National Identities and Global Links: Conserving Asian Textiles In Situ Julia M. Brennan

Since 2000, I have worked in Thailand and Traditional storage methods such as baskets, clay pots preserving textiles and teaching textile conservation to and open shelving expose vulnerable organic cloths local museum teams, monks and private collectors. It to insects, rodents and dramatic climate conditions. has been an enormous honor to partner with colleagues The yearly monsoon season and year-round humidity in an effort to extend the lives of important historic create a climate ripe for mold, mildew, dye bleeding, textiles and keep living textile traditions alive. The real and fading. In Bhutan, high mountain winds, dust, conservation story is the impact of textile work and or the proximity of burning butter lamps and incense related encounters in these countries and contexts as destroy many textiles. While these conditions cannot be awareness grows of the need to preserve indigenous completely mitigated, there are low impact and cost- textile history across Asia. Over the years, I have con- effective methods for minimizing the damage and loss. served numerous Asian textiles in country, which entails The introduction of better practices and safer storage some very different strategies than conservation in my materials (especially those that are locally sourced) can studio. Two threads of the much broader story of pres- initiate a sea change in practices. ervation tell the tale: 1) the comprehensive treatment of The first step in contributing to the long-term a Buddhist canopy in order to maintain its use as part of conservation of textiles is the opportunity to teach and a living practice; and 2) the conservation of a Thai royal share conservation knowledge with other like-minded and honorific robe repatriated and serving as testament colleagues. This begins with a dialogue with the owners of continued diplomatic relations. These threads and to determine their intentions for the use or role of the others have underpinned the development of some textile and their commitment to preservation. Under- basic guidelines for the care of textiles to provide collec- standing religious tenets such as a prohibition of killing tors and caretakers with useful tips. any sentient beings will shape the course of treatment While traditional textiles are used and even greatly and insect mitigation. Compromises due to availability revered in these countries, “western” and scientifically of materials and cultural traditions can be creatively met based conservation methods are not widely known or with sustainable solutions, as I have learned, even if practiced. Due to the organic nature of textiles, many they are not always the ones I expected. simply do not survive the conditions and daily use. The Ladri of the Mountain Monastery Bhutan The conservation of a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century altar canopy, or ladri, in Bhutan is the story of maintaining a functional piece of culture and its use as part of a living practice of Buddhism. This is not just piece of cloth, but the manifestation of a living belief system. It is part of the history of the mountain monastery and its temple, and had hung by its four corners for many years, absorbing the smoke from the ceaselessly burning incense and butter lamps. Like many textiles in Bhutan, it is evidence of the long established Chinese and Indian trade routes transiting these mountains, and as well the continuity of Buddhist The ______Monastery. practice in Bhutan since the eighth century. Pilgrims,

12 MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 Textiles Asia Deinstalling the ladri in the monastery.

Textiles Asia MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 13 rich merchants and Chinese dignitaries bestowed textile family and the culture ministry recognized the need for gifts upon many monasteries, where they were used preservation of this textile. Permission to work in the to create monk and statuary robes, alter cloths and monastery, enter the sacristy, and undertake an invasive canopies, and frame the devotional thankga paintings. and non-reversible treatment of the canopy was secured This ladri is a composite construction of both imported through the resident Head Lama, his superiors, and and local textiles: the front central panel is a large Bhutan’s director and curator. A series two-pieced silk kossu, or tapestry weave, of Chinese of discussions about the textile, its history and future origin depicting two vertical dragons with cranes below, use, and testing of dyes and threads to define possible mounted with borders of Chinese silk brocade, which treatment options, built trust and determined the course have been repaired and added to with newer floral of work. The most radical decision was to wet clean it, patterned cotton. The flounces or outer ruffle is zhari which in turn required transporting the canopy to the marsel, a Bhutanese block printed yellow and orange textile lab in , the capital city. Critical to the silk. The kossu and borders are backed with Bhutanese project’s oversight and success was the participation of striped cotton. Measuring about 70”x 95”, it’s condition four monks in the actual treatment. This insured a level was poor. The kossu was black with soot and smoke; of oversight and safety, as well providing training for pre- the weave and images of dragons and cranes obscured. cisely those monk “caretakers” who are on the “front There were large holes and tears in the silk tapestry lines” of preventative care. due to the weight of hanging and accumulation of dirt The ladri was carefully taken down and vacuumed and particulates (crud) in the “hammock” of the canopy. through protective nylon screening to remove a lot of The silk block-printed flounce around the edges, while the dust and dirt. It was photographed in situ while perhaps a later replacement, was blackened and frag- hanging, and then flat, front and back. For transport, it mentary. was rolled onto a 3” wide pvc plastic plumbing pipe, in- The chief Lama and other participants from the royal terleaved with muslin, and wrapped in plastic. Then the

