Because these are large, old painted canvases, the safest advice is: don’t clean or repair them yourself unless you have conservation experience. Old fabric and paint layers can be fragile, and well-meant cleaning or patching can cause permanent damage.

Best practices from a preservation standpoint:

• consult a textile or art conservator, or ask a local museum for guidance
• keep them out of direct sunlight
• avoid repeated exposure to intense lighting, including flash or powerful studio lights, since light can damage both paint and fabric over time
• control humidity and avoid damp storage conditions
• don’t fold them; even rolling may be risky unless a conservator advises how
• if they’re stable now, it may be best to hang and enjoy them rather than intervene

For the small tears, professional conservation is strongly recommended. Improper patching or adhesives could worsen the damage or reduce historical value. When dealing with materials of this age, the right principle is: first, do no harm.