Extreme swings in climatic conditions are detrimental to the longevity of the materials comprising a painting’s structure. The colors of this ship portrait faded in the direct sunlight from a window over many years, turning the once vibrant colors into soft pastels. Complicating things further, around the turn of the 20th century advances were being made in the manufacture and availability of a range of artists’ materials. Not all of them were successful. Some of the pre-primed canvases that were being widely sold at this time had problems with the adhesion of their grounds and many paintings made on them eventually turned to dust.