New Insights into the Cleaning of Paintings

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210 • smithsonian contributions to museum conservation and practical investigations of the dry cleaning materials have shed light on the nature and potentially detrimental effects of the materials (van Keulen et al., 2010). This paper presents the testing methodology and results of dry cleaning materials on underbound and solvent- sensitive surfaces (E. Froment, University of Amsterdam, unpublished internal report, “Cleaning Workshop: A Collaboration between Amsterdam University and the Cultural Agency of the Netherlands,” 2009 and M. Daudin- Schotte, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, unpublished internal report from the 2006– 2009 Research Project “Application of Dry Cleaning Methods on Unvarnished Modern Paintings,” 2010). The results are discussed in the light of cleaning effectiveness related to topography changes and potentially harmful residues. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS AND MATERIALS Cleaning Materials After preliminary cleaning tests on soiled and artificially aged oil paint surfaces with more 20 cleaning materials used in conservation (Daudin- Schotte, 2010; Van Keulen et al., 2010), a selection of the best performing and most commonly used materials was chosen for further research (see Table 1). The materials’ composition was obtained through chemical analysis (H. van Keulen, M. Groot Wassink, S. de Groot, I. Joosten, M. Daudin- Schotte, M. van Bommel, and K. J. van den Berg, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, unpublished data) and from manufacturers’ data sheets. Aging procedures were performed for 4–6 weeks at temperatures of 50°C–60°C and relative humidity (RH) variations from 27% to 70%–80% every six hours. Light aging was carried out with fluorescent tubes (10,000 lux) for approximately 600 hours at a temperature of 23°C and RH of 44%, equivalent to 11.5 years of aging under museum conditions, assuming reciprocity. The aim was to assess each cleaning material’s stability as well as potential changes to paint surfaces from residues after each cleaning test. Paint Surfaces Test samples were organized in three series, using canvas prepared on cardboard. I. The first series of tests were performed on a naturally aged 30- year- old monochrome oil painting on canvas (van den Berg et al., 2008). The top paint layer consisted of a monochrome light green oil painting containing zinc, lead, and titanium white with a barium sulfate filler in addition to two as yet unidentified organic yellow pigments. A very thin strongly fluorescent surface layer is visible under UV light, possibly a skin of the medium. II. Water- sensitive cadmium red, cadmium yellow, and ultramarine blue tube oil paints from Talens Rembrandt Artists’ Quality (Mills et al., 2008) were painted out on artists’ boards, cured in ambient conditions for four months, and artificially aged for 2,700 hours at 10,000 lux at room temperature. After aging, the samples were stored at ambient conditions for 4 months, soiled with dust collected from the cellar of the ICN building, and stored in a greasy environment (the kitchen of the ICN Ateliergebouw) for 4 months. III. Gouache samples were painted out on artists’ boards, mixing one measure of tube paint of Talens ECOLA Plakkaatverf with the same measure of pure pigment from Verfmolen “De Kat” (Zaandam, Netherlands) to produce slightly underbound matte surfaces (cadmium red, cadmium yellow, and ultramarine Table 1. Dry cleaning materials tested in this study. Each test was followed by brushing and vacuuming of the surface. Type Product Name Picture Composition a Application Manufacturer/ Suppliers Description (observed when tested) Malleable materials Absorene Filler: starch; solvent: white spirit Rolled with hand over the surface, in tube shape Absorene Company Inc (England) Quite sticky, malleable Groom/stick Isoprene rubber, chalk Applied rolled around a wooden stick like a cotton swab Picreator Enterprises Ltd. (England) Very sticky, malleable. Erasers Edding R10 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), di- isooctyl phthalate (DIOP) Applied with a minimum pressure, in circle movements Local stationers (international) Relatively hard material; harder than Pentel ZF11 and Bic Galet (continued)
number 3 • 211 Table 1. (Continued) Type Product Name Picture Composition a Application Manufacturer/ Suppliers Description (observed when tested) Erasers Pentel ZF 11 Polyvinyl chloride PVC), phthalates (DIOP, DMP, MEHP); butoxytriglycol, dioctylazelate; chalk Applied with a minimum pressure, in circle movements Stouls (France) Relatively hard material; harder than Bic Galet Bic Galet Factis (vulcanized vegetable oil) chalk Applied with a minimum pressure, in circle movements Local stationers (international) Softest eraser with highest amount of crumbs Cloths Yellow microfiber cloth Polyethylene terephthalate (PET); polyester: Nylon 6 ( polyamide) Folded and applied in figure eight shape movements Blokker, local drugstore (Netherlands) Nonwoven cloth. Sponges Smoke sponge Isoprene rubber, sulfur chalk, not completely vulcanized natural rubber Applied with a minimum pressure, in circular movements Conservation by design Ltd. (England) Rubbery texture, flexible material. Akapad White Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), vulcanized castor oil, antioxidant NG- 2246 Applied with a minimum pressure, in circular movements Akachemie, Deffner & Johann (Germany) Self- consuming material, more compact than Akapad yellow Makeup sponges Gum powder Etos (white, triangle shape) Hema (white, triangle shape) QVS (white, triangle shape) Draft clean powder Isoprene rubber, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), diethyldithiocarbamate mercaptobenzothiazole Polyurethane ether (TDI) Yellow particulates: styrene butadiene rubber (SBR); brown particulates: factis Piece of sponge applied in figure eight shape movements and slight pressure; used as obtained and rinsed in demineralized water prior to use Piece of sponge applied in figure eight shape movements and slight pressure; used as obtained and rinsed in demineralized water prior to use Piece of sponge applied in figure eight shape movements and slight pressure; used as obtained and rinsed in demineralized water prior to use Sprinkled over the surface; cotton pad was used with even and soft application Etos stores (Netherlands) HEMA stores (Netherlands) Probably discontinued product, QVS, drugstores (England) Conservation by Design Ltd. Archival aids (England) Very soft and flexible texture Very soft, flexible texture, comparable to isoprene rubber makeup sponges Very soft and flexible Differences in particulate sizes depending on the brand a Composition information is from ICN Web site table; see text.
