PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Preservation of wallpaper as a part of interiors
wallpaper examination form, 312 documentation forms of the
Conservation Center Kanut and the Conservation Department
of the Estonian Art Museum, and the catalogue for documenting
painted ceilings in Tallinn created in 2009 313 .
4.2.3. Visual documentation
Recording the physical appearance of an object and its properties
is an essential part of documentation. The most common
and available means for visually documenting a wallpaper are
photographing and sketching.
Different kinds of photography accompanied by rakinglight,
reflected or ultraviolet light, can be used to convey or
reveal information invisible to the naked eye. 314 For example,
photographing with raking-light may reveal irregularities on the
surface of a wallpaper and indicate seams between the sheets
and the length of the wallpaper even when coated with a layer
of paint. 315 Ultraviolet light can be used to detect residues of
organic adhesive left by a wallpaper.
Before taking a photo, one should consider the aim of the
photograph: to document the whole object, a segment, a detail,
a damaged area or something else. Photos taken of various damages
should be keyed to a diagram or plan detailing their locations.
316 It is highly recommended that photos be taken before,
during and after a conservation treatment.
To permit objective examination of results, the light conditions
should be kept the same, or the same colour control strip
should be used throughout the project. Especially with wallpapers
preserved in situ, proper illumination plays a crucial role. If
comparative photos need to be taken, the position of the light, the
312
Anne F. Clapp, “The Examination of Winterthur Wallpapers and a Progress Report,
April 1980, on a Group of Papers from the Fisher House, Philadelphia” in JAIC Online
(1981), accessed December 6, 2012, http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/articles/
jaic20-02-004.html.
313
Kais Matteus, Tallinna Vanalinna maalitud talalagede inventeerimise taustauuringud
ja katalogiseerimine (Bacherlor thesis, Estonian Academy of Arts, 2006).
314
Moore, “Conservation Documentation and...”, 6.
315
Frangiamore, Wallpapers in Historic Preservation, 3.
316
Patricia Hamm and James Hamm, “The Removal and Conservation Treatment of a
Scenic Wallpaper, Paysage A Chasses, from the Martin van Buren National Historic Site”
in JAIC Online (1981), accessed 8 December, 2012, http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/
articles/jaic20-02-010_indx.html.
173