A large number of historical oil paintings from museum collections worldwide show signs of deterioration due to metal soap formation. Metal soaps affect the structural integrity and visual appearance of these paintings. Understanding the influence of metal soap formation on the mechanical response of the paintings can help with the long-term conservation and preservation of these valuable works of art. For his Ph.D. research, Gijs Eumelen developed a numerical model to simulate the mechanical behavior of oil paintings due to the formation of metal soaps.
