Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Prof. JoAnn Cassar – University of Malta Educational Toolkit The Conservation Process Module 4 Basic Course Exercises Topic4.D Following the conservator’s steps

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Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Exercise 4-D Following the conservator’s steps Hello! This is Joanna and she is a professional paintings’ conservator. In this exercise you will be asked to follow her while she draws up the proposal to conserve this wall painting. In the process, you will be asked to make choices and sometimes guess her decisions... So, pay attention and good luck! Wall painting =oil painting applied directly to the stone wall behind Joanna

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 1 The first things that Joanna did was to investigate the problems of the painting, so she... Let’s see what she found out...  observed the deterioration visible on the painting;  took photographs;  mapped the areas affected by deterioration;  collected old photos, plans and elevations of the building;  carried out some scientific tests to understand more about the deterioration of the painting.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Ground External wall Roof Joanna’s main finds include: Some more... STEP 1  the wall painting is located in a room at ground level;  one of the walls of the room is external;  the room was partly under the roof of the building;  the area right below the painting is covered by a “modern” layer of bitumen and wooden panelling.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage This is the map of deterioration that Joanna produced. The areas shaded in blue are seriously deteriorated. Deterioration is linked to salts and moisture. wooden panelling and bitumen (modern) Roof Ground External wall TOP MIDDLE BOTTOM Question: Deterioration is located mostly... (you can tick more than one) TopMiddle right Top leftBottom Top rightBottom left MiddleBottom right Middle left

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage wooden panelling and bitumen (modern) Roof Ground External wall TOP MIDDLE BOTTOM Consider the location of the deteriorated areas at top right. A. Air B. Rising damp C. Rainwater infiltration Can you think of the possible source of moisture? (you can choose more than one) Yes, it is possible and to find out one needs to monitor the air humidity over a period of time. No, rising damp is the movement of moisture and salts from the ground. Yes, this is very possible!

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 2 A. start repairing the damage mapped on the painting B. inspect the exterior of the building (choose one) Yes, exactly! No, before repairing the damage caused by moisture and salts, you first need to find and stop the source of water! So, next thing that Joanna did was to....

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 2 Joanna went to inspect the exterior of the building and in fact she found out that:  A drainage pipe running down the external wall was broken;  The roof was damaged and rainwater was seeping through. external wall of the room in which the painting is located.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage wooden panelling and asphalt (modern) Roof GroundExternal wall She can therefore say that some of the deterioration is caused by water infiltration due to lack of maintenance of the exterior of the building.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 3 Joanna is therefore ready to suggest the first item of “things to do”, which is... A. Start repairing the damage mapped on the painting. B. Fix the damage on the exterior. (choose one) No, before repairing the damage caused by moisture and salts, you first need to stop or reduce the source of water! Yes, exactly!

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Ground External wall wooden panelling and bitumen (modern) Joanna then tried to understand the source of moisture causing the deterioration at the bottom of the painting. A. Air B. Rising damp C. Rainwater infiltration What do you think is the possible source? (you can choose more than one) No, considering the location, this is unlikely. Yes, this is very possible! STEP 4 Yes, it is possible. To find out one needs to monitor the air humidity over a period of time.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Yes, in fact Joanna carried out scientific tests, and concluded that it was really rising damp to introduce moisture and salts causing the deterioration at the bottom of the painting. STEP 4 Ground wooden panelling and bitumen (modern)

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 5 Joanna was ready to suggest the second item of “things to do”, which was... A. Start repairing the damage mapped on the painting. B. Remove the wooden panelling and bitumen from the lower part. (choose one) No, before repairing the damage caused by moisture and salts, one should see whether the impact of rising damp can be reduced! Yes, exactly!

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 5 Why do you think Joanna suggested to remove the wooden panelling and bitumen? (choose one) A. So that water would evaporate from the lower part of the wall. B. So that the painting would look better. Yes, exactly! Well, before considering the aesthetical issue, one should really try to stabilise the condition of the painting...

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 5 (choose one) A. Yes, rising damp will move down and so will the deterioration. B. Yes, rising damp will go up, and so will the deterioration. Would this have an impact on the deterioration of the painting? C. No, there will be no substantial change. Yes, exactly! No, this is wrong.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage By allowing the evaporation to take place from the lower part, rising damp (moisture and salts) will in fact go down. And so will the deterioration associated with it. Lower undecorated area after removing the bitumen and wooden panelling.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Once the problems due to water infiltration and rising damp are addressed, Joanna could start planning the rest of the work on the painting.

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage The painting needs both cleaning and consolidation, so next step that Joanna did was... STEP 6 A. Start to clean the painting and then consolidate. B. Carry out cleaning and consolidation tests. C. Start to consolidate the painting and then clean. (choose one) No, this is wrong. Before any of these treatments one needs to establish the correct methodology Yes, exactly! No, this is wrong. Before any of these treatments one needs to establish the correct methodology

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage STEP 7 Cleaning trials to establish the correct cleaning methodology. 10cm Once the correct cleaning and consolidation treatments are established, Joanna needs now to think about the material to use to repair the stone support to which the painting is applied. Large stone loss

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage As a repair material, Joanna thinks that the mortar should be... STEP 7 A. Stronger that the stone. B. As strong as the stone. C. Weaker than the stone. (choose one) No, this is wrong. A strong mortar would cause the deterioraiton of the original stone in the long-term. No, it is always better to use a mortar that would deteriorate instead of the stone. A slightly weaker mortar is needed. Yes, exactly!

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage As a final stage, Joanna also thought of including some recommendations that would help the long- term preservation of the painting, such as... (you can choose more than one) STEP 8 A. Limit the number of visitors. B. Regularly check the condition of roof and exterior pf the building. C. Maintain the building in good condition. Not really... There is no evidence that the visitors might cause deterioration. Yes, exactly!

Educational Linkage Approach In Cultural Heritage Well done!!! Now you know how professional conservators work!! Well done!!! Now you know how professional conservators work!! “Joanna’s “case study is based on research carried out by Joanna Hili Micallef (B.Cons.), conservator-restorer in Malta. Photos and data courtesy of Joanna Hili Micallef ©.