A term from art conservation. It is the act of removing a lining on the back or verso of an old oil painting and then carefully cementing fresh linen to the original painting canvas. Relining (or Lining when it is the first time) is a conservation practice applied when the original work is so weak or brittle that it cannot withstand further ageing.
It is considered a somewhat brutal and intrusive technique and used as the last resort. I.e. it is the only viable option in certain cases when the deterioration is so severe that the original cannot be rectified by the use of patching.
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