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Restoration and Preservation of Water-damaged
Painting and Calligraphy
Yeh HungyiNational Palace Museum & Bureau of Archives Administration
Yeh Chihcheng
Ph.D student, Dept. Chemical Eng. & Materials Science, Yuan Ze U.
IntroductionIn recent years, climate warming influenced Taiwan. The weather was volatile
and rainy all the time, and extreme typhoons and rainstorms occurred frequently, such
as Typhoon Sudi in 2015, it caused 12 deaths and 185 injuries in total. Typhoon Sudi
invaded Taiwan on 8thAugust in 2015, resulting power outages of more than 4 million
households, which broke the blackout record caused by Typhoon; serious flooding
happened in many places, typhoon Morakot in 2009 broke the record for maximum
rainfall per day of all the meteorological station in Taiwan. Typhoon Toraji heavily hit
Taiwan in 2001, and 921 earthquake led to large-scale debris flow disaster of soft rock.
According to these events, the rainfall patterns in Taiwan have changed and the
intensity of rainfall has been concentrated and intensified, leading to more floods in
the river. This has impacted the drainage function of river drainage facilities in cities
at all levels in Taiwan, resulting in severe flooding in low-lying areas, negative
influence on people's lives and serious hit and loss of painting and calligraphy.
Climate change is bound to impact flooding disaster in Taiwan.
According to my work experience in the restoration field, it is much more
difficult to deal with the water-damaged painting and calligraphy than others. The
proportion of painting and calligraphy takes a large part to the collections in museum,
and they are easy to be damaged, such as water damage, getting yellowish, breakage,
embrittlement, acidification and damaged by worms and mold, etc., all were caused
by poor environment or changes in the mounting material and those factors interacted
with one another. All of these will affect the management and use of painting and
calligraphy. Since the industrial revolution, anthropogenic activities such as emissions
from factories and motor vehicles significantly increased the concentration of
greenhouse gases, which will cause a serious threat to low-lying coastal areas and the
islands. Moreover, the greenhouse effect will also cause far-reaching and unknowable
influence on the entire ecological environment, global climate and water-damaged
paper.
Chinese painting and calligraphy are collected in many museums, art galleries
and folklore museum and civil collection. The protection of these precious arts is
always an important work for management and maintenance of museum and restorer.
The spirit of preserving painting and calligraphy is integrating various resources,
handing on the original painting and calligraphy to the descendant. However, the
preservation of painting and calligraphy often faces a variety of challenges, and many
factors in preservation environment affect the physical and chemical properties of
cultural relics themselves, such as temperature, relative humidity, light, air pollution,
and mold, insects, rodents and other pests; moreover, emergency disasters, such as
water, fires, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions etc. and human error in holding,
packaging, transportation, and theft, may directly result in significant loss of cultural
relics.
Keywords: Painting and calligraphy, restoration, water damage, mold,
preservation
Part one Causes of Water-damaged Painting and CalligraphyTaiwan is an island. The rainy days in May and June and typhoons from June to
October often bring excessive rainfall. The great intensity of rainfall per hour is the
main cause of water damage. Rainstorms and other adverse natural conditions, such as
huge amount of sediment and small river, and many human factors, always increase
the severity of the disaster. Thus, floods are often the result of "natural disasters" plus
"man-made disasters" rather than a single factor. 1
Ⅰ Fire:
1. When the fire occurs, water is directly sprayed to the relevant equipment.
Ⅱ Typhoons, floods and other natural disasters:
1. Drains around storehouse are clogged, and the restoration room is leaking. When
the storehouse is leaking or flooding, the leakage or water has not been drained
immediately and damaged painting and calligraphy have not been removed on time.
Ⅲ Man-made sabotage
1. Man-made water damage to the roof or the wall of storehouse, water pipe leakage
by accident, and burst of air conditioning system.
Ⅳ other disasters:
1. Other accidents such as an explosion or a major construction disaster.
Part two Situation of Water DamageWater in water-damaged painting and calligraphy can be further divided into free
water and bound water. The formation reasons of these two types are as following:
Free water: attached to the painting and calligraphy, it can be easily removed by
centrifugation, filtration or general drying temperature. Free water is the main cause
of corruption of dried materials, since microorganism could use it.
Bound water: Ingredients that formed with hydrogen bonds in the painting and
calligraphy, such as water in protein or carbohydrate. Because of its close integration
with the material, bound water is difficult to be separated by general methods or be
used by microorganism.2
In the course of paper making process, steaming and boiling raw materials firstly,
mashing and evenly dispersing disintegrated fibers in the water to make pulp; and
then, mixing the pulp with water well, and letting it go through the bamboo web to
filter extra water. Pressing and drying the materials, and making the materials for
painting and calligraphy according to paper quality; however, water vapor in the air is
also one of the factors leading to hydrolysis and degradation of paper. Paper is
interconnected by hydrogen bonding. The paper fiber set up the water bridge when it
meets water, which results in the loss of original hydrogen bond between the fibers; so
wet paper is less strong than dry paper. Water bridge is broken after the paper dried,
and hydrogen bonding connects the fibers again, the strength of paper increases.
Therefore, the water can be described as double-edged sword, which cannot be
underestimated, since it can support the preservation of painting and calligraphy, but
also upset the conservation. Rice paper is combined and interwoven by paper fiber. As
the paper fiber looks like capillary, and capillary is also different due to paper
materials.
____________________
1 Research center for climate, weather and disaster, the characteristics of floods in
Taiwan.
http://www.wcdr.ntu.edu.tw/28153277002879723475332873845028797.html2. Li Pengzhi, pharmacy by Lyophilization and application of biography technologyand science. http://www.ceci.org.tw/book/56/ch56_6.htm
Ⅰ Rescue
If water-damaged painting and calligraphy are of many vertical axis, they can be
packaged by plastic zipper bag, and registered in bag individually, in order to support
the freezer or the storehouse for freezing the soaking painting, rescuing flooding
framed painting. One of the principles of rescue process is to remove the frame, and
stand the painting frame against the wall. When the lens is removed, the laying a
clean absorbent paper and putting damped upside of work up and restoring within 48
hours. Inhibit mold treatment should be considered if the time is over 48 hours.
