Behind the Scenes at the Tenement Museum

Behind the scenes at the Tenement Museum, staffer Melissa gives our hallway "medallion" oil paintings some TLC by removing surface dust with a hake brush and HEPA vacuum. The medallions were added to the hallway c. 1900. The "pastry icing" decoration she is brushing is made of plaster. The scene inside the medallion is an oil painting that was directly applied to the burlap wall covering. You can also see the decorative pressed metal that was applied to the ceiling of the hallway (also c. 1900.)