Volume 39, Issue 3 -

This paper presents a study of the drawing papers from Borko Lazeski’s cartoons for a mural painting. The collection is comprised of more than 20 single pieces (170×500 cm) executed in charcoal, pencil, pastel, tempera and ink. The cartoons exhibit different types of damages, such as grease stains, moisture stains, cracks, flaking paint, areas of loss caused by insects and mould stains. The study included spot tests, ATR-FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy to characterise the artist’s papers. They were found to be a type of paper composed of partly bleached, neutral sulphite semi-chemical (NSSC) wood pulp originating from coniferous trees (softwood) with the occasional use of abaca fibres. The laboratory tests revealed slightly acidic conditions (pH=5.01–6.52), high lignin content (>5 %) and alum-rosin sizing. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed all findings of the spot tests. Micro-Raman spectroscopy showed the presence of gypsum in the papers. The study addresses conservation issues arising from the chemical nature of the paper support and highlights the need for an extended study in order to be able to make informed treatment choices.

This study focusses on non-aqueous facing methods in paper conservation. The aim was to develop facing systems which have sufficient adhesive strength to stabilize a paper-based object during a conservation treatment while at the same time being easily reversible after treatment without leaving any residues on the original. A variety of carrier materials, non-aqueous adhesives as well as different methods of adhesive application and activation were combined. Nylon, Rayon and Japanese tissue were coated with Klucel ® , BEVA ® , Aquazol ® , Degalan ® , Lascaux ® and Plextol ® . Adhesives were applied by brushing, spraying, stenciling and stamping. Subsequently, coated tissues were reactivated with different methods such as application of solvent vapors, application of solvents with a sponge or direct application of solvents. In addition, the reactivation was carried out by pressure and/or heat. The adhesive strength was classified using a simple peel test; by dyeing the adhesives, their penetration into the sample papers was made visible, and adhesive residues which may remain on the sample papers could be observed visually.

This article describes the implementation of results from a test series exploring non-aqueous facing methods in paper conservation (Bedenikovic 2018). The lessons learnt during the systematic study of different materials and methods were applied in a real-life conservation situation, and findings from the test series could be complemented with observations made in practice. The case study will discuss the conservation of a seventeenth century drawing damaged by ink corrosion. The severely degraded, brittle paper had to be secured with a facing before it could be removed from the mounting board. Adhesives introduced during earlier treatments posed additional challenges during the conservation process. A facing made of Rayon, coated with 2.5 % Klucel ® G in water and reactivated with 96 % ethanol stabilized the drawing effectively during treatment and could be easily removed without damaging the object’s surface or leaving residues behind.