1. Record → firstly, dry and record, package each piece with adhesive tape properly.
2. Put into the box → putting paintings into the box, labeling, specifying the source,
such as the museum name, the original location. →putting into the frozen truck→
sending to the cold room.
3. Frozen → minus 25℃ frozen.
4. Low-voltage → expose plastic bags, depressurize to 4 ~ 6mbar in vacuum.
5. Drying →drying be heating needs 5 to 6 days or so, drying only by ventilation
needs 8 to 12 days. Rare painting of painting and calligraphy must be treated
individually.
6. Finishing → flattening, restoration, restoring 8 to 10% moisture in the paper by
self-regulation in natural environment. If necessary, add mold removal process.
7. Return 3
Picture 1. Wood frame damaged by water
________________
3 Hua Haiyan, The Hai Yen Institute for Conservation of Works of Art. Rescuing
Water-damaged Painting and Calligraphy
Picture 2. Mold stain in preliminary stage
Picture 3. Quick separating drying of water-damaged paintings
Picture 4. Quick separating drying of water-damaged paintings
Picture 5. Pigment halo and surface sludge of water-damaged paintings
Picture 6. Sludge on the surface of water-damaged paintings
Picture 7. Sludge and stains on the surface of water-damaged paintings
Picture 8. Sludge on the surface of water-damaged paintings
Ⅱ Drying method of improving the environment to prevent mold in painting and
calligraphy
The drying methods include air-drying method, aspiration and dehumidification
method, frozen and ambient pressure drying method, vacuum drying method, vacuum
frozen-drying method, etc. First, drying the paintings and calligraphy by reducing the
temperature, humidity, and ventilation, etc., if the power is not off, you can open the
air-conditioning to reduce the temperature and open Dehumidifier to bring the
humidity down.
Each operation method is limited by its specific operating conditions, such as the
characteristics of painting and calligraphy, manpower, space, climate, time, equipment,
funds, operating experience and so on, managers should be adjusted by the
organizational capacity of the organization and the actual damage situation.
(Ⅰ) Classification of water-damaged painting
1. Air-drying method: good natural drying.
2. Aspitation and Dehumidification method: part water-damaged blowing drying,
water absorption water.
3. Frozen and ambient pressure drying method: completely water-damaged
dehumidification drying at low temperature, vacuum frozen-drying.
Grattan and Michalski divided the change of temperature and relative humidity
changes into five control levels:
AA, A, B, C, D. The control range and the influence to the stability of cultural relics
are shown in Table 1
_________________
4Data resource: http://web2.nmns.edu.tw/PubLib/Library/quaterly/201210_183.pdf
Table 1 the control levels of standard of temperature and humidity change and its
influence to culture relics.
Ⅲ Treatment to water-damaged
Vertical axis will be expanded after soaking in water, and deformed by absorbing
200% water. Paper will curl, and will not automatically restore to the original state.
Paper fiber accelerates aging and decay. If opening the painting by rotating it, paper is
usually easy to be sticky, broken, floated, or the color is shaded. The paper will be
tore or wrinkle in the course of emergent treatment. If rescue the soaking painting on
time, the water will not penetrate into the paper; the internal part will remain clean
even if the whole painting is wet, and the sediment on the surface can easily be
removed by cleaning. The paintings’ dry are always swelling and form stains due to
uneven moisture. The Soaking painting is easy to smudge and sticky together if it is
drawn by heavy color or vegetable pigment, and it easy to smudge if it is smoke ink.
The calligraphy with more gel is difficult to smudge. If the paper stacks for a long
time, humidity and moisture in the paper are going to increase, which accelerate the
hydrolysis process of cellulose in the paper, resulting in reducing paper’s strength.
The cover paper of soaking painting and calligraphy will be moldy, and then penetrate
to the surface. If the painting is closed, the internal ink is usually faded, shaded and
destroyed, but mold shows slowly.
After drying the water- damaged paper, the paper is prone to be yellow, because
the paper contains high lignin, and wood that contained more lignin is easier to
change color. The products resulted by water decomposition is easy to react with the
ion in white water and generated sediment, which is the cause of fiber pollution.
When the water in the paper is more than 70%, the water becomes favorable
conditions for the pest’s living in painting and calligraphy. Once the indoor conditions
are favorable for its breeding, especially in the wet place, and the humidity of paper
reaches more than 75%, which is the critical point for breeding mold. The
microorganism will end its dormancy immediately, and begin to germinate, grow and
reproduce, showing a common mycelium, and then produce and release a large
number of spores in the environment waiting for an opportunity to reproduce,
secreting enzymes and using the matrix in living place to survive. Once the mycelium
appears, it will be very difficult to remove, for the root of mycelium in the painting
and calligraphy is exactly the same as the root of the plant deep into the soil. With the
growth of mycelium, acid and non-ferrous material substances will be produced.
Mold distributes by mold spores, and spores are not easy to see by the naked eye, but
they can easily float into the room, and are free to fall on the food, clothing,
appliances, desktop, bookshelves, carpets, and wallpaper and wall joints. 5
Mold spores continuously flows to anywhere with the floating air in the museum,
outside the museum, and even between the exhibition and collection rooms. In the
interior place, it will cause a number of effects on preservation of painting and
calligraphy. Therefore, although we can not avoid the flowing of mold in the
restoration room, especially in the confined space of the storehouse, but we can avoid
breeding mold to achieve the purpose of mold control.
Harmful gases in the air, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides etc., will
produce acidic substances after combining with water. It accelerates the hydrolysis of
paper cellulose; Dust meet water will show acidity or alkalinity, and produce sticky
material, which is unfavorable for preserving painting and calligraphy. Restoring the
moldy painting and calligraphy should be very careful. Mold is an allergen that can
irritate the eyes, nose and skin and cause allergic reactions such as runny nose,
sneezing, skin irritation, fever or wheezing and other health problems.
