Conservation Of Mural Paintings

This book presents recent research on ancient Silk Road wall paintings, providing an up-to-date analysis of their coloring materials and techniques, and of developments in efforts to preserve them. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001 encouraged international collaboration between conservation research institutes to study and protect the Silk Road’s painted heritage. The collaborations led to exciting new discoveries of the rich materials used in wall painting, including diverse pigments and colorants, and various types of organic binding media. In addition, comparative research across the region revealed shared painting practices that indicate the sophisticated exchange of technologies and ideas. In parallel with these advances in technical understanding, greater awareness and sensitivity has been fostered in endeavors to preserve this fragile heritage. The book offers insights obtained from conservation projects and ongoing research, that encompass the geographical regions and periods related to the Silk Road, including from Japan, China, Korea, India and Afghanistan, and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region. It also discusses the current issues and future challenges in the field. Featuring concise chapters, the book is a valuable resource for students and professionals in the field of cultural heritage preservation, as well as those who are not familiar with the fascinating topic of Silk Road wall painting research.

This publication is the result of a symposium organized by the GCI and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 1987. Because the conservation of wall paintings requires an interdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the symposium was to facilitate the exchange of information among international conservators, scientists, and historians involved in major wall paintings conservation projects. The interdisciplinary nature of contemporary wall paintings conservation is reflected in this volume which contains the symposium's papers. The Sistine Chapel, the Brancacci Chapel, and the Tomb of Nefertari are among the well-known wall paintings discussed in this book by international experts in wall paintings conservation. The special problems associated with the protection of works such as these are explored from the perspective of diagnosis, documentation, treatment, and monitoring. A definitive paper on the effects of salts on wall paintings is also included.

This volume represents a forum for conservators, conservation scientists, artists and heritage managers. It includes the voices of many of the different partners involved in the complex task of preserving artworks: • The vital experience of artists who create murals and are sometimes asked to treat their creations; • Theoretical reflections on how to deal methodologically with conservation; • Scientific studies on the identification of constituent materials and/or on the development of procedures for their preservation; • The opinion of cultural managers; • The specific experiences of conservators. All of the above must have a voice in the difficult task of preserving such a challenging and changing heritage. Este volumen se plantea como un foro de encuentro entre conservadores restauradores, científicos, artistas y gestores del patrimonio. En él se incluye el trabajo de los diferentes interlocutores que participan en la compleja tarea de conservar una obra de arte: • La experiencia vital del artista creador de murales, que a veces es llamado para restaurar lo que ya hizo; • Las reflexiones teóricas sobre el modo de enfrentarnos metodológicamente a su conservación y restauración; • Los estudios científicos destinados a la identificación de materiales constitutivos o la puesta a punto de procedimientos para su conservación; • La opinión de quienes se encargan de su gestión; • Las experiencias concretas de conservadores restauradores. Todos ellos deben tener voz en la difícil tarea de conservar un patrimonio complejo y cambiante.

Reviewed by Ruhemann/Plesters: "One of the most interesting features of this small book is the use of the term 'conservation' rather than 'restoration' in its title. Serious consideration is given to the question of environment, e. g. the importance of proper atmospheric conditions, the damaging effects of damp, sunlight, or of hanging pictures over a fireplace or exposed to lamp or candle smoke...&c.&c. Protection, as distinct from restoration, of pictures is emphasized throughout....&c &c."The cleaning of paintings, p. 392.

Jackson Pollock's (1912–1956) first large-scale painting, Mural, in many ways represents the birth of Pollock, the legend. The controversial artist’s creation of this painting has been recounted in dozens of books and dramatized in the Oscar-winning film Pollock. Rumors—such as it was painted in one alcohol-fueled night and at first didn’t fit the intended space—abound. But never in doubt was that the creation of the painting was pivotal, not only for Pollock but for the Abstract Expressionists who would follow his radical conception of art —“no limits, just edges.” Mural, painted in 1943, was Pollock’s first major commission. It was made for the entrance hall of the Manhattan duplex of Peggy Guggenheim, who donated it to the University of Iowa in the 1950s where it stayed until its 2012 arrival for conservation and study at the Getty Center. This book unveils the findings of that examination, providing a more complete picture of Pollock’s process than ever before. It includes an essay by eminent Pollock scholar Ellen Landau and an introduction by comedian Steve Martin. It accompanies an exhibition of the painting on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum from March 11 through June 1, 2014.