The painting depicts a tutorial with Professor Rosalind Hill surrounded by students at Westfield College, London. One of the students is the client's mother.
It is a large painting measuring
1.47 m x 1.17 m.

The artist is Edward Halliday (1902-1984) it is signed at the top right and dated 1939. It had no frame.

The picture was in good general condition but it was dark due to atmospheric pollution. The canvas was loose and three wedges were missing. It had small scratches and small areas of missing paint. The most serious problem with the painting was ‘bloom’. Bloom affects the varnish layer. At first it is brownish in colour and then as it becomes thicker it takes on a ‘milky’ or grey appearance.

Firstly the surface was divided in sections with ‘wavy’ lines; this is to avoid seeing the separation of the sections which is almost inevitable if it is cleaned in sections separated by straight lines.

It was cleaned with solvents of different strengths removing the oxidized varnish and the bloom. It was varnished with a brush and allowed to dry thoroughly before retouching the missing areas and scratches. Finally it was spray varnished to protect the surface. All the work done to the painting is 100% reversible.

The painting was framed with appropriate reproduction frame chosen by the client.