Most mold will produce pigment in the course of metabolic process, and different
species of bacteria will produce different colors, such as red, yellow, brown, green,
blue, purple and black pigment, and most of these pigments do not dissolve in water,
and different mycete causes diverse levels of strains, such as Eg Alternaria solani
produces black stains, Penicillium notatum produces yellow-green stains, Fusarium
oxysporum produces purple stains, Chaetomium globisum produces yellow grayish
brown stains. Special pigment produced by mycete cannot be restored, which affects
the value and view of painting and calligraphy. 6
Some molds on painting and calligraphy damaged by water will not decompose
paper fiber and starch; the growth of mold mainly weakens the binding force of paper
fiber and lead to the fragility of paper. Additives in paper fiber and paste can be
nutrition for breeding mold. Cellulose in the paper is not easy to be digested by mold,
and many molds are often growing in the pulp and gel of paper, and then slowly
spread to the other. As the acid plays a catalyst role in the process of paper
degradation, it often accelerates the deterioration of paper relics. Paper relics turn into
powder, and no longer have fiber properties. The biggest culprit affecting the
durability of paper is acid.
Ⅳ Equipment for removing mycete
Equipment for removing mycete includes personal safety and equipment for mold
removal. Personal safety equipment items are anti-mildew masks, plastic gloves,
scarves, goggles and plastic aprons or overalls.
(Ⅰ) Masks
In the course of operation of removing mold, the mold spores can be inhaled with
man’s breath. The increase of mold spores will affect human’s health. The ordinary
mask cannot filter mold spores, since it cannot prevent inhaling mold spores, but the
mold spores are very easy to stuck in the fiber, which will lead to the accumulation of
mold on the mask fibers. Therefore, wearing this type of mask cannot protect man’s
health. Man should select mask with filter, which could filter mold spores; in addition,
the size of the mask should also be consistent with man’s face. Only the mask with
enough air density could prevent inhalation of mold spores. If it is impossible to use
the mask recommended above during work, changing the mask time to time to avoid
physical discomfort caused by the accumulation of toxins.
(Ⅱ) plastic gloves
________________
5 Li Huiyin,Mold Management in Library, Buddhist Library Publications (43) 1995.6
6. Idem Note 5
Wearing plastic gloves can avoid allergic phenomena led by long-term exposure
to dirt and mold, but sometimes the hand feeling is lost while wearing it, which
affects the progress and acuity of the operation, wastes the rescue time and results in
damage of paintings and other phenomena. If it is necessary to remove gloves due to
work need, it is recommended to wash hands frequently to keep hands clean during
work.
(Ⅲ) Goggles
Trying to use a full-face goggle to protect your eyes.
(Ⅳ) Aprons or overalls
Protecting clothes, and cleaning aprons and overalls regularly.
(Ⅴ) Dustproof headscarf
The main function is to fix long and short hair and avoid the allergic phenomenon
to hair caused by dustiness in the course of dust-exposed work, cleaning, and
pollution control work. Besides using headscarf or hat, you can also use the hairpin or
hair bond to fix hair. In addition, hair, scarves or hats, hair bond and other fixtures
should be cleaned frequently after the mold removing work to keep them clean.
Ⅴ Classification of identification paper processing methods during restoration
(Ⅰ) Raw paper
"Raw paper" is the raw material that is directly processed by the paper mill
without any processing; "Raw paper" is strong in water absorption and ink is easy to
penetrate paper, while is writing in light ink. Writing with strong ink is relatively easy,
you need to master the ink shades while creating the painting and calligraphy.
(Ⅱ)Treated paper
"Treated paper" is processing by adding glue alum and dyeing. Treated paper is
weak in water absorption, making the ink not easy to spread, therefore treated paper is
fit for painting due to its characteristics.
(Ⅲ) Observation and determination of fiber
The silk used in the restoration of painting and calligraphy includes Juan, Ling,
Luo, Qi, Sha, Jing silk and so on. Their textures are silk, and they are only different in
weave structure, patterns, warp and weft density. Juan is white and plain-weaved silk
fabric without any pattern, and it is widely used in Chinese painting and calligraphy.
Although the paper fiber can be observed and identified through the microscope, the
variability of the same fiber is very large. It is not easy to identify the same fiber, let
alone the paper composed of a variety of fiber. Natural aging, reprocessing by painter
and calligrapher and other factors often lead to the broken of fiber shape of antique
paper artifacts. It is totally different from the newly finished paintings and calligraphy,
since it is not the original completed fiber, when you are repairing precious cultural
relics with patterns, samples usually are small debris, which increased the difficulty of
evaluating fiber, and most evaluation depends upon the characteristics and width of
fiber morphology. However, the actual judgments and accurate decision often require
experts with sufficient practical experience and assistant of equipment.
Part three Restoration processⅠ Viewing and evaluating painting and calligraphy
Evaluating the number and damage degree of paintings and calligraphy, arranging the
temporary preservation for those cannot be restored immediately, and arranging
follow up treatment for those could be restored.
Picture 9. Stains after water damage
Picture 10. Stains and sludge on the back after Water damage
Picture 11. Back of paper frame, Fusarium Monascus purpureus and white mold
Picture 12. Wet back of paper frame
Picture 13. Black mold on the back of paper frame
Picture 14. Purple mold on the back of paper frame
Picture 15. Inside and outside frame fixed with copper nails
Picture 16. Aerugo on Japanese-style hooks
Picture 17. Removing the frame and glass
Picture 18. Painting stuck on the glass
Picture 19. Mold
Ⅱ Fixation
Dropping a drop of water on the filter paper or cotton swab, and putting the filter
paper or cotton swab on the paper where is no obvious handwriting and pressing
lightly, if there is no ink or paint on the filter paper or cotton swab, it proves that the
ink or pigment material will not be blended.
1. View the work firstly, and use raw paper to test if the color will be blended with
water, use the glue to fix the color if ink will fade.
