Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)
Pages - 82
the door we gently fastened the object. (Picture 4) The procedure took 12 hours and the blotting paper was wetted every half-an-hour. After the full surface was sufficiently wet the door was placed between blotting paper and felt and was clamped down while drying. As a result of the treatment the main stain borders disappeared, leaving only a few dim strips in certain places and the surface became more or less even (with the exception of the surface treated with Paraloid) and only a very small amount of paint was lost.13 (Picture 2) REMOVING WATER STAINS FROM AN END PIECE OF AN 18TH CENTURY COFFIN During 1994-95 due to reconstruction works on the Fehérek Temploma (Church of the Whites) in Vác a crypt, which served as burial place for the ethnic Hungarian and German residents of the city and churchmen between 1731-1841 was demolished.14 Due to the beneficial microclimate, the only slightly varying temperature (8-10 °C) and the very mild but constant air movement of the crypt, the insulating effect of the coffins placed in several layers and the effect of negative ionization from time-to-time the corpses became mummified, and most of the coffins, clothing and burial accessories were preserved in very good condition. Teachers and students of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts have been participating in the conservation and restoration of these findings, which brought up many interesting problems. The color of the painted coffins found were gray, blue, green, brown or yellow decorated with flowers, body depictions or sacral motifs referring to death. (Picture 5) The wooden parts of the coffins didn’t suffer any damage, however the paint on the coffins became powdery and almost spreadable. According to the test conducted on a microscopic cross-section with acidic fuxin the binding media of the paint proved to be of a protein type. The binding media of the paint applied directly to the surface disintegrated due to the very high humidity and the microbiological pests in the crypt. Probably the adhesive agent used for the paint was very thin as well. The powdery paint layer of coffins we conserved so far was secured with poly(vinyl-butyral) in some instances and with a 5% alcohol solution of poly(vinyl- butyro-acetate) in others. The solution were sprayed onto the surfaces. Due to the consolidation 5. Coffins in the Crypt. Church of the Whites, Vác 82
