![]() ![]() Damage from impact or handling can cause the paint to lift or detach. Impact and Handling Īccidents, poor handling, and inadequate storage can result in punctures, tears, or indentations in the canvas (Shelley 1987). ![]() Blisters are extremely fragile air pockets that can occur between paint layers after the painting is exposed to excessive heat. If the strength and rigidity of the introduced consolidant exceeds that of the surrounding paint film, new patterns of deterioration can develop at the site of the repair during the painting’s natural movements in response to its environment.Įxcessive exposure to heat, whether from a fire or from previous restoration, can result in the disintegration and flaking of paint, scorching, alligatoring, and the formation of blisters. The response of previous conservation materials to the painting’s environment must also be considered. Mold and other biological activity can result in the increased powdering and sensitivity of the paint due to the weakening of the binder. Paintings in an environment of 70% RH can grow mold within 24 to 48 hours (CCAHA 2013, Erhardt et al. Poor storage or unforeseen disasters may result in water exposure, mold growth, and insect damage, which can lead to compromised paint layers. The storage or display environment in which a painting is kept can also have an effect on its condition beyond movement of the support. In these cases, the shrinkage occurs when swollen, enlarged weft yarns cause the crimped warp yarns of the canvas to become accentuated and drawn more closely together, which in turn forces the paint upward (Pocobene & Hodkinson 1992). Tenting can also arise when paintings with certain cotton or linen canvases (known as “shrinkers”) are exposed to high RH or direct moisture. Alternatively, if the support contracts to a greater degree than the paint film, such as when the RH drops very low, tenting paint and blind cleavage can occur. Abrupt changes in temperature and/or relative humidity (RH) can cause a painting’s support and glue sizing layers to swell and expand, resulting in the formation or worsening of cracks when the climate returns to normal levels (Michalski 1991, Mecklenburg 1991, 1994, 2004). Identifying the type of paint deterioration and its potential underlying causes can help to determine subsequent treatment steps.Įnvironment: Raised cracks with associated losses.Īs paintings are composite objects, their constituent materials will react to environmental fluctuations in different ways. ![]() Paintings requiring consolidation can exhibit deterioration in a number of manifestations, such as paint cleaving, cupping, or flaking. Media failure can be caused by any number of external and internal factors, including drastic changes to the painting’s environment, damage from previous treatment, heat or impact, and the inherent vice of the materials. In cases when the entire paint film is badly delaminated, consolidation can be carried out overall, typically through lining or other structural treatments.Ĭauses of Media Failure Ĭonsolidation is necessary when the paint or media is in danger of separating from the support. The treatment of isolated areas of lifted paint is commonly referred to as local consolidation. Other materials, such as bulking or plasticizing agents, may also be added to modify the properties of the consolidant. In most cases, the carrier solvent will evaporate, leaving an adhesive film behind. As a treatment intervention, paintings conservators generally use an adhesive, known as a consolidant, to secure detached, friable, lifting, or otherwise insecure media in order to stabilize and preserve original material.Ĭonsolidants are usually made of two parts: an adhesive and a carrier solvent. 6.1.2 Lascaux 4176 (Medium for Consolidation)Ĭonsolidation refers to the stabilization of degraded or weakened areas by introducing new materials capable of holding them together (AAT 2002).3 Considerations for Choosing a Consolidant. ![]()
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