2. Put four pieces of the 3000 glue (around 4 cm per piece) and pure water into a
small steel cup, and then place them into a large pot, heat the pot with water to melt
the glue, and adjust the concentration of glue to 10%.
3. Dilute the gel to 2.5%. Dip proper glue with a small writing brush made by wool
when the glue is warm, and apply the glue onto the ink, and repeat brushing after the
ink is fixed.
4. When you are fixing the color, do not repeat brushing the glue on the same place
before the glue dried, since the glue may brush way the ink. Make sure the glue on the
ink dried, and brush the second layer of glue.
5. If too much glue is brushed, use absorbent paper to absorb excessive glue,
otherwise the small light will be shown on the place where brushed glue.
Picture 20. Deer gum, three thousand glue, grain glue.
Picture 21. Melt the glue by Water-jacket heating mode
Picture 22. Reinforcing the ink
Picture 23. Reinforcing the ink
Ⅲ PH test
Viewing the pH degree of water-damaged painting and calligraphy. PH:
Hydrogen ion concentration, the index of the water ion concentration of hydrogen can
be expressed in pH, pH is the logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of
hydrogen ions as shown in Picture 24.
Picture 24. PH graph
Increasing of Acidity PH Increasing of alkalinity
1 ← 2 ← 3 ← 4 ← 5 ← 6 7 8 → 9 → 10 → 11 → 12→ 13 → 14
As for the water in the water-damaged paper, these water is the untreated water in
the nature, which often contain a variety of micro-organisms, organics, metal
elements and soluble inorganic salts, etc., such as well water, river water, streams, and
they are disadvantage to preserve antique painting and calligraphy.
Paper deterioration is accelerated in acidic environment, and the acidification of
the paper is mainly due to the use of acidic glue method, and natural deterioration by
oxidation. The particle diameter of paper is over 10μm, and surface porosity and
surface area is relatively large, thus, the paper is prone to absorb moisture in the air,
and the acid-base and oxidizing - reducing chemical pollutants generated by the
chemical reaction. Such as sulfate generated by direct reaction of sulfur dioxide. All
of the reasons above will lead to acidification, deterioration and destruction of paper
relics. 7 For cleaning the collections, distilled water or reverse osmosis pure water
should be used to protect the substrate and the surface of painting and calligraphy as
shown in Picture 25. Therefore, if paper’s PH is under 5, there will be a negative
impact for the future preservation of painting and calligraphy. Paper Deacidification
and neutralization mainly use a variety of neutralization agents such as: barium
hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium
acetate and so on. In 1982, Mr. Smith from Chicago added methanol into Magnesium
methoxide, and mixed the mixture of chlorinated solvents with carbon dioxide gas to
form acidification agent, and obtained a patent called WeiTo method; moreover, in
1976, Diethyl Zinc method (D.E.Z.Method), as shown in Picture 26, invented by the
researchers in the Library Congress of United States is also very famous. Using
distilled water or reverse osmosis pure water is more conservative, they can weaken
the acidic substances. For people who are lack of experience, using chemicals
incautiously will make raw paper over-white, hydrolysis of paper and the loss of the
necessary tension, resulting in serious consequences.
Picture 25. Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of restoration water 9
________________________________
7Xia Cangqi, Crisis and Acid Treatment of Books and Archives Acidification
8 Xia Cangqi, "Research on the Degradation and Restoration of Books", (Master's
Thesis, Institute of Forest Science, National Chung Hsing University, 1991), pp. 2-3;
Steven R. Middleton et al., & Quot; A Method for De-acidification of Papers and
Books & quot ;, Tappi 79 (11) (1996)
P.
9Data source: http://www.watertec.com/crod-001.htm2016/11/24
Picture 26. Overview of large-scale deacidification of paper relics
Ⅳ painting and painting of the cleanup and finishing
(Ⅰ)Removing dirt method
Removing dirt method includes mechanical dust removal, it is the use of a certain
external force to separate dust or sludge in the paper fiber, and it is a method to
remove the dust from the surface of the painting by physical vibration. Moreover,
other dirt removal methods also include picking and scraping dirt by blade, rubbing
by soft rubber eraser made by plant or rubber soft eraser made by fine powder,
tweezers folder, dipping clean water with cotton swabs, vacuum cleaner, hand
pressure ear washing bulb, sweeping by wool brush and other actions. Wiping the
surface and edge of the work with a sponge (if necessary, patting softly), and cleaning
the stubborn sludge until the drying treatment. Pressing the work lightly with the
clean hands after the work is reinforcement, (do not give heavy pressure, for fear of
damaging paper structure or pressing ash into paper.
__________________
10 Ibid. Note 7
(Ⅱ) Equipment for removing mold
Equipment for removing mold includes the dust removal cabinet and vacuum
cleaners, soft wool brush, watercolor brush and other tools. Vacuum cleaner should be
equipped with filter mold, which can be used to filter and inhale mold spores, and to
prevent the respreads of mold spores in the air again. Fittings or hose of vacuum
cleaner should always be cleaned after removing mold, and 75% alcohol solution can
be used for cleaning and disinfection. Soft brush and watercolor brush are mainly
used to remove mold spores, and brush made of soft material should be used to
protect works. Different-sized brushes should be prepared to replace during mold
removal process, in order to deal with different situations. Vacuum cleaner can be
used to clean the dirty brush, and brushes should be cleaned and disinfected by using
75 % alcohol and dry every day.
1. What should be noticed when you use the tools to restore moldy painting and
calligraphy damaged by water?
(1) Avoid the vacuum hose touching painting and calligraphy.
(2) Wrap suction outlet of vacuum by silk or gauze fastened with rubber band, to
prevent inhalation of debris.
(3) Seriously deteriorated vertical axis should avoid contacting the painting or
calligraphy, you can use a thick cardboard to dig the painting, fill the fine screen to
fasten the work, lay and press the moldy part of the work, and suction outlet of
vacuum will prevent debris from being inhaled.
(4) 75% alcohol can be used in a small area of moldy work to test reaction, please
notice if it will cause fading by using alcohol as solvent.
