived' the artist's image of the sitter, puts you in that painting's provenance. You have become an intrinsic member of what was once a duo (artist and sitter) and are now part of a platonic 'menage a trois'. Congrats... // This was a very well-done Vlog episode. I really enjoyed your running technical commentary and verbal essay on/about this portrait painting. Well said.

Thank you for showing your work as seen under UV light; the care you take to interfere with or alter the artist's work as little as possible is lovely to witness.

I will never get tired of watching the eyes get cleaned. Every time eyes are cleaned life goes back into the painting.

These videos do so much to make general audiences more appreciative of art and the process/idea of creating. Regardless of the end product, there is a vision and idea behind every work that makes it more than a picture on a wall, and Julian makes that clear in videos.

I think "come hither " is a title that can be applied to this channel. Your gentle but authoritative voice and enthralling narrative draw the viewer into a deep relationship with every artwork. Thank you for the gift you give us all.

You Sir, are a Master. A master magician, a master restorer and a master storyteller. I am sure the artist and the sitter are somewhere happily watching your restoration and knowing they are in the right hands. Thank you for bringing us along on this journey. Come Hither indeed!

This painting is Julian's version of an office romance. 😁

As soon as Julian mentioned “ill-fated attempts at conservation”, I knew this was going to be interesting… Awesome job, Julian!!! ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Love the music used during the cleaning process.

I was near tears from the moment of my first glimpse of this painting. This appears to be the likeness of a cousin who has recently died. Her name is Diana. I miss her. And let it be known that she was always the little minx as shown in this portrait. Look out and don't cross her. She was a very strong willed child, young woman and then as an old woman. What a character. Goodbye Cuz. ❤

One of the most dramatic restorations ever. The greens were actually blues, the browns were ... from another universe I suppose, but not what the artist created. Your attention to the cracks is simply inspiring the way you carefully matched the subtlety of each tone; just wonderful. Thank youi SO much for sharing this work with all of us! Just wonderful.

I love most of the paintings you work on but this one definitely says "Come Hither" and she must have been a real firecracker. You can see the spark in her. Love your work Julian.

i don't think i've ever connected to a painting like this. the delicate painting of the lace work, the history that a seamstress made the gown that she wore that the artist painted, the beauty and delicacy that she was painted with. something about this one really touched me, and the music choice for this specific video definitely aided that experience.

Baumgartner the man with the voice who makes me care about a subject I had no interest in before.

30:32 This reminds me of the scene in the French movie, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The movie showcases the relationship between a portraitist and her sitter. The painter, when told by her sitter that her rendition wasn't true to her, destroyed the painting in a rage. However, a few days hence, her sitter agrees to sit for her (as before this she had been surreptitiously painting her without her notice) However, when the day comes and they both sit, the sitter, Heloise, calls to the Artist, Marianne, and tells her, that even though Marianne looked at Heloise intently enough to create a near Lifelike rendition of her, she, Heloise too looks just as intently at Marianne. The gaze, the sitter's gaze is just as powerful as the artists. The power of a gaze, even if it is through a layer of paint and canvas, can be enough to make you come undone

Absolutely gorgeous! She is drawing us in yet she gives nothing away, gently, quietly…

I so agree with Julian about portraits although I do love a landscape, I must admit. The sitter so clearly knows what no one else knows and she is just starting a knowing smile that lets the holder of the secret know that, yes, she KNOWS! Uh oh! This transformation is amazing and a joy to watch. Thank you Julian!

Thank you for showing the UV light version, I was really curious what it would look like! Absolutely lovely work, as always

I'm always blown away with the before and after at the end. Really impressed with the UV shot of the work that you did. Not a lot of repainting but very well placed and very well done.

Watching you remove old varnish to expose such beautiful colors just NEVER gets old! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

I wonder if your clients ever want to watch the video about their painting being restored. I find it adds a layer of appreciation. It adds value to see the restoration effort that was put into it. More than just a simple "oh yeah, this looks like a painting again" (as amazing as some of these transformations might be).

I knew it was going to be a startling reveal , but I wasn’t expecting it to be so dramatic of a change ! Beautiful job

It's kind of funny how I've heard about how and why you face paintings prior to working on them, I don't know how many times, but it never really gets dull. It's great that if someone comes to your channel and sees, say this video before any others, they still learn what you're doing and why. Your videos have come a long way, and your work is amazing. I've even used some of your retouching techniques in my photo editing. Photoshop is great and all, but there are times when cloning or using a healing brush leaves a lot to be desired. Taking an extra few minutes to break up what I've done with small dabs of colour or even small clone or healing spots makes all the difference. This was a fun video. Thanks for taking us on your various retouching journeys.

