Chemicals and Methods for Conservation and Restoration Paintings, Textiles, Fossils, Wood, Stones, Metals, and Glass

About this book

Before the 1970s, most information concerning the conservation and restoration of paintings, wood, and archaeological artefacts were focused on the history of the artefacts, previous attempts of conservation, and the future use of these artefacts. The technical methods of how the restoration and conservation were made were dealt with only very briefly. Today, sophisticated methods of scientific analysis such as DNA are common place, and this encourages conservators and scientists to work together to work out the development of new methods for analysis and conservation of artefacts.

Chemicals and Methods for Conservation and Restoration focuses on the chemicals used for conservation and restoration of various artefacts in artwork and archaeology, as well as special applications of these materials. Also the methods used, both methods for cleaning, conservation and restoration, as well as methods for the analysis of the state of the respective artefacts. Topics include oil paintings, paper conservation, textiles and dyes for them, archaeological wood, fossils, stones, metals and metallic coins, and glasses, including church windows.

Contents

Preface xiii

1 Paintings  1
1.1 Cleaning 1
1.2 Varnishes 41
1.3 Methods and Materials for Conservation 47
1.4 Analysis and Analytical Methods 70
1.5 Forgeries 81

2 Textiles 95
2.1 Textile Colors 95
2.2 Textiles from Various Locations 101
2.3 Processing Methods 108

3 Archaeological Wood 113
3.1 Analysis Methods 113
3.2 Materials for Conservation 122
3.3 Degradation 131
3.4 Special Properties 137

4 Fossils 149
4.1 Monograph 149
4.2 Paleontological Skill and the Role of the Fossil Preparator 149
4.3 Analysis Methods 150
4.4 Conservation Methods 163

5 Stones 177
5.1 Deterioration Processes 178
5.2 Analytical Methods 187
5.3 Conservation Methods 193

6 Glass 213
6.1 Analytical Methods 213
6.2 Cleaning Methods 217
6.3 Production Practices 229
6.4 Special Uses of Glass Materials 231

7 Archaeological Metals 237
7.1 Cleaning Methods 247
7.2 Special

References  262
Index  267
Acronyms  267
Chemicals  269
General Index  273

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Biography

Johannes Karl Fink is Professor of Macromolecular Chemistry at Montanuniversitat Leoben, Austria. His industry and academic career spans more than 35 years in the fields of polymers, and his research interests include characterization, flame retardancy, thermodynamics and the degradation of polymers, pyrolysis, and adhesives. Professor Fink has published many books on physical chemistry and polymer science including 9 with Wiley-Scrivener, amongst which are A Concise Introduction to Additives for Thermoplastic Polymers (2009), Polymeric Sensors and Actuators (2012), The Chemistry of Biobased Polymers (2014), and Metallized and Magnetic Polymers (2016).