(5) Choose chemical disinfectant with characters such as good permeability,
long-acting effect, low toxicity, no offensive smell, or non-corrosive etc.
Picture 27. Vacuum cleaners for cultural relics
Picture 28. Wind speed control of vacuum cleaners for cultural relics
Picture 29. The seal of vacuum cleaners for Cultural relics is with a small screen to
trap, to prevent inhalation of fragile debris
Picture 30. Cleaning of cultural relics
Picture 31. Purple mold and black mold on the back of paper frame
Picture 32. Back of paper frame is wet, remove the wooden frame
Picture 33. Fix gauze and left back of hose, and prevent the contact with painting, and
slow down the wind to decrease damage by inhalation
Picture 34. Damaged work fastened by card paper and removed mold by fine gauze
Picture 35. Removing the mold on the front of work by wool brush
Picture 36. Removing the mold on the front of work by wool brush and Vacuum
Cleaner
Picture 37. Removing the mold on back of work
Picture 38. Removing the mold on back of work
Ⅴ Cleaning by water
Stains removal method: Generally, the work needs to be washed or soaked in
water, because water can dissolve many substances, and it is the most important
solvent. Not only can it soften the paste, but also remove dust and stains on the
surface of painting and calligraphy due to age. Placing the painting or calligraphy on
worktable or in a large sink, and putting the work in room-temperature water. Firstly,
using tilting plate and pure water to shower the work, and wool brush to brush stains
on the work slowly. Then, placing absorbent paper under the work, and holding it
carefully, since it is pone to produce creases, to be tore and breached. When 80%
water has dried, put absorbent paper on the surface of the works and pressure the
paper to dry the work. The absorbent paper should be replaced for several times. The
front side of the paper should be put on the top and spray the water on it, rolling the
towel to cylindrical roller, squeeze the towel from the center to the four sides to dry
the water, repeated watering until the work has been cleaned up. Absorbent paper can
accelerate the speed of absorbing moisture and removing stain. Chemicals and 75%
alcohol can be used to remove the stubborn and serious mold.
Picture 39. Water damage stains
Picture 40. Water-damaged scroll work by Ren Xun
Picture 41. Floated work after water damage
Picture 42. Floated back of the work after water damage
Picture 43. Drying by squeezing Towel
Picture 44. Sewage
Ⅵ peeling off paper
(Ⅰ) restoration process:
1. Remove frame, and try to take off moldy, inks stained glass.
2. Place the cotton paper or chemical fiber paper under the middle of painting when
peeling off the work. Spraying water to wet the work, and try to peel the work from
sides, and then peel the back paper and small paper.
Picture 45. Front side of work sticks to the glasses
Picture 46. Glass-stuck work
Picture 47. Peeling off the back paper
Picture 48. Peeling off the back paper
Picture 49. Peeling off the back paper
Picture 50.peeling off the front paper
Picture 51. Mold on the back of the painting center
Picture 52. Mold on the front side of the painting center
Picture 53. Wetting by spraying water
Picture 54. Brushing
Picture 55. Peeling off the back paper
Picture 56. Peeling off the back paper
Ⅶ Adhesive (paste)
(Ⅰ) Mechanical principle of adhesive
Paste and fiber are affected by pure mechanical inset and inlay between sticky
materials. Any object surface looks very smooth by naked eyes, actually, it is rough
and uneven after zooming in to see details, since some surfaces are but multiparous.
In the paste process, numerous tiny "pins" were formed to stick and connect two
fibers together. According to this theory, the strength of the paste only depends on the
adhesive concentration and cohesive strength of adhered.
(Ⅱ) Basic principles of preparing wheat starch paste
1. Wetting the dry starch completely with cold water or warm water less than 30 ℃
before boiling the starch, the following, and making sure that there is no clump in the
paste.
2. Low temperature, short time boiling and uneven mixing will negatively influence
the viscosity, adhesive strength and color.
3. Gelatinization temperature. Heating the starch in water, and the particle will absorb
water and be swelled after heating, and the cross will disappear, which lead to the
increasing of adhesive strength, and this process is known as gelatinization
temperature, and the temperature is around 60-70 °C.
4. Test must be done before using the new materials to measure the best ration of
starch and water, boiling temperature and time, as well as the stirring degree.(Ⅲ) Example of preparing wheat starch pasteProcess of preparing wheat starch paste in restoration room:1. Weigh 500 Cheng powder, and pouring 500ml water into power and stirring2. Filling 1500 ml / g water into a double pan pot and heating the water to at least
100 ° C. Then, pouring the hot water slowly into the starch slurry, stirring rapidly until
the gelatinization completely mixed.
3. Cover the lid. Boiling the pot for about 30 minutes, and stirring every ten minutes.
The range of wheat starch gelatinization temperature is 60 ~ 70 ℃. When the starch
suspension is heated to a critical temperature, the hydrogen bonds of particles begin to
be destroyed, so that the particle volume will expand to several times. This
phenomenon is known as starch gelatinization. Gelatinization degree of the starch
during heating depends on the starch variety, temperature and water quantity. If the
temperature is lower than the gelatinization starting temperature, the starch will not
gelatinize. If the temperature is between the paste starting temperature and the
completion temperature, part of the starch will not be gelatinized, no matter how long
the heating time is. The starch could be completely gelatinized in a short time, if
temperature is above gelatinization completion temperature.
The property of starch gelatinization property is shown after the starch heated to a
certain temperature with excess water. Starch undergoes the disintegration of the
starch crystallization area and loose expansion of the granular structure, and the
increasing of mobility of amylose molecule, resulting in the loss of rigidity of the
starch molecule, and becoming flexible. At the same time, the double-helix structure
of amylose is opened and separated from the particles by the difference of
concentration of amylose molecules inside starch granule and certain heat energy,
which exists in starch paste system in an amorphous structure. Amylopectin is fully
expanded or even rupture, resulting in starch paste.
