The facing is principally carried out in order to smooth out important canvas deformations. It can also be applied as a preparation for subsequent steps as a general fixing, lining or removal of a lining. This operation consists in the glueing of a special paper on the surface. Using the specific properties of the paper in contact of humidity, the tensions applied to the painting permit the recovery of smoothness. Due to the important use of water, which isn’t harmless for paintings, we try to avoid this kind of operations.

The removal of the facing is simply the removal of the paper glued on the paintings surface.