Couching down tears and holes to secure edges. Reverse side of ladri with repair support patches on reverse.

Hand stitching the protective netting before wet cleaning. Reattaching the silk brocade border.

14 MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 Textiles Asia Group wet cleaning the ladri. epic conservation journey began: monks carried it down presented something of a logistical challenge in Bhutan. the mountain path to the road head, and from there, a There is no hot water heater in Bhutan large enough to truck ferried it and the monk caretakers into the city. support the cleaning of such a large textile. Therefore, Cleaning necessitated the disassembly of the water was heated on three outdoor fires in gigantic textile; removal of the flounce, cotton borders, and back- round metal rice pots. This was combined with city ing from the kossu. Extensive documentation in both water from a hose to create warm baths. English and Dzongka, as well as photographs, provided Cleaning took nine hours and nine people, and the a strong foundation for teaching the importance of monks loved it! In fact, everyone made merit in the examination and record keeping. process of preserving this religious textile. (Thank God Once upon a time, the ladri must have been a since the risks are always unknown and I was saying my sensationally techno-colored textile in a dark monastery. Novenas.) It is quite miraculous to watch a blackened When the kossu was released from the backing and the textile become colorful again; the wash water pro- original colors were revealed: unexpectedly brilliant yel- gressing from crud-filled dark brown to tea-colored and lows, oranges, and blues with dynamic cranes in flight finally to clear. It was dried flat outdoors, and fully dried and sparkling metallic gold dragons. indoors with fans, layering cheese cloth on the face to Again, the dyes were tested with two detergents to absorb any residual particulates which could cause tide determine their fastness for wet cleaning. Because of lines. It was the right treatment decision: the textile was the combination of airborne pollutants and greasy sooty much cleaner overall and the silk was soft and pliable. dirt, both Orvus non-ionic detergent and Vulpex Liquid Our team of nine included four monks and five staff Soap were used for sequential cleanings. Due to its from the National Museum and the Textile Museum. We fragility, the entire kossu was sandwiched in nylon net- continued to work together to accomplish the conserva- ting, loosely basted with hand stitching. A wet cleaning tion tasks, one thousand man hours, over ten weeks. tank was built outside and lined with plastic – no interior Stabilization work involved re-sewing of open slits in space with drainage was large enough. To better clean the tapestry with fine Skala polyester thread, and patch the textile, the use of warm water was required. While supports placed behind many of the black silk areas warm water is not an issue in most Western cities, it and metallic gold silk areas which had corroded and

Textiles Asia MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 15 disintegrated over time. The lining and flounce were wet cleaned separately, blocked, pressed, and repaired using similar techniques of patch supports and hand stitching. Finally, the lining, flounce and kossu were reassembled with hand stitching. The Chief Lama was so pleased with the results that he decided that the ladri would be reserved for use on special religious days only. Thus, the conserved tex- tile was placed into anoxic environment to maintain the humidity at 50% and prevent any insect damage. The ladri was rolled again onto a pvc tube, encapsulated in an anoxic film bag, and purged with nitrogen. An indica-

Ladri hanging in the monastery before cleaning. Before and after repair.