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Smithsonian Institution Scholarly P
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smithsonian contributions to museum
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Contents PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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number 3 • v Extended Abstract—
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viii • smithsonian contributions
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The Removal of Patina Stephen Gritt
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number 3 • 3 and conceals its bea
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number 3 • 5 REFERENCES Algarotti
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8 • smithsonian contributions to
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Surface Cleaning of Paintings and P
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number 3 • 19 methods for cleanin
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number 3 • 21 not the varnish its
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Extended Abstract—A Preliminary I
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number 3 • 25 FIGURE 3. Detail of
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Extended Abstract—A New Documenta
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number 3 • 33 FIGURE 2. Recording
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Oil Paints: The Chemistry of Drying
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number 3 • 53 FIGURE 3. Weight ch
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number 3 • 55 FIGURE 7. Formation
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number 3 • 57 FIGURE 11. Differen
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The Influence of Pigments and Ion M
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number 3 • 61 FIGURE 3. Mechanica
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number 3 • 63 FIGURE 7. Mechanica
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number 3 • 65 observation that co
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number 3 • 67 • Not all pigment
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Characterization and Stability Issu
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number 3 • 91 FIGURE 2. Film form
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number 3 • 93 (Saunders, 1973). T
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number 3 • 95 allows identificati
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100 • smithsonian contributions t
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Sensitivity of Oil Paint Surfaces t
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number 3 • 109 Analytical Methods
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number 3 • 111 The method for ass
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number 3 • 113 FIGURE 6. Secondar
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Extended Abstract—The Effect of C
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number 3 • 117 Table 1. Surface m
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Multitechnique Approach to Evaluate
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number 3 • 127 RESULTS AND DISCUS
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number 3 • 129 FIGURE 4. The SEM
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number 3 • 131 FIGURE 7. (top) St
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number 3 • 133 FIGURE 10. Stress-
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Extended Abstract—A Preliminary S
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number 3 • 137 Acknowledgments An
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Cleaning of Acrylic Emulsion Paints
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number 3 • 149 advocates of publi
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number 3 • 151 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5
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number 3 • 153 ethoxylate units i
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number 3 • 155 FIGURE 5. Golden A
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number 3 • 157 alien und Methoden
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Page 181 and 182: Extended Abstract—The Removal of
Page 183 and 184: number 3 • 171 RESULTS AND DISCUS
Page 185 and 186: number 3 • 173 FIGURE 3. The SEM
Page 187 and 188: Extended Abstract—Cleaning Issues
Page 189: number 3 • 177 Acknowledgments Th
Page 197 and 198: Effects of Commercial Soaps on Unva
Page 199 and 200: number 3 • 187 The aqueous and or
Page 201 and 202: number 3 • 189 all tests. The res
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Page 205 and 206: FIGURE 5. Scanning electron microsc
Page 207 and 208: number 3 • 195 FIGURE 6. Confocal
Page 209 and 210: Extended Abstract—Tissue Gel Comp
Page 211: number 3 • 199 • The capillary
Page 217 and 218: Extended Abstract—Use of Agar Cyc
Page 219: number 3 • 207 FIGURE 4. The FTIR
Page 233 and 234: Extended Abstract—The Schlürfer:
Page 235 and 236: number 3 • 223 FIGURE 3. Removal
Page 237 and 238: Extended Abstract—Surface Cleanin
Page 239: number 3 • 227 Table 3. Cleaning
Page 249 and 250: Extended Abstract—Laser Cleaning
Page 251 and 252: Ending Note: Summary of Panel Discu
Page 253 and 254: Index TABLES in BOLD; Figures in It
Page 255 and 256: number 3 • 243 polyvinyl acetate
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