Paper Conservation: Decisions & Compromises

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Fig. 2: Filmoplast® tape attached on the ink layer on the verso of one of the prints Fig. 3: Sampling under microscope of the tape carrier were taken under microscope, as was a sample of the clear plastic support, shaved from the very edge of the object. A sample of each type of tape was also taken at the lifting edges (Fig. 3). FTIR, Raman, GC-MS and LDI-MS (Laser Desorption Ionization-Mass Spectrometry) were used in order to determine the composition of the plastic support, pigments (red and blue) and tapes (carrier and adhesive). Results After GC-MS, the results show that the clear support is not made of acetate as stipulated in all the descriptions, catalogues or even on the invoices the printing company sent to the Wadsworth Athenaeum, but it is polystyrene. It is interesting to note that today it appears that PVC, polyethylene, mylar, and acetate have mostly replaced polystyrene as clear and thin plastic printing surface. Polystyrene is now mostly sold as extruded white foam. LDI suggests that the blue pigment used is PB15 (phthalocyanine blue) which was a pigment commonly used for printing ink. The red ink sample contains chrome red, PR63, and barium sulfate. The binder of the inks, both red and blue, is made of polystyrenes; it is a plastic ink which is specifically for printing on plastic. GC-MS identified the carrier and adhesive components of the Filmoplast-like tape as a cellulosic material as assumed it was; and the office tape as PVA. These results were interesting as they led us to develop a conservation procedure. Because the support and the ink binders were both polystyrene and thus probably well bonded, we felt more confident that the bond was strong enough to support gentle mechanical removal of the tape. Conservation project After various tests, the best option was to mechanically remove the tape and tape adhesive. Attempts were carried out using tweezers peeling at an acute angle to remove the tape and various white vinyl eraser pencils of different hardness and shape were used to reduce the adhesive residues. Every step was carried out under microscopic observation to prevent any scratches or physical damage on the surface of the prints. On one copy, it was possible to remove the Filmoplast-like tape carrier first by applying warm water with a very small brush; this softened the tape carrier, making it removable without affecting the ink. The tape carrier was then removed with tweezers. Then, some cellulose powder 1 was scattered on top of the sticky residual adhesive and the adhesive plus cellulose powder was pushed away with a color shaper tool 2 without scratching the surface or removing ink. It appeared that in this case, instead of using an eraser pencil, a color shaper tool was more successful in reducing the adhesive residues. The results were very satisfying (Fig. 4). For the acrylic-based office tape on the other ICOM-CC Graphic Documents Working Group Interim Meeting | Vienna 17 – 19 April 2013 150
plastics to object conservators and conservation scientists at the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies to better understand the objects and treatment options. Endnotes 1 alpha-cellulose powder, Sigma Chemical Co., No. c-8002 2 Royal Sovereign Ltd UK, Color Sharper, Firm, Taper Point, #2 References Amaya, M., 1966. Pop Art ... And After. New York: Viking Press. Fig. 4: Removal of the tapes adhesive residues with cellulose powder and a color shaper tool copy, the same treatment (without the application of warm water on the tape carrier) was carried out with great success as well. Conclusion This object had a ground breaking role in Pop Art and in art history, in terms of materials, techniques and subject matter. Sandwich and Soda was one of Lichtenstein’s first attempts to use an unusual support, in this case a thin clear plastic. Sandwich and Soda was one of many screen prints on unusual supports, he started making in 1964. He kept using plastic as a support, like for Seascape I (1964), Moonscape (1965), Landscape 5 (1967) that are screen prints on Rowlux, a multi-lensed effect film that can create Moire-like visual patterns. Artworks on plastic and their inherent degradation processes is still a very relevant topic for museum’s staff. For example, at the MFA, Houston, there was very recently a gallery talk called: Spotlight on “Synthetic Supports: Is Plastic the New Paper?” (December 2011) which shows how this research falls into the trend. Conservators now have to deal with unusual surfaces and materials, which is challenging and interesting, and requires being very adaptable in our work. This project also served to remind this author that collegiality is the most effective way to understand a complex object and its damages and chose the best option for treatment. It was very helpful to be able to ask questions about Boatto, A., Falzoni, G. 1967. Lichtenstein. Edizione internazionale. International edition. Edition internationale, New York, American distributor: Wittenborn. Corlett, M.L. c. 1994. The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1948-1993. 1st ed. New York: Hudson Hills Press in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Cowart, J., Fine, R. c. 2007. Roy Lichtenstein: Beginning to End. Madrid: Fundación Juan March. Doris, S. 2007. Pop Art and the Contest over American Culture. