Art Dealer Removes Varnish From 200-Year-Old Painting, And People Are Obsessed

My father's a contractor. Occasionally, I'd go on jobs with him during the summer and help clean up here and there and awkwardly dance to the bachata music his workers would blast on the radio. I had a great time on those job-sites, especially watching some of the more skilled professionals.

The painters were incredible. Some of them were so efficient that the tarps they laid down were mere formalities. Others could lay a foundation or erect a first story frame with such precision and alacrity, it looked as natural as breathing to them. My favorite thing to watch, though, were the power-washings. 

There was something about seeing a formerly grime and soot-covered surface baptized and emerge clean again. In fact, it's something a lot of people find oddly satisfying to watch. Old becomes new again. Years removed in an instant. There's even a whole subreddit devoted to watching people power washing old stuff to make it look new again. Who would have thought?

There's an art world equivalent to this satisfying phenomenon - art restoration. And watching it happen in real time is even more amazing than seeing a car or slab of concrete become pristine again. 

Look at this oily mess get clean right before your eyes. The years just peel away.

Such a difference.

People are already clamoring for live streams of this kind of work.

While others used the video as a chance to make memes.

Others are just amazed by the process behind restoring the painting and not having it turn out like the infamous Jesus fiasco.

The video was so mesmerizing it made some people rethink their careers.

And this guy had the same exact thought I did.

The restoration was simply magical.