Kovács Petronella (szerk.): Isis - Erdélyi magyar restaurátor füzetek 10. (Székelyudvarhely, 2010)
B. Perjés Judit - Domokos Levente - Puskás Katalin: Tíz nap a "Nagy-Küküllő felső folyása mentén" avagy hazi és vendég restaurátorok a székelykeresztúri Molnár István Múzeum születő állandó kiállításán
was used in distilled water (1:3), salicylic acid was add as disinfectant the emulsion acting both as adhesive and plasticizer. It was introduced in the roof-shaped liftings and flaking sockets with thin hypodermic syringe and on the rest of the area to be conserved by fine brushing. The paint layer as it adsorbed the emulsion and became plasticized, it was delicately pressed over the glass, manually, by means of Melinex foil. This method is favorable because of its gentle kind of pressing that the glass support is uneven, and the thermal contribution of the hand is appropriate in the consolidation process. Then the detached color scales were relocated in their original place. The cleaning of the back (the painted surface) was achieved with the same emulsion, for its quality to act also as a natural detergent and for its gentle action as a solvent for dirt in this case. The front side of the icon was cleaned with a solution based on alcohol and detergent, using nitro diluent for bronze stains present on the surface. The integration implied both the use of tempera and watercolors, depending on the different consistence of the paint layer, also combined with egg yolk emulsion. The small gilded areas with erosion (aura and collars, sleeves) received a completion with “schlag-metal” foil, fixed with a water-based “mixtion” solution. The consolidation of the wooden back panels and the frames has been done with Paraloid B 72 in toluene - in progressive dilutions from 8-10% to 20%. In the cleaning process of the wooden elements, the most efficient was the solution of ammonium hydroxide 5%. The split parts were fixed with Paraloid B72 or polyvinyl acetate - varying by case - and for the completion Covidez RLP was used. This includes 60 parts of paraffin, 30 parts of esterified colophony, and 10 parts of thermoplastic copolymer EVA. The wax-resin compound, in which we added wood dust, we applied by means of heat and metallic spatulas. New ones, because of their weakened and fragmentary structure, replaced the most of thin wooden joining elements of the frame. The chromatic integration was done with stain solution for wooden joints, and a mixture of oil colors/dammar resin/ turpentine for the frames. The mounting of the ensemble - glass, frame and the panels of the back - followed the successive steps. 1. Providing a secure ground for the glass sheet through attaching felt strips with adhesive band on the interior groove of the frame. 2. Fitting together the elements and the thin wooden joints of the frame in a stable fixing system. 3. Placing and fixing the glass sheet by use of thin, elastic wooden rods which correct the imperfections of glass edges, and stop moving in the frame, fixing the back panels by screwing tiny screws for wood, considering that in the future it can be necessary to disassemble the object. Dumitrescu Raluca Marilena Restorer of tempera paintings Museologist - restorer County Museum in Târgu Mureş Mărăşti Street, no: 8A, code RO 540328 Phone: +40-074-585-5210 E-mail: dumiralul@yahoo.com Katalin T. Bruder Galvanoplasty in conservation practice Electroplating and electrotyping or galvanoplasty are two different methods based on the same theory: electroplating is the creation of a coating on a surface while galvanoplasty is building a three-dimensional metal object. Galvanoplasty was already used in the second half of the 19th century to prepare copies and reconstructions. An electrotyping workshop operated in the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest and the copies prepared there have been used in exhibitions ever since like the Nagyszentmiklós treasure in the Archaeological Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum. The copy is so excellently preserved that only the gilding had to be restored in 2002. Various materials were used for creating moulds in the course of the evolution of the technology, which were rendered conductive with graphite, rarely copper or zinc dust. The surface to be copied was surrounded by a network of a thin copper wire pinned down with “U”shaped pins, and it was connected to an electric supply. The same method is applied to date only silicone rubber is used for taking a negative. Sometimes fluid silver solution is used for rendering the surfaces conductive. Cyanide baths are generally used for electroplating, which does not attack the surface of the basic metal, while an acidic copper bath is the most suitable for galvanoplasty. Both single-sided copies and objects in the round can be prepared with galvanoplasty. At preparing a mould, the thin copper wire must be at a distance of about 0.5 cm from the negative. The specific weight of the copper bath must be the same or somewhat larger than that of the silicon negative, so a frame made of a brass wire or plastic should be fixed to the back of the negative so that it did not float or bend in the bath. The negative rendered conductive is linked to an electric supply and placed in the copper bath. Within optimal circumstances, a copper layer of a sufficient thickness develops in 24-36 hours. The resulting positive is brittle and fragile so it is desoldered with lead-tin solder. Silver solder is used at fine duplicates. Then the excess is removed. Objects in the round are copied in more than one part. It is important that no so-called “undercutting” should remain in the negative. Barriers are made from plasticine or wax, etc. at the planned edge of the mould parts and the silicone is moulded between them. It is simpler to use silicone, which can be kneaded and spread, although bubbles can appear in the negative and the depressions may remain empty. When the duplicates of deeply enchased and embossed objects like bowls are made, first just a little silicon should be turned around in the bowl since no bubbles remain in a thin layer and it can perfectly follow the pattern. With the repetition of the operation, the shape becomes thicker, and then it can be raised to the necessary thickness with silicon paste. The author turned the silicon used for the first layer into a paste form with aerosil, and did not use another material. Distance from 193