4. Cooling the paste before use. The hardness of the paste increases as time advanced,
which due to the aggregation between the molecular chains, i.e. retrogradation (aging)
phenomenon. Starch molecules form hard colloid due to strength bonding between
hydrogen bonding, and they increased interaction and generated crystallization as the
time advance. Starch crystallization is of three steps: (1) generation of crystal
nucleation; (2) crystal growth; (3) mature. So the crystallization of starch is the
rod-like growth of crystal after generation of crystal nucleation. Amylose is the first
dissolution after gelatinization and forms as the network structure, therefore,
crystallization formed in short time is mainly amylose-based; and the crystallization
of amylopectin is slow. After paste has formed a semisolid mass, filtering it by
passing through a sieve and crushing Unqualified by the using an electric pulper.
5. Store the paste in the refrigerator, and paste viscosity decreased as the time passes.
Paste can be maintained for about one week.
Picture 59. 500 grams Cheng powder
Picture 60. 500㏄ pure water
Picture 61. Room temperature, mix 500 ㏄ pure water into the Cheng powder
Picture 62. Pouring 1500㏄ boiling water into the pot and stirring
Picture 63. Paste
Picture 64. Paste steamed and boiled by double-boiler
Picture 65. Sticky filament
Picture 66. To be cooled
VIII, Paper
(Ⅰ) Tools and materials
Brown brush, gluten wheat starch (paste), thin pure mulberry paper, paste pots,
wooden feet, water jug, paste brush, water, tweezers, 274 tissue paper, etc.
(Ⅱ) the restoration process:
1 prepare hand-made paste the day before restoration
2. Prepare pad, 274 tissue, spray the paper, and brush
3. Put the front of work down, spray to the paper, brush.
4. Hongxing Xuan paper, brush the paste, and brush the back of paint.
5. Use Xuan paper and thin pure mulberry parchment to repair the holes and torn
edge.
6. Dry the paper by suspending, spray the paper and, put the painting on the board.
Picture 67. Spray and wet the pad paper
Picture 68. Brush small Tu Chu parchment by Sticky brush
Picture 69. Brushing raw paper
Picture 70. Holding the cover
Picture 71. Overlay
Picture 72. Brushing
IX Mounting
(Ⅰ) tools and materials
Brown brush, no gluten wheat starch (paste), 3 × 6 feet Red Star single paper + Chupi
Paper, paste basin, wooden feet, water jug, paste brush, water, cutting knife, cutting
board, plastic partitions, paper town, Ling cloth, bamboo Kai child, awl.
(Ⅱ) Mounting process
Steps:
1. Remove the paper form the board after it dried completely
2. Measure, and cut square works.
3. Matching works insert.
4. Dig and stick the insert wait to be dry.
5. Prepare pad and 274 tissue, spray paper, then brush
6. Put the front of work down, spray paper, then brush
7. Red Star Xuan paper, brush paste, and the back of paint
8. Cover paper - three layers of raw paper, a layer of Chupi paper in total
9. To be dry, take off the board, wax, calendered, square cut, paste neutral board,
acrylic and screen separated, fitted manual box.
Picture 73. Bamboo after drying the lower board side cut works
Picture 74. Square cut cloth
Picture 75. Square cut heart of drawing
Picture 76. Works with a cone punching mark
Picture 77. Brush paste
Picture 78. Stick Agama
Picture 79. Aya digging
Picture 80. Inset and stick
Picture 81. Inset and stick
Picture 82. Brush paste on the back of paper
Picture 83. Finish brushing
Picture 84. Release paper
Picture 85. Dry the upper layer
Picture 86. Hand-dried Chinese bamboo frame
Picture 87. Chinese hand-inserted bamboo frame
Picture 88. Cutting neutral plate
Picture 89. Rub Sichuan wax on the back of board
Picture 90. Press
Picture 91. Back of frame
Picture 92. Front side
Picture 93. Separate acrylic and screen
X, Comparison of works before and after restoration
Picture 94. Before restoration Picture 95. After restoration
Picture 96. Moisture Condition of Backboard Picture 97. Modifying to Neutral
board
Picture 98. Before restoration Picture 99. After restoration
Picture 100. Before restoration Picture 101. After restoration
Picture 102. Before restoration Picture 103. After restoration
Picture 104. Before restoration Picture 105. After restoration
Picture 106. Before restoration Picture 107. After restoration
Picture 108. Before restoration Picture 109. After restoration
Picture 110. Before restoration Picture 111. After restoration
Picture 112. Before restoration Picture 113. After restoration
Picture 114. Before restoration Picture 115. After restoration
Picture 116. Before restoration Picture 117. After restoration
Picture 118. Before restoration Picture 119. After restoration
Picture 120. Before restoration Picture 121. After restoration
Picture 122. Before restoration Picture 123. After restoration
Picture 124. Before restoration Picture 125. After restoration
Picture 126. Before restoration Picture 127. After restoration
Picture 128. Before restoration Picture 129. After restoration
Picture 130. Before restoration Picture 131. After restoration
Part Four Storage and DisplayⅠ Preservation Method
Paper fabric of painting and calligraphy lens are fragile, since they are folded,
opened, exhibited, read many times. They should support by flat storage cabinet or
neutral round paper columnar, or held by polyester film roll columnar. Improving
small shaft diameter of the lens paper axial, and the shaft diameter of acid-free
polyester film curl cylindrical should be increased to about 7 to 10 cm, adding
acid-free chemical fiber cotton, increase the sense of solid, and solid cabinet space are
needed to store these painting and calligraphy.
