Art on Paper

Works of art on paper such as prints, drawings and watercolours appear in almost every private or public collection and vary hugely in material, subject matter and value.

Paper is fundamentally made of cellulose in the form of finely broken down plant fibres. In its purest form, cellulose is extremely durable, but preparation methods, additives and impure sources (for example, unpurified woodpulp) can cause the paper to become weak over time. Artists’ materials may also be unstable. Pigments can fade, inks can corrode the paper, pastels and charcoal can smudge, and thick paint layers formed from paints such as oils and gouache can flake.