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press. Foster, H. 2001. The Hardest Kind of Archetype: Reflections on Roy Lichtenstein. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland. Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, c. 2008. Pop Art & After: Prints+Popular Culture. New Brunswick, N.J.: Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Learner, T. 2004. Analysis of Modern Paints. Research in Conservation. Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute. Lichtenstein, R. 1975. Roy Lichtenstein: Dessins Sans Bande: [Paris, Centre National D’art Contemporain, 10 Janvier-17 Février 1975]. Paris: Établissement public du Centre Beaubourg, Département des arts plastiques. Lichtenstein, R. 1968. Roy Lichtenstein [Exhibition Held at the Tate Gallery, 6 January-4 February 1968]. London: Tate Gallery. Pincus-Witten, R. 1984. Roy Lichtenstein, a Drawing Retrospective: April 10 to May 12, 1984, on the Occasion of the Twenty- Fifth Anniversary of the Gallery. New York, NY (1020 Madison Ave., New York 10021): James Goodman Gallery. ICOM-CC Graphic Documents Working Group Interim Meeting | Vienna 17 – 19 April 2013 151
Page 1 and 2:
Paper Conservation: Decisions & Com
Page 3 and 4:
Content Lieve Watteeuw Introduction
Page 5:
Michael Wheeler | Nicholas Barnard
Page 8 and 9:
New Trends in Preservation in the D
Page 10 and 11:
and monitoring against adverse envi
Page 12 and 13:
Steve Hobaica, Patrick Loughney, Ma
Page 14 and 15:
The Albums of Duke Charles de Croÿ
Page 16 and 17:
Fig. 4: turning the supporting pape
Page 18 and 19:
Fig. 2: Close-up of some of the los
Page 20 and 21:
manuscript paper, the binding would
Page 22 and 23:
Figure 2 partial sewing: the blue d
Page 24 and 25:
Books in Exhibitions: History and A
Page 26 and 27:
Fig. 4 Museum in London and the pre
Page 28 and 29:
Risk and Safety of Illuminated Manu
Page 30 and 31:
Fig. 2 Atlas, the Crown papers are
Page 32 and 33:
Acknowledgments The authors would l
Page 34 and 35:
Verdigris I: Compromises in Conserv
Page 36 and 37:
Verdigris 2: Wet Chemical Treatment
Page 38 and 39:
Integrated Modelling: The Demograph
Page 40 and 41:
Fig. 3: The consequence of 50 insta
Page 42 and 43:
Characterisation of Historical Pape
Page 44 and 45:
pling is required, tide-lines are c
Page 46 and 47:
Study of Phytate Chelating Treatmen
Page 48 and 49:
Evaluation of stochiometric effects
Page 50 and 51:
Practice and Progress in the Conser
Page 52 and 53:
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 plex picture and prov
Page 54 and 55:
Fig. 2: Coloured paper strips place
Page 56 and 57:
the fire (on the other hand paper,
Page 58 and 59:
inform decisions on conservation tr
Page 60 and 61:
This paper summarizes what is known
Page 62 and 63:
2. Methods An interdisciplinary met
Page 64 and 65:
Fig. 4: Dyed endpaper pasted at the
Page 66 and 67:
Preservation of Architectural Drawi
Page 68 and 69:
Notes 1 According Salvador Muñoz V
Page 70 and 71:
course of time under the influence
Page 72 and 73:
the curators in review of the treat
Page 74 and 75:
cellulose powders with cellulose et
Page 76 and 77:
Authors Xing Kung Liao Conservator
Page 78 and 79:
Fig. 2: Our Railroad Workers and th
Page 80 and 81:
The Restoration of Cartoons at the
Page 82 and 83:
tation presumes that the works are
Page 84 and 85:
To Remove or Retain? - Extensive In
Page 86 and 87:
Fig. 4 repeated applications until
Page 88 and 89:
The Migration of Hydroxy Propyl Cel
Page 90:
tion issue allowed a visualisation
Page 93 and 94:
Ethical Considerations Concerning t
Page 95 and 96:
emoved with damp cotton swab. Then
Page 97 and 98:
Conservation of a Book of Hours fro
Page 99 and 100: Fig. 4: Pigments movement and conse
Page 101 and 102: Notes 1 Brazilwood lake, lapis lazu
Page 103 and 104: pages, which would easily have torn
Page 105 and 106: The Microflora Inhabiting Leonardo
Page 107 and 108: Acknowledgments The authors would l
Page 109 and 110: Microorganisms in Books - First Res
Page 111 and 112: hyaline white mycelia on and in the
Page 113 and 114: Deconstructing the Reconstruction E
Page 115 and 116: Fig. 3: Poster after 2012 conservat
Page 117 and 118: Conservators’ Investigation of Ch
Page 119 and 120: had been used, may be false-positiv
Page 121 and 122: function will provide a holistic pi
Page 123 and 124: Fig. 2: Patriarchs of Chan Buddhism
Page 125 and 126: ing techniques, which build upon fu
Page 127 and 128: Applications of Image Processing So
Page 129 and 130: Fig. 3 Fig. 4 images in a single wi
Page 131 and 132: Analysing Deterioration Artifacts i
Page 133 and 134: Fig. 3 similarity maps. Similarity
Page 135 and 136: Strategy in the Case of a Wrecked P
Page 137 and 138: without preliminary consolidation.
Page 139 and 140: Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscop
Page 141 and 142: Fig. 3: 18 th century paper seal, i
Page 143 and 144: Fig. 3 Fig. 4 of responsibilities r
Page 145 and 146: Characterising the Origin of Carbon
Page 147: Fig. 3: Sampling depth for ATR spec
Page 152 and 153: Pluchart, F. 1971. Pop Art Et Cie.
Page 154 and 155: Fig. 3: The reverse of left screen
Page 156: porting the reverse of severe creas
show all

Paper Conservation: Decisions & Compromises

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?