A Mounting Support Construction for a Paper-Caché Bust
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Klaus Mohideen-Rubitzko
Klaus Mohideen-Rubitzko studied Conservation-Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (2006–2012). After a few months being self employed as a paper conservator, working mainly for the Weltmuseum Wien, he was hired by the Wien Museum in 2013 to prepare exhibitions and relocate the paper collection to a new depot. Since 2014, he is working at the Department of Restoration at the Albertina collection with focus on conservation of graphic art.
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Wolfgang Baatz
Wolfgang Baatz is head of the Institute for Conservation-Restoration, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. After completing conservation training at the Academy, he worked 16 years as a freelance conservator. During this time he also graduated from a ten semester chemistry program at the Technical University Vienna, before returning to the Academy with a full professorship in 1994 and expanding the institute. He is also co-founder of ENCoRE and present chairman.Sigrid Eyb-Green teaches paper conservation at the Institute for Conservation-Restoration, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Sigrid completed a five year conservation program at the same institution, specialising in art on paper. She started her career as a free-lance conservator in New York and Vienna before she commenced teaching in 2002. In 2009, she finished her doctoral thesis.
Abstract
This paper focusses on the causes for damage to a paper-caché bust (Property Staatliches Museum Schwerin, Germany) and strategies for prevention of future damage by the implementation of a new mounting support system. The bust of Friedrich Wilhelm II was created in the late eighteenth century in Ludwigslust (Germany) and is made of up to 40 layers of paper bound with thin starch paste. The bust itself, the base and the connecting cardboard tube were separated, and some parts were severely deformed. In order to re-connect the three main parts, to support fragile areas, to reduce stress induced by uneven weight distribution and to be able to safely move the sculpture, a new mounting support was designed. Being inserted into the inside of the bust, the structure is invisible and does not interfere with the visual effect of the sculpture.
Zusammenfassung
Montagekonstruktion zur Unterstützung einer Papier-Caché Büste
Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt die Ursachen von Schäden, die an einer Papier-Caché Büste entstanden waren und erörtert Strategien für die Vermeidung von zukünftigen Schäden durch die Konzeption und Umsetzung einer neuen Montagekonstruktion zur Unterstützung der Büste.
Die Büste von Friedrich Wilhelm II. wurde im späten 18. Jahrhundert in Ludwigslust hergestellt und besteht aus bis zu 40 Lagen Papier, das mit verdünntem Kleister verbunden wurde. Die Büste, ihre Basis und die beide Teile verbindende Kartonröhre waren getrennt, und manche Bereiche waren stark verformt. Eine neue Montagekonstruktion wurde entworfen, um die drei Teile der Büste wieder zusammenzuführen, um die fragilen Bereiche zu unterstützen, einseitige Belastung durch ungleiche Gewichtsverteilung zu reduzieren und um eine sichere Handhabung der Skulptur zu gewährleisten. Die Konstruktion befindet sich zur Gänze innerhalb der Büste und ist unsichtbar, so dass der visuelle Eindruck nicht beeinträchtigt wird.
Résumé
Construction d’un support de montage pour un buste en papier mâché
Cet article se concentre sur les causes de dégradations d’un buste en papier mâché et sur les stratégies de prévention des dommages futurs par la mise en œuvre d’un nouveau système de support de montage. Le buste de Friedrich Wilhelm II a été créé à la fin du 18ème siècle à Ludwigslust (Allemagne) et est constitué de près de 40 couches de papier fixées avec une fine couche de colle d’amidon de blé. Le buste lui-même, la base et le tube en carton faisant le lien entre les deux parties ont été séparés et certaines parties ont été gravement déformées. Afin de rétablir le lien entre ces trois éléments principaux, soutenir les zones fragiles, réduire le stress induit par la distribution inégale du poids et être en mesure de déplacer la sculpture en toute sécurité, un nouveau support de montage a été conçu. Inséré à l’intérieur du buste, la structure est invisible et n’altère pas les qualités visuelles de la sculpture.