The ladri after cleaning and repair.

16 MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 Textiles Asia tor eye informs the caretakers if any oxygen has seeped into the bag. The bag was made long enough to open one end, remove the canopy for use, and then reseal it again for long-term storage. The ladri’s final journey home took place on a winter day. The textile was carried up the mountain, in four-foot snowdrifts; the long tube often the only thing visible as it was hoisted high over the snow, with monks and museum staff switching off. Entering the monastic compound, the textile was circumambulated around the main temple, and taken into the sacristy. There, it was reconsecrated by the Chief Lama in the presence of other monk teachers and our conservation team. This project showcased the need for preservation of religious textiles across the country. It led to further training of monks at other monasteries, preserva- tion and rehousing of other monastic textiles, and the production of an illustrated booklet designed to assist the monk body in the long term care of artifacts. This bilingual collaboration of monks and lay staff titled A Handbook How To Take Care of Sacred Objects in the Monasteries is in use today. Detail of gold looping and neck padding. The Wandering Siamese Robe The second thread of this conservation story is another journey. This time, it is the story of the journey of a royal robe from Siam to Denmark and recently back to Thailand. After nearly one hundred years in a bank vault in Denmark, Mr. Anders Normann, the Consul- General of Denmark, with the help of the original owners, brought the textile back to Thailand. It is a story of international preservation efforts. The return of this significant artifact is a milestone in cultural history, and its conservation reinforces a close diplomatic relation- ship that has evolved over one hundred and fifty years. The unveiling of the royal golden robe in Bangkok is one additional event in Thai-Danish history, now restored to its country of origin and visible to the public. This exquisite robe of gold embroidery needlework and gold netting was presented in 1902 to the first and only foreign Commander of the Thai Royal Navy, the Danish Vice Admiral Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu, also known by his Thai name Phraya Cholayuth Yodhin, in appreciation for his twenty-five years of service to King Rama V, King Chulalongkorn. The Admiral was a trusted aide and confidante of the King, and this robe was custom made especially for him. Embroidered in metallic gold buillon threads, sequins, and soutache, are motifs of ships anchors and wheel, dolphins and other Before and after repair. Naval insignia. This style of honorific robe is worn by the

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King, and only bestowed as one of the highest honors gold metallic threads were sourced from old trim shops on a high-ranking official. in New York city. The use of vintage embellishments bet- It is fortunate the Admiral wore it only draped over ter matched the patina of the metal on the robe. Where his shoulders, and then it rested in dark cold storage in the paper support was torn or missing, new acid free Denmark. The delicate condition of the robe required ex- rag paper was used, and then replacement elements tensive conservation treatment in order to be displayed stitched on top. Several large floral medallions were safely. The construction and materials of the robe, heavy completely reconstructed. Holes in the netting were metallic embroidery on a gossamer netting, is in fact an patched with replacement fine cotton net from Eng- inherent vice; the ground cloth simply cannot sustain land, and hand stitched to the inside of the robe. Work the weight of the embellishments over time. Any wear progressed slowly and carefully, nearly two hundred and hanging causes deterioration, tearing of the netting hours all told, as any movement of the robe could cause and breaking of the threads, and exposure oxidizes the further damage. metallic decorative elements. The display of the robe posed additional challenges. I was brought in by its current owner to conserve Initially, the owner’s hope was that the robe could the robe, but also to prepare it for public display in a be shown three-dimensionally on a form. As soon as private business in Bangkok. As in Bhutan, this is a situ- conservation treatment began, it became clear that any ation where dialogue established trust and ensured that hanging weight would further deteriorate the robe. A its intended use is part of a valuable textile’s conserva- lovely compromise was made – display on a slant in a tion plan. I had the opportunity to document the condi- fully protected glass case, with the back of the robe tion of the robe, identify what kinds of materials might viewable in a set of ingenious mirrors below the case. be needed, and create the plan over a longer period For the purposes of display, a two-inch thick white silk than some such projects might receive. padded cushion was custom-made to fit inside the robe, The robe needed a lot of help if its glory was to be to provide support and shape, and separate the front restored. Much of the metallic embroidery, executed and back of the robe. A padded “clerical collar” provides through paper and the netting and gold mesh beneath, more rigid support for the Mandarin style collar. The had fallen off. In addition, there were many tears in the front of the robe is loosely basted together. Glass bump- netting. Replacement sequins, buillon, soutache and ers help hold the robe in place at a thirty-degree slant.