I swear I could see her expression change when you cleaned her face. I know she’s really satisfied with your work. 😊 That was just beautiful!

The Look by UV-Light at the end is mind blowing. Like showing the Veil of cracks that hid the Lady unseen but very visibly if that makes any sense. This retouch was a very good decision

this is such a comfort channel for me. right now im finally getting a second meal in and i dont feel so alone watching someone explain doing what they obviously love

Incidentally, it's the come hither looks that keep me coming back to Julian's videos...😉

Please let us know where we can find the beautiful music around the 15:30 mark, it's worth my money! ❤ Great work on this amazing portrait!

As always, I am stunned by the contrast in the colours, especially the turquoise-ish green becoming a brilliant blue, and by the sheerness of the lace. Also, this is the first painting I've ever personally seen of a woman with brown eyes. I know that they exist, but I've only ever seen historical portraits of blue or grey eyes. She is stunning, and so is the end result

I could watch just the varnish removal step for hours its so satisfying!!

Sometimes, it’s just so nice to watch the restoration of a painting that hasn’t been so badly damaged by people, events, or the environment it was in. Amazing work as always!

I know it's tedious and probably not your favorite part of the process, but watching you scrape off rabbit skin glue is sooooo satisfying!!

I’m glad the owners wanted the cracks to be retouched. That would have been my choice, too. It’s a lovely painting and your work is of the highest standard.

It makes me sad that this painting was executed with such skill and we might never know who the artist was.

Just awesome. Thank you for allowing us into a world that we would otherwise never know.

Julian belated Father's Day. I am always so thrilled when you post a new video. The lady is beautiful, but more so with your assistance. I am proud to say I can not watch any other restorer after watching your process. ❤❤

Holy cow what a difference this makes. The ribbons and choker that looked a dull greyish green are a lovely blue, and we see so many more details!

The difference from start to finish is so dramatic. The sitter is simple breathtaking. You have done her and the artist a great service. You truly are a master of your craft.

Portraits are my favorite types of paintings. It's so effective at reminding us that humans, at their core, have always been the same. A wonderful peek into the past that connects us to those who lived then. I always feel a bit emotional during the cleaning process, when the true colors are revealed and we see what the artist saw. It never ceases to amaze me. Thank you, Julian, for educating and sharing the beauty of art and conservation of the human experience for years now. ❤

She was pretty in the beginning but she is absolutely beautiful by the end. Amazing job, Julian! 💜

What a difference with the look of the youth and vitality of the subject, as the harshness of time is rolled back, a really amazing transformation. Have a good week and God bless amen.

Breathtaking! Exactly as you put it, her face came up through the painting!

This episode is a return to form. Classic Baumgartner. The multi part episodes and Kit are wonderful additions to the channel, but videos like this are what made me fall in love with what you do. This is one I would recommend to friends as a good first video to watch, as it has all the elements we've come to love from you and your work. Bravo.

The pearl earring is striking, almost startling. It's a truly lovely portrait because her personality comes through but that pearl has meaning, even if I don't know what that meaning is. It makes me ask questions which is I think one of the points of good portraiture.

Beautiful Lady and a beautiful painting! Mastered as always by your hand!

Yaknow...I tried to watch this THREE TIMES......your voice is soothing so I kept falling asleep. Unacceptable.

The pearl earring remids of "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Vermeer.

Watching these transformations is not only stunning - it is soul touching! Something is almost spiritual about saving something so beautiful in our throw-away society. Thank you for making these videos!!

Beautiful work, on a beautiful subject. As I watched the cleaning of this portrait unfold; and as I came to grips of what I was feeling I was immediately transported back 1980 to the movie... Somewhere in Time and how my breath was stopped for a moment as my gaze was transfixed on the portrait of Jane Seymour. I get the same feeling now, that I did in 1980; that the artist caught the look of the woman right as her lover entered the room.

Just wow!! I would love to see further research done to try to figure out the artist.

It's currently the middle of the night and I really should be going to bed but a new Baumgartner video means sleep can wait a little while.

Beautiful, the painting definitely came alive. It is such a shame that the details of the artist and sitter have been lost in the annals of time. Thank you Julian for another superb restoration.

My dad used to work in art restoration and preservation at the art institute of Chicago. He passed a few years ago when I was in college. And ever since I’ve been researching all the things he used to enjoy and the sides of him I never knew. Like the artist who was passionate about preserving art. He lost a lot of his interests when his depression got bad and I never got to see them. So I’m doing that now. It helps me keep him alive. And instead of thinking of him making me sad, now it fills me with love for him and all the things he loved in life.

What a lovely lady. And as interesting the UV light layer of all the work done was, it was also slightly creepy looking - like a broken doll, or a distorted mind. It was a bit like a horror story starting to write itself.

