A few years ago, a close friend of mine brought along a painting by a great painter. Over a century old it looked dull and listless and certain places patchy. “Could you get those sections touched up?” asked my friend to the curator of one of the best art galleries in the city. She smiled, “To touch it up,” she said, “I’ll have to go to the core of the painting and start with the colours the artist originally used. Now what we see are colours mixed with layers of dirt!”
Can you restore a masterpiece? Imagine you are walking through the Louvre museum in Paris. As you approach Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, you take out your kerchief and try to rub off the shine from Lisa’s hair. You pull out a palette and brush and try touching up the face. Maybe put some colour on her cheeks? She’s not too good looking you feel, so change her nose a little? That’s ridiculous you say! For nearly 500 years the Mona Lisa has been considered one of the greatest works of all time. How absurd to think we can restore this masterpiece!
Rebecca McLain who restores valuable paintings says that she has seen many works of art damaged when the owners attempt to clean them with oven cleaners or abrasive powders. Her advice; if you value the art, take it to an expert for restoration. Works of art that seem hopelessly damaged can be saved by these experts., who have brought colour and life back to dulled paintings by carefully removing dirt and discoloured varnish.
But what method do we do to restore ourselves? Instead of handing ourselves over to an expert we spend time and money with piecemeal restorative attempts by amateurs. For better luck, we change the position of the furniture, reduce the size of the door, break down walls or fix a mirror to face the east or south or north or west, then troop down to gurus or godmen or TV prosperity evangelists. Amateur restoration is not just a gimmick but a money making one. For a few days we come out feeling ‘restored’ but in a short while we’re back to our old unrestored selves.
I remember the words the curator in the art gallery told us, “The restorer will go to the core of the painting and start with the colours the artist originally used!” But we have something even better, the One who created us, is willing to restore us, and it’s not a touch up; you’re as good as new! To the Creator, you are a Mona Lisa, a masterpiece to be restored not just a nose job that will turn ugly again..!
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