Baumgartner Restoration
Chicago conservator Julian Baumgartner shows old varnish melting away, torn canvases repaired and colour coming back. The most satisfying before-and-after.
What it is
The Instagram of Julian Baumgartner, a painting conservator in Chicago. His father founded Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration in 1978, and Julian learned the trade as his apprentice. The account is all process: a cotton swab lifts a layer of yellowed varnish and a blue sky suddenly appears; a torn canvas is mended thread by thread; losses are carefully inpainted. Captions are in English, but the real story is the before-and-after.
Why we picked it
Restoration is one of the most visually rewarding processes out there: changes are instant, and each pass of the swab delivers a small wow. Baumgartner shows careful, professional work rather than viewbait, and you quickly see why nobody should clean a painting at home with dish soap. He's best known for his YouTube videos with millions of views; Instagram is the bite-sized version of the same pleasure.
He often explains his choices in captions — which layer he's removing, how he fills a loss, why he uses reversible materials — so you get a mini lecture on conservation along the way.
Where to start
- Find the varnish removal clips — the most dramatic moments.
- Watch the torn canvas repairs to see how much handwork is involved.
- Compare before and after; colours often change beyond recognition.
- Notice the inpainting: good restoration is invisible.
- Want the full story? The studio's YouTube channel has long-form episodes.
Who it's for
Anyone who loves before-and-after videos. Art and history fans curious how paintings originally looked. Painters and conservation students. And anyone after something meditative.
Quick answers
Where is the studio? In Chicago; Julian's father founded it in 1978.
Do I need English? No, the process is clear without words; captions are in English.
How many followers? About 295K when we checked.
