Paper Conservation at the Wien Museum from 1978 to 1987 with Particular Emphasis on Bleaching Practices
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Elina Eder
Elina Eder is presently enrolled in the paper conservation program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She writes her Master Thesis within the Oral History Project of the Institute for Conservation and researches the history of paper conservation practices at the Wien Museum and the Kupferstichkabinett of the Academy.
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Sigrid Eyb-Green
Sigrid Eyb-Green teaches paper conservation at the Institute for Conservation, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She completed the conservation program at the same institution, specializing in art on paper, and 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 on cartoons by Leopold Kupelwieser. Since the beginning of 2019, she has been involved in the Oral History Project of the Institute for Conservation.Wolfgang Baatz is head of the Institute for Conservation, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. After completing the conservation program 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.
Abstract
In this study we will outline the history of paper conservation at the Wien Museum, emphasizing particularly on bleaching methods which were carried out during the period of 1978–1987. Our research is primarily based on conservation protocols kept at the museum during the period studied. Furthermore, theme-centred expert interviews were conducted with conservators who had worked for the collection. A literature review of common bleaching methods in paper conservation helped putting our observations into the larger context of scientific discourse at the time. During the period under study the main bleaching agents were hydrogen peroxide combined with diethyl ether and chloramine T. There were uncertainties regarding pre- and post-treatment options such as washing, deacidification and “anti-chlorine baths”. In general, treatment protocols and interviews reflect the state of published research of that time.
Zusammenfassung
Papierrestaurierung am Wien Museum von 1978 bis 1987 mit Schwerpunkt auf Bleichmethoden
Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Geschichte der Papierrestaurierung am Wien Museum und geht vor allem auf die im Zeitraum 1978–1987 angewendeten Bleichmethoden ein. Die Studie basiert hauptsächlich auf Restaurierungsprotokollen, die im Museum im untersuchten Zeitraum angelegt wurden. Darüber hinaus wurden themenzentrierte Experteninterviews mit Restauratorinnen durchgeführt, die für die Sammlung gearbeitet hatten. Eine Literaturübersicht über gängige Bleichmethoden in der Papierrestaurierung stellt die Beobachtungen in den größeren Kontext des damaligen wissenschaftlichen Diskurses. Während des Untersuchungszeitraums wurden vor allem Wasserstoffperoxid in Kombination mit Diethylether und Chloramin T angewendet. Es bestanden Unsicherheiten hinsichtlich einer notwendigen Vor- oder Nachbehandlung wie Wässern, Entsäuern und “Anti-Chlor-Bäder”. Im Allgemeinen spiegeln die Behandlungsprotokolle und Interviews den Stand der zu dieser Zeit veröffentlichten Forschung wider.
Résumé
La pratique du blanchiment au Musée de la ville de Vienne de 1978 à 1987
La restauration du papier est une discipline relativement récente et son histoire n’est le sujet de recherches que depuis quelques années. Dans cette étude nous exposerons les pratiques de restauration du papier, en soulignant les méthodes de blanchiment conduites durant la période 1978–1987 au musée de la ville de Vienne. Notre recherche est principalement basée sur les rapports de traitements conservés au musée pour la période concernée. Le système consistant en des cartes analogues avec index a été transformé en un système numérique permettant d’analyser de manière systématique les informations. De plus des entretiens thématiques avec des restaurateurs du musée ou indépendants ayant travaillé sur la collection ont été réalisés. Une analyse de la littérature relative aux méthodes communes de blanchiment en restauration papier nous a permis d’intégrer nos observations dans un contexte scientifique plus large. D’autres sources écrites telles que le journal de l’atelier et les notes de lecture ont complété nos sources.
About the authors
Elina Eder is presently enrolled in the paper conservation program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She writes her Master Thesis within the Oral History Project of the Institute for Conservation and researches the history of paper conservation practices at the Wien Museum and the Kupferstichkabinett of the Academy.
Sigrid Eyb-Green teaches paper conservation at the Institute for Conservation, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She completed the conservation program at the same institution, specializing in art on paper, and 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 on cartoons by Leopold Kupelwieser. Since the beginning of 2019, she has been involved in the Oral History Project of the Institute for Conservation.
Wolfgang Baatz is head of the Institute for Conservation, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. After completing the conservation program 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.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank to our interview partners Christine Maringer, Karin Troschke and Hilde Seidl for sharing their memories and experiences. Warm thanks to Hilde Seidl for making available also her studio journal and her lecture transcript. Further thanks go to Andreas Gruber (Wien Museum) for providing the collection of index cards.
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© 2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Editorial
- Original Works
- The Development of Mounts and Mounting Techniques at the Albertina in Vienna from 1805 to 2018
- The Outline of the History of Mounting Art on Paper in Poland in the 19th and 20th Centuries
- Paper Conservation at the Wien Museum from 1978 to 1987 with Particular Emphasis on Bleaching Practices
- Resizing: A Brief Review of Restoration and Conservation Literature from the 17th to the 21st Century
- Johann Michael von Hermann (1793–1855): A predecessor of Max Schweidler?
- Teaching Book and Paper Conservation at the TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Cologne
- The Development of Skill Knowledge in Conservation
- Going Beyond the Bench - The Paper Conservator Today
- Recommendations Pertaining to the Education of Library and Archives Conservators
- Letter to the Editors
- Current Status and Future Directions for Library and Archive Conservation Education in the United States
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Editorial
- Original Works
- The Development of Mounts and Mounting Techniques at the Albertina in Vienna from 1805 to 2018
- The Outline of the History of Mounting Art on Paper in Poland in the 19th and 20th Centuries
- Paper Conservation at the Wien Museum from 1978 to 1987 with Particular Emphasis on Bleaching Practices
- Resizing: A Brief Review of Restoration and Conservation Literature from the 17th to the 21st Century
- Johann Michael von Hermann (1793–1855): A predecessor of Max Schweidler?
- Teaching Book and Paper Conservation at the TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Cologne
- The Development of Skill Knowledge in Conservation
- Going Beyond the Bench - The Paper Conservator Today
- Recommendations Pertaining to the Education of Library and Archives Conservators
- Letter to the Editors
- Current Status and Future Directions for Library and Archive Conservation Education in the United States
