Kovács Petronella (szerk.): Isis - Erdélyi magyar restaurátor füzetek 20. (Székelyudvarhely, 2020)
Focht Anna: Gorka Géza padlóváza restaurálása
Hydrogels remove diffusion and degradation products from porous materials by diffusion and osmosis. These are very slow processes, so effective treatment can often take hours or even a day. The process can be speeded up a bit by changing the gel from time to time, but we have to reckon with the fact that the artefact is in an aqueous environment for a long time. Chemical gels with a similar mechanism of action may be more suitable for treating moisture-sensitive papers and leather because they transfer less moisture, but these are not possible to produce in conservation labs. Katalin Orosz Paper and leather conservator DLA Zsuzsanna Várhegyi Paper and leather conservator MA Translated by: Eszter Tóth Judit Varga Conservation of a globe table made by a bookbinder In the early 19th century, economic changes had an impact on housing culture and consequently on furniture design, which caused the appearance of more and more types of furniture in home interiors. The specific shaped furniture of the Biedermeier style, the globe tables which were primarily used for storage embroidery tools of ladies have emerged in this era. Barely a few globe tables were made in Europe, their production required expertise and precision at a very high level. The few preserved pieces are from Vienna, England, and only three globe tables are known in Hungarian collections. One of them belongs to the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest, the second is owned by the Blaskovich Museum in Tápiószele and the third one - presented in this article - is in the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs. The table has a unique and particular globe made from paper, not from the commonly used wood. Based on a paper tag in it, it was made by a bookbinder in Arad. Bookbindig techniques were applied for the manufacturing of the storage drawers hiden on different levels. The storage units were covered with velvet and different decor papers and lined with silk. During the process of conservation and material analyses, it turned out that there is a marble painted layer under the hand-painted map of the globe. The goal of the conservation treatment was the physical strengthening of the artifact. An important aspect of the conservation was to preserve the earlier interventions, except in cases where they no longer performed their tasks and even carried the risk of damage. The work process was simplified by taking apart the leg from the globe, as this provided better acces to the elements, making the handling processes more secure. Removing the surface contaminants from the elements was carried out by using vacuum cleaner, Wishab-, latex sponge and rubber. The lacquered map on the upper hemisphere was cleaned with distilled water. The secondary repairs of the damaged lower tom hemisphere were removable by wetting it with water. Its shell-like structure was locally humidified with Sympatex membrane to cease the deformation. The softened parts were fixed to the appropriate form with the help of an inner core made of polystyrene. The shell-like structure was strengthened and completed with Japanese paper, cellulose pulp, and chalk grounding mixed with Ethulose (ethyl-hydroxyethyl-cellulose). During model experimentations it turned out, that animal glue as adhesive gives too much moisture to the paper layers, which softens and deforms them. Therefore, instead of animal glue, Ethulose was used. Repairs including the missing blondei decoration were made using original techniques and materials. Retouching was done using aquarelle paints. The acidic degradation products of the damaged paper tag indicating the information of the bookbinder was cleaned by washing it with water and alkaline water. It was repaired with the technique of leaf casting on a suction table. The tom textile elements were strengthened with fabrics of the same coloration. Solophenyl direct dye was used for the dyeing of velveteen and Lanaset acidic dye for the silk. The wooden legs were cleaned with an emulsion containing white spirit. Peeling layers on the legs were affixed with isinglass. Aesthetic reintegration was performed by underpainting of shellac mixed with dyes of different colours, than with aquarelle. Retouching of the metal like surfaces was done with aquarelle mixed with metal powder. Judit Varga Paper and leather conservator MA Translated by: Judit Varga Fruzsina Rauca-Bencze Paintings of Vincenc Melka in the heritage of the Art Museum of Cluj-Napoca. Case study: The conservation of a large oil painting on canvas In December 2019 a temporary exhibition about the Czech painter, Vincenc Melka’s works was opened in the Art Museum of Cluj-Napoca, where a notable part of Melka’s oeuvre has been stored: nine oil paintings, three sketchbooks and an aquarelle. The display provided a chance to present these works together for the first time ever, since some of them have never left the museum’s warehouse due to their damages, some of them caused by improper storage. On the occasion of the exhibition five portraits and a hunting scene were conserved in the conservation workshop of the museum founded in 2017. 236