I'd love to hear your backstory on how you started this business, how long these take, fails, best art works etc...

Gosh i love Julians voiceovers... the way he says the same things everytime in the same relaxed voice and timing. Its not boring. Its like meditating to listen to him.

From a hearing impaired perspective, I appreciate the step-by-step process that often GETS LOST in translation for me. 😊🙇‍♀️

Her gentle smile is just as enticing as the Mona Lisa's. Can't wait to see if it still appeals when this painting is cleaned.

I'm always so appreciative of your adherence to correct restoration codes & artistic ability. It's almost a spiritual experience. I agree with your title...Come hither.......

Her skin went from bronzed beach babe to vampire with that cleaning😂

Not only do you do justice to the work of the master.. you honor the subject with restoring her beauty and lost fragility… amazing!

Watching the bow go from a sickly green to a bright sky-light-blue is a true delight.

A masterful restoration that will allow the owners to enjoy this beautiful portrait for many years to come. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful, Julian. You have given this anonymous sitter new life and another opportunity to entrance her viewers.

So much of our history is lost in time but thanks to people like you we can hold on just a little longer to beauty such as this.

It's amazing how Julian keeps coming up with those wild fonts in the thumbnails I thought after some time he would have enough and stick with one, but THEY. JUST. KEEP. GETTING. CRAZIER

Absolutely brilliant restoration of a wonderful portrait. As you say, the portrait is intriguing, it is special, perhaps the mystery of the unknown model. No doubt that is the work of a great painter. Congratulations.

Esa mirada me atrapó para dar paso a la imaginación y seguir la historia de esta dama... Como siempre un placer ver los paso a paso de cada restauración ..🤗🇦🇷

Your retouching skills are simply amazing

Amazing. Love your work. So transformative

You have the gift of bringing the people in portraits back to life. I am just so happy I found your channel. It's rejuvenating!

It never gets old watching the picture come back to life when you clean it! 👍

When you started on her face and the music started playing, I waved my hand and said, "God, he is so good." She is glorious!

I never get tired of watching you over and over and over again ! You are a true artist in every sense of the word. Thanks for your amazing videos. Best !

She’s an angel, God create her to be remembered. Thanks for bringing her to life again.

I've been watching your videos for years now; this one is a standout. Really well done!

Your channel has helped me appreciate portraits so much more. I thought they were okay before, but a lot of them looked like “just another old timey rich person” to me. Even when you don’t say much about the sitter, watching you put so much time and attention and care into a person’s representation (and leave their eyes for last) made me see and appreciate the life, personhood, and history that exists within that representation. Now I see a portrait and I’m overwhelmed by the wholeness of the person. I think of how they were once a child, maybe a parent or a spouse, a sibling, a piece of a community. My favorites are the unknown subjects. Thank you for this lovely portrait episode.

Beautiful work! She really just came alive with your work! Thank you for such great videos!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! Thank you Julian; a new video from you always makes the day brighter. Have a brilliant summer. Respectful greetings from Mette in Norway:)

when the details like the individual hair strands started showing up after cleaning out the old varnish, it was like magic!

Perfect title! Ever become a little infatuated with the sitter? I could certainly understand that. She seems to glow and reminds me of when I saw Girl With a Pearl Earring, she glows, too! Love your approach to conservation and admire your skill. Watching you work and learning about the techniques you use is quite an education and increases our appreciation for art in general. Thank you so much for sharing with the world.

Wow! The cleaning made such a huge difference! Beautifully painted portrait of a lovely looking woman. The mind does wonder about the sitter. Who was she? Was she simply a model for the painter? Did they know one another? Was the artist doing a commissioned painting? It's fun to let the mind wander through the stories that could be woven as the backstory.

Your infinite patience it maintaining the artist's details, which unto themselves are amazing, keeps the true value of this portrait. The thickness of the rabbit glue caused me to gasp. Thank you for your very fine work.

What a beautiful conservation of a lovely lady. I never tire of seeing old yellowed varnish removed. There’s even a landscape or some type of atmospheric background list underneath. Great job👍

The change while you did the retouching on the cracks in her skin and face was amazing. It transformed while I was watching.

Bravo! Beautifully executed restoration. What a beautiful piece to share with us. Thank you!

Truly magnificent work as usual - the transformation here is nothing short of stunning. Could someone help me on identifying the music that is playing during the cleaning process. Thanks

30:31 this never fails to amaze me. No one can argue about covering up the artist's original work when seeing how little retouching was needed to make this painting whole again.

There are several you tube channels i have stopped watching because the person began believing their own publicity and became pretentious, you on the other hand weave us dreams in your gentle voice, but it is always about the painting. Long may your voice relax us and your story enthrall us.

What is the song you played during the cleaning process?