About the authors
Klaus Mohideen-Rubitzko studied Conservation-Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (2006–2012). After a few months being self employed as a paper conservator, working mainly for the Weltmuseum Wien, he was hired by the Wien Museum in 2013 to prepare exhibitions and relocate the paper collection to a new depot. Since 2014, he is working at the Department of Restoration at the Albertina collection with focus on conservation of graphic art.
Wolfgang Baatz is head of the Institute for Conservation-Restoration, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. After completing conservation training at the Academy, he worked 16 years as a freelance conservator. During this time he also graduated from a ten semester chemistry program at the Technical University Vienna, before returning to the Academy with a full professorship in 1994 and expanding the institute. He is also co-founder of ENCoRE and present chairman.
Sigrid Eyb-Green teaches paper conservation at the Institute for Conservation-Restoration, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Sigrid completed a five year conservation program at the same institution, specialising in art on paper. She started her career as a free-lance conservator in New York and Vienna before she commenced teaching in 2002. In 2009, she finished her doctoral thesis.
Acknowledgements
I am (KMR) sincerely grateful to Ulrike Schneider from the Staatliches Museum Schwerin (Germany) for providing me the object for my master thesis and the textile conservators Barbara Pönighaus-Matuella and Roswitha Zobl from the Weltmuseum (Vienna) for their valuable advice.
Materials and Suppliers
Acrylic glass: Acrylstudio Wagner GmbH, Hofbauergasse 9, 1120 Vienna, Austria. www.acrylstudio.at
Ethafoam: Inert polyethylene foam, Eurofoam GmbH, Abteilung pactec, Greinerstraße 70, 4550 Kremsmünster, Austria. www.pactec.at
Nylonfabric, polyester wadding, wheat starch paste, methyl cellulose: Neubers Enkel, Linke Wienzeile 152, 1060 Vienna, Austria. www.neubers-enkel.at
©2016 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Conservation Treatment of Samuel Holland’s Map of St John’s Island, 1765
- XL to XXL: Seeking Solutions for Transport, Exhibition and Storage of Charles Le Brun’s Cartoons
- Honeycomb Panels for Treatment and Vertical Storage of Large Paper Objects
- Large Custom Mount for a Drawing on Tracing Paper
- A Mounting Support Construction for a Paper-Caché Bust
- Ronald by Franz West. Mounting of a Three-Dimensional Papier-mâché Object
- Peep Shows on Display: Mounting Paper Theatres for Exhibitions
- Mounting Fans – Don’t Get in a Flap
- The Viennese Croÿ Albums: Options and Decisions Leading to the Conservation and Remounting of a Convolute of Double-Sided Gouache Paintings on Parchment
- Of Earth and Sky: A Pair of Ming Hanging Scrolls, from Past Repairs to Present Conservation
- Reframing Magna Carta – Comprehensive Planning and Pragmatic Outcomes
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Conservation Treatment of Samuel Holland’s Map of St John’s Island, 1765
- XL to XXL: Seeking Solutions for Transport, Exhibition and Storage of Charles Le Brun’s Cartoons
- Honeycomb Panels for Treatment and Vertical Storage of Large Paper Objects
- Large Custom Mount for a Drawing on Tracing Paper
- A Mounting Support Construction for a Paper-Caché Bust
- Ronald by Franz West. Mounting of a Three-Dimensional Papier-mâché Object
- Peep Shows on Display: Mounting Paper Theatres for Exhibitions
- Mounting Fans – Don’t Get in a Flap
- The Viennese Croÿ Albums: Options and Decisions Leading to the Conservation and Remounting of a Convolute of Double-Sided Gouache Paintings on Parchment
- Of Earth and Sky: A Pair of Ming Hanging Scrolls, from Past Repairs to Present Conservation
- Reframing Magna Carta – Comprehensive Planning and Pragmatic Outcomes
