In the Price-Owen collection, now in the gallery at the South Kensington Museum, is 'A Portrait of a Lady', by Sir Joshua Reynolds, painted on panel, which was unusual with this master. The preservation of the picture is in every way so perfect, that it looks as thought it had only recently left the easel. This beautiful work is so vivid, clear, and free from cracks and fissures, that it is an excellent example, showing the superiority of the panel over canvas.,The writer has seen most of the works by Sir Joshua, which have been publicly exhibited during the last twenty-five years, and he does not recollect any work on canvas, by the same master, approaching it, as to its state of preservation.,There will be found many pictures on panels, by all the early masters, which have suffered from various causes. But then in all probability their state would have been much worse, had they been painted on canvas. These panel pictures may have been subjected to influences which most likely would have entirely annihilated works on canvas. In fact, from the appearance which many of them present, this must have been the case.,In some instances, the paint is seen peeling from the surface of the panel. The underground of the picture appears to have been composed of animal glue size, and whiting. The form of decay alluded to has no doubt arisen from attacks of damp through the back of the picture, which decomposed the size with which the priming was made. The adhesive quality of the whiting preparation thus destroyed, the whole of the substance would in a little time leave the surface to which it was originally applied.,If the backs and edges of the panels had been well covered with oil-paint, or with a coat of wax and turpentine, in all probability the injury alluded to would not have occurred to them.,In most instances, when a picture on panel has suffered, it might have been easily prevent by a little forethought.