Picture 132. Vertical axis and neatly stacked lens 11
Picture 133. Vertical axis and neatly stacked lens 12
Picture 134. Collection of lens volume 13
Picture 135. Collection of lens volume 14
Picture 136. Small Shaft Diameter of Large Lens on the Wall15
Picture 137. Placement Method of Small Shaft Diameter of Large Lens 16
Picture 138. Placing the Lens Bracket of Medium Shaft Diameter 17
Picture 139. Placing the Sponge Bracket
_________________________
11 Sources of Pictures:
Http://www.ccaha.org/uploads/media_items/housing-recommendations-for-architectur
al-records-the-sacred-and-the-profane.original.pdf
12 Ibid Note 11
13 Ibid Note 11
14 Ibid Note 11
15Sources of Pictures
http://www.rackline.com/product/individual-rolled-material-storage/
16 Ibid Note 11
Picture 140. Protect the flat larger surface with a cloth covered 19
Picture 141. Protect the flat plot without acid 20
Picture 142. Protect Lens fixed by rolling 21
_________________
17 Ibid Note 15
18 Ibid Note 15
19 Pictures Source:
https://bruynzeel-storage.com/wp-content/uploads/TheKeep_05.jpg 2016/09/05
20 Pictures Source:
Http://www.placer.ca.gov/~/media/fac/fac%20%20%20museums%20division/images/
collections_textiles.jpg?h=533&la=en&mh=533&mw=800&w=800&hash=0AB4AB
E74F41C82FCEB05716551597C0044E6B84 2016/09 / 05
Picture 143. Small Wood Frame Shelf 22
Picture 144. Large wood frame storage frame with acid-free cotton cord fixed 23
Picture 145. Large wooden frame storage drawing rack 24
______________________________
21 Ibid Note 11
22 Ibid Note 11
23 Ibid Note 11
24 Ibid Note 11
Ⅱ, Display environment
1. Painting is displayed by suspension after mounting, and it will experience daily
temperature and humidity changes in the natural environment. Painting and
calligraphy paper, silk, paste will be relaxed after being damped and concentrated
after dried. The expansion rate of paper, Ling, silk and paste are not exactly the
same in these processes. Common results of repeated stretching of paper fibers
lead to gradual irregularity of the original vertical axis painting and calligraphy
with the passing of time.
2. Showing space should be away from windows to avoid rain, slight water damage
such as rising moisture and dew in buildings, water leakage and even flooding,
since the water disaster often accompanies the occurrence of mold.
3. Environmental temperature and humidity. The standard of paper archives
collection in Taiwan is RH 45 ± 5%, Temp 21 ± 1 ℃, and it is very easy for the
occurrence of mold when the relative humidity is more than 65%. In addition,
change of temperature will also cause changes in relative humidity. The
temperature of the organic material caused by the expansion of the size, making
the composite material shrinkage due to different expansion. Moreover, the high
temperature is also easy to breed worms. It is necessary to maintain a stable
temperature and humidity for protecting painting and calligraphy.
4. Display illumination should below 50LUX, and adopt anti-UV lighting.
Temperature also effects on the material, according to Arrhenius theory: the
temperature increased by 10 ℃, the chemical reaction rate doubled. Light is an
electromagnetic wave with a variety of electromagnetic waves of different
wavelengths, and ultraviolet is the visible light. Because of its radiation energy
could promote photochemical effect and thermal effect for organic materials,
organic material will decrease its strength, change its color. As shown in Table 2
Table 2 Effect of shelter on UV
Light Source ShelterIllumination value of
visible light (Lux)Intensity value of UV
Natural Light
None 100 475
Glass (1.9 mm) 90 458
PMMA(1.85 mm) 95 260
UV Polyester Film
(0.06mm)90 1
Fluorescent Lamp
None 100 188
Glass (1.9 mm) 93 180
PMMA (1.85 mm) 97 105
UV Tube Set
(1.0mm)97 0
UV Polyester Film, 2mil and UV Tube Set are import from the US
5 Being away from pollution, e.g. air pollution types includes solid, liquid, gaseous
pollutions.
(1) Solid pollutants are dust in the air, the particle sizes are different, and their
composition varies by region. Dust particles react chemical effects with materials of
painting and calligraphy, and even become nutrients for the microorganism in the air.
(2) Liquid pollutants are from wooden cabinets and boxes of collections, due to
released essential oils and pollution material from the uncompleted process.
(3) Gaseous pollutants include nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone and
formaldehyde from the three-layer plywood. These gases are easy to have chemical
effect with materials of painting and calligraphy and lead to discoloration.
6. Keep away from pests, including rats, insects, mold and so on. Pests eat the organic
material of the painting and calligraphy as food, so that paintings suffer brokerage,
pollution, decaying, mold and so on.
7. Paintings and calligraphy should be stored in acid-free protection box or acid-free
cabinet when they are on the show. It should be carefully considered to choose cabinet,
acid-free isolation paper, film and use of protection box, since controlling the
micro-environment can also effect the preservation in some aspect. As shown in Table
3.
8. Vertical shaft hanging should pay attention to lace elastic, with or without breakage
and loosening, both sides of the shaft stick bracket, to reduce the weight of the frame.
_____________________________________
25 Recognizing Books Paper and Paper Heritage Preservation Professor Emeritus,
National Chung Hsing University Zhang Fengji
Http://www.ntl.edu.tw/public/Attachment/43101412097.pdf2016/09/08
9. Collections in the museum are usually rotated between showrooms and storage
rooms. It should be noted that the heat transfer from the outside wall and switching
light could change the surface temperature of the collections, evaporate water and
damage the structure of collection even if collections are in a temperature and
humidity controlled environment. Moreover, when the collection moves from the
lower temperature storage room to the higher temperature display room, surface
temperature of the work will gradually increase, then the internal humidity will
gradually float and condense water on the surface, and result in moisture transfer
phenomenon. This phenomenon will accelerate the aging of collection.