Sleeve – detail of embroidery. Robe – detail of embroidery.

18 MAY 2013, VOLUME 5, ISSUE 13 Textiles Asia Robe in case with Julia Brennan, Khun Usnisa and Mr. Anders Normann.

The vitrine was designed by a specialist at the Smithso- Printed by Kuensel Corporation, Thimphu, Bhutan, 2008. (To view the nian Institution, and then produced locally in Bangkok. entire booklet in PDF, go to www.caringfortextiles.com). Julia Brennan, Conservation Crusader, by Usnisa Sukhsvasti, People & It is a tribute to Mr. Normann that this remarkable Life Section, Bangkok Post, February 24, 2011. piece of Thai-Danish history is fully conserved. He takes The Journey of the Robe, text by M. R. Usnisa Sukhsvasti, self pub- great pride in repatriating this unique artifact and sharing lished by Anders Normann, Bangkok, Thailand, 2012. its legacy. In the words of the Admiral’s grandson Allan To make an appointment to visit Admiral Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu Hastrup, “The Admiral’s legacy is immortal, and I have Phraya Cholayuth Yodhin’s robe, please contact Nicolie Wellness Centre peace of mind knowing that his (sic) most treasured and Museum, email: [email protected] and telephone: 662- 6957. parting gift from the King: the golden robe specially

made for him, is now back in Thailand and accessible for Thank you to HM The Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuk, future generations.” Director Mr. Singye, Chief Curator Mrs Penjor, and conservation staff of the Textile Museum Thimphu, The Getty Foundation, The Friends of Over the past twelve years, receptivity to textile Bhutan’s Culture, Mr. Anders Normann, M.R. Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Nicolie preservation in Asia has blossomed. Significant steps Team, Phil, Angel, The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles Conservation have been taken to conserve important collections and Staff – thank you all for supporting these conservation endeavors and keeping the textile con servation ripple growing in Asia. build a conservation framework and services in the re-

gion. The stories of these two textiles are just part of a Julia M. Brennan has worked in textile conservation for over 25 years. burgeoning interest in textile heritage, its preservation, She lectures to historical societies and collector groups on the care and display of textiles and is passionately committed to conservation conservation, and presentation. Ensuring that western outreach. From 2000-2008, she led multiple textile training workshops techniques are adapted and enriched by the experiences in Bhutan, conducted a conservation seminar and mounted a national conservators are having in Asia is very important. There exhibit of historic textiles in Madagascar, and taught the first textile conservation workshop at the National Bardo Museum in Algiers. From are global commonalities to meeting the challenges 2008 to present, she has been consulting with the Queen Sirikit Mu- of climate, politics, financial resources, and divergent seum of Textiles in Bangkok, and facilitating preservation workshops for visions of use. SPAFA SEAMEO. Julia is a Professional Associate of the AIC, Director of the Washington Conservation Guild, founder of the Collection Care Network, and a member of ICOM CC. Her company, Caring For Textiles, Bibliography founded in 1996, is based in Washington DC. www.caringfortextiles. A Handbook, How to Take Care of Sacred Objects in the Monasteries, com Published by The Friends of Bhutan’s Culture and the Getty Foundation,

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