PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Discussing principles of conservation
The latter scenario is rarely carried out in the case of highly
significant objects.
If a wallpaper has survived only in fragments, careful thought
should be given to the extent to which it can be restored. According
to Cesare Brandi, a “ruin” is a number of fragments that have
lost all trace of their original function and aesthetic qualities. It
cannot be returned to its potential oneness. 288 In the opinion of
the author, if restoration of a heavily damaged original is not
financially or technically feasible, but there is enough evidence
of the whole setting, it should be reconstructed instead. If there
is enough remaining material of the object and its context, a
reconstruction might not falsify the general appearance of the
room, but rather restore its legibility and visual integrity.
Since modern conservation theory emphasizes the importance
of preserving as much original material as possible, the
original can be combined with a reconstruction to create a
unified object. This solution allows for the conservation of the
original and re-creation of a historically accurate wall decoration
and atmosphere. The evidence should include the whole
of a pattern repeat, its original colours, the printing method,
additional applications, the type and extent of the wall scheme
and the method of mounting.
If no evidence of a historic wallpaper can be found preceding
a conservation treatment, decorating the historic interior should
be the task of an interior designer with proper knowledge of historic
styles. In the opposite case, the information provided by a
historic wallpaper or its fragments should be take into account,
instead of creating a modern historicised interior. To minimize
subjectivity, such decisions should be made in consultation with
all responsible parties in the conservation project.
The process of restoration is a specialized operation. Its aim
is to reveal and consolidate the aesthetic and historical value
of a monument and is based on respect for the original mate-
288
Alessandra Melucco Vaccaro, “The Emergence of Modern Conservation Theory”
Introduction to Part III in Historical and Philosophical Issues in the Conservation of
Cultural Heritage. Readings in Conservation, ed. Nicholas Stanley Price, M. Kirby Talley
Jr. and Alessandra Melucco Vaccaro (Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute,
The J. Paul Getty Trust, 1996), 210.
155