Table 3 Suggestions for Choosing Paper 26
TypeApplicable
archive typeAdvantages Disadvantages Note
Alkalinedocumentbox forverticalstorage
Permanent
Archives
1. Shelter light,
temperature and
humidity outside
2. Archives are fixed,
which avoid
damage
3. Protect by hard box,
avoid squeeze
1.expensive and
time-consuming
2. Heavy
3.cannot read
directly
4.Tags should be
put on the box
Alkalineprint boxfor flatstorage
Permanent
Archives
1. Shelter light,
temperature and
humidity
outside
2. Archives are
fixed, which
avoid damage
3. Protect by hard box,
avoid squeeze
1.expensive and
time-consuming
2. Heavy
3.cannot read
directly
4.Tags should be
put on the box
Polyesterfilm
pockets
1. Archives
made of
non-carbo
n power
1. High
transparency
2. Avoid
contacting
1. Bad
Permeability,
it is not
applicable to
Absorbent
paper could
be used to
test
2. Archives
protected
periodical
ly
archives directly
3. Easy to take
acid materials,
for it may
accelerate the
acidity in the
archives
2. Easy to
produce
electrostatic,
and lead to
falling off of
power
archives. If
the archives
shows the
black stain,
it is not
applicable
to be
preserved in
Polyester
film
pockets
Polyesterfilm Lweld
1.Archives
made of
non-carbon
power
2.Archives
protected
periodically
1.High transparency
2.Avoid contacting
archives directly
3.Easy to take
1. Bad
Permeabili
ty, it is not
applicable
to acid
materials,
for it may
accelerate
the acidity
in the
archives
2. Easy to produce
electrostatic, and
lead to falling off
of power
Absorbent
paper could
be used to
test
archives. If
the archives
shows the
black stain,
it is not
applicable
to be
preserved in
Polyester
film L weld
Acid-freefolder) Any types of
Archives
1.simple structure
2.convient to take
1. Files are not
fixed, so it is easy
to be scattered
Acid-freePaper) Any types of
Archives
1. Light
3.simple structure
2.convient to take
1. Files are not
fixed, so it is easy
to be scattered
Ⅴ Conclusion
We have the obligation to preserve and pass the integrity and essence of painting
and calligraphy to the next generation, since painting and calligraphy are historical
and artistic culture relics with scientific value left by the human social activities.
For understanding the problems faced by preservation of painting and calligraphy,
Stefan Michalski, from Canadian Conservation Institute, proposed the five measures
for culture relics preservation, namely:
1. Avoid the occurrence of deterioration (Avoid)
2. Block the impact of deterioration. (Block)
3. Detect the deterioration phenomena. (Detect)
4. Respond mode of deterioration reaction (Respond)
5. Recover the damaged environment and Treat the cultural relics (Recover / Treat),
such as stabilizing the status of cultural relics or restoring it. 27
The Restorer is required to deal with painting and calligraphy by professional
process: Usually, collecting the basic data of painting and calligraphy before
restoration is the first step, and then, viewing the status of painting and calligraphy,
then taking photos of and making a restoration plan, and then communicating
restoration concept with the collector before carrying out restoration process, then
taking photos after finishing restoration and writing a restoration report. Therefore,
the modern restorer of painting and calligraphy have to study relevant physical,
chemical, biological courses in school, in order to have a comprehensive
understanding of the characteristics, function and principle of every materials and
technology used during restoration. The cross-boundary study is for the understanding
scientific principles of materials and technology used, but note just for promoting the
advancement of science. If using the traditional materials with expected
characteristics or functions, and preserving environment, it can still be selected to use
the object, or careful manual processing of more expensive modern technology, the
effect of the machine is good, is still feasible. 28
Restorer should strictly adhere to the basic principles of restoration (to maintain
the original object, the minimum intervention, reversibility and the principle of
similarity); use the proper materials and methods with the spirit and methods of
science. Thus, restoration work on painting and calligraphy can be perfect "To
maximize the life of painting and calligraphy." Only to understand its feasibility, you
can understand the infeasible restoration time and occasions. Painting and calligraphy
can be used as the important evidence for historical research, repair works, and
planning and design of reuse, as well as be a wider range of applications in the world.
Restoration and preventive protection calligraphy are complementary; because
painting and calligraphy will still be destroyed by the poor environment or improper
storage, if they are without proper follow-up protection work after restoration, and
restoration work of painting and calligraphy will be meaningless.
_____________________
26Management Guidebook of National Archives, p10-3, July,27 By Stefan Michalski The Ideal Climate, Risk Management, the ASHRAE Chapter,Proofed Fluctuations,and Toward a Full Risk Analysis Modelhttp://www.getty.edu/conservation/our_projects/science/climate/paper_michalski.pdf2016/11/1828 Yan Sufen, The boundary and cross-boundary of Relics Preservation. Museum and
Culture (3), p 65-84, 2012.6
References
1. Zhang Lin, Discussion on the Trend of Conservation of Temperature and
Humidity for Cultural Relics, Museology, 26(4):183-196, National Museum of
Natural Science 2012.10
2. Cai Yulin & Zhang Shanrong & Luo Hongwen, Discussion on Emergency
Treatment and Drying Operation of Flooded Books, Journal of Cultural Asset
Preservation, 2012(20), p103-106
3. Peng Yuanxing & Xu Jianguo, Decorative painting and calligraphy materials and
color matching, Taiwan Musuem Journal 68(1):1-18, 2015
DOI:10.6532/JNTM.2015.68(1).01
4. Peng Yuanxing & Xu Jianguo, Observation and judgment of Paper Fiber, Taiwan
Musuem Journal 67(1):1-12, 2014
5. Wu Zherui, Discussion on Acidification of Paper Archives, 98.09.27
6. Xu Jianguo, Common preservation and treatment of painting and calligraphy, Art
of Painting and Calligraphy (15)
7. Qian Jingxing, Discussing on wrinkling of paper, Taiwan Forestry, 1998.12
8. Archives Administration of the State Development Commission, Management
Guidebook of National Archives
9. Chapter one, Introduction to Air Conditioning Humidification Technology,
http://www.bestav.com.tw/www/ele-00.pdf
10. Yan Sufen, The boundary and cross-boundary of Relics Preservation. Museum and
Culture (3), p 65-84, 2012.6
11. Lai Wenxin, A Collection of Cultural Relics – Taking Museum of Fu Jen Catholic
University as an Example, 2008.10.25
12. Crystal maitland, Microscopy for Paper Conservation: Comparing Various
Adhesives and Examining Wheat Starch Paste Preparation Methods
13. Li Pengzhi, pharmacy by Lyophilization and application of biography technology
and science. http://www.ceci.org.tw/book/56/ch56_6.htm
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