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OR N P ARIE ER ST E EX UND S O E B WE N I E H ND These items were then distributed to three formerly Medicean These items were then distributed to three formerly and Villa della villas, Villa del Poggio Imperiale, Petraia. Even though some of them are still conserved at their held at the Villa di original sites, the majority of the paintings once Pitti Palace Museum Castello were moved to the warehouse of the almost and there lay, at the beginning of the 20th century, completely forgotten, for many years. art, partially In the last fifteen years, a new interest in Chinese in the modern springing from the growing importance of China world, has led to the rediscovery and study of some important Porzio 2001; Caterina collections of Chinese art in (Caterina & Chinese & Mossetti 2005; Morena 2005). The Pitti Palace in interest. paintings have benefited from this resurgence in paper In 2006, when my fourth and last year of training conservation at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure arrived, I decided to dedicate my final project to the study of this collection from an historic-artistic, scientific and conservation the stand-point. As collection is so large (comprising 182 items), the project extended beyond my thesis work to become an on-going collaboration with the Pitti Palace Museum. The aim of this paper is to make a modest contribution to the understanding of Chinese export paintings based on the information gained through this close contact with the Pitti Palace collection. First, the various typologies of Chinese pictorial art for export and the subjects commonly represented will be delineated. The techniques and materials on the paper will focus employed will also be examined. Finally, a conservation treatment performed on one of the paintings, discussing ethical and technical considerations that influenced the conservation choices. C TH A The term ‘Chinese export art’ refers to the specific branch of demand for Chinese art made on purpose to meet Western Chinese handicrafts. It ultimately represents the attempt made by Chinese artisans to depict their own culture in a way that would be ‘other’.considered acceptable and charming by the Western From particularly in the context of the multiculturalism this point of view, it is worthy of considerable attention. in which we live today,

N IO CT DS RA DUCT OR RO YW Focusing on this collection, consisting of about 180 items, this paper will delineate the technical and stylistic characteristi Focusing on this collection, consisting of about traditional pictorial art, and will examine the conservationChinese export paintings compared to Chinese treatment of one painting which directed the conservationfrom the collection together with the considerations choices. Commerce between and China was at this time very intense. Trading ships sailing from Canton with cargoes of tea, silk and sailing from Canton with cargoes of tea, ships and China was at this time veryCommerce between Europe intense. Trading lacquer and ivory. bulk potteryobjects on paper, parts of the commerce, skilfully crafted also carried, as subordinate fashion and enthusiastically adopted this Chinese Pietro Leopoldo (ruled 1765-1790) In , the Grand Duke of Tuscany Imperiale, Villa di Castello and Villa della Petraia, with Chinese wallpapers decorated three of his villas, Villa del Poggio now largely conserved in the Pitti Palace Museum of Florence. ABST back until the very is a fascinating thread which can be traced passion for the Orient art history. beginning of Western Europe’s including the appetite within witnessed in the 18th century, nowhere more clearly than in artistic trends This passion may be seen and their ric between two completely different worlds art: the product of a long, prolific interchange Europe for Chinese export artistic traditions. lisabetta Polidori lisabetta E NT Porzio 2001; Mosco 2001). Probably not long after their purchase, all the paintings were mounted in European style: entirely pasted on a thick canvas, mounted on wooden stretchers and framed with gilded or black-painted wooden frames. entering European courts and villas. (ruled the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena In Tuscany, 1765-1790) enthusiastically adhered to the Chinese passion raging among the European courts. As recorded by archival documents, between 1769 and 1787 about three hundred Chinese paintings were purchased in Brussels on his behalf, arriving in Florence through the harbour of Livorno (Caterina & In exchange, silver and at a later stage opium were exported to with these products, fans, lacquers, porcelains China. Together and paintings on silk and paper were loaded as private cargo who were allowed to of the captains and members of the crew, engage in a specified amount of private trade for their own profit. These items were then sold in auctions in the main centres of distributions of London, Vienna, Amsterdam and Brussels, thence government to trade with Western merchants. In order to further government to trade with Western strengthen this control, in 1729 the Chinese empire ordered that Canton be the only access point into China for foreign merchants. The commerce between Europe and China followed two was by far the most channels, one official and one private. Tea important official trade item purchased both in terms of quantity and value, followed in importance by raw silk and bulk porcelain. – 1644) and its protectionism kept China. This can be also taken – 1644) and its protectionism kept China. This as a symbolic starting date for the trade of luxury goods between 17th century, China and Europe. From the beginning of the of the Dutch this commerce largely occurred under the control royal joint stock and English empires, which operated through Companies. On the companies, the Dutch and English East India Chinese side, this commerce was strictly under the control of the Cohong, the guild of Chinese merchants authorised by the central Chinese export paintings; albums; wallpapers; technique; Chinese export paintings; albums; wallpapers; materials; analysis; conservation. I in Chinese waters In 1514 the arrival of the first Portuguese ship dynasty (1368 broke the centuries of isolation in which the Ming K From Canton with love: historic investigation and conservation conservation and investigation historic love: with Canton From Palace the Pitti from paintings Chinese export of treatment of Florence Museum E

2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 64 2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 65 " " 5) " +#$) " " 5-( " 5) " ''! " 3(45-6 " .12 " ?(8#,$ 0 " " ''! " ../ " /1E " 0 " =&3(&'> " /2/ *+,-#! " " $(#)! <#$#4( " " *+,-#! " 8(4+-,D&(> <,88, =&3(&'> " " " #$%&' $(#)! " " ! <#$#4( B5-BC%, " " #$%&' " ;$59(-4(! ! " 8+( <,88, " " A,8+ " 4(-8&9:! " ;$59(-4(! " 278+ " 5) (0(4&8(6 " " Cultivation of rice Two parrots on a branch , literally ‘detailed strokes’, which is characterised by the characterised by the strokes’, which is , literally ‘detailed +#$) 4(-8&9:! " " @#99583! " 278+ " wallpaper off-cuts. The presence in the collection of wallpaper off-cuts is confirmed by archival documents, from which we know that in 1785 many rolls of Chinese wallpapers were cut in order to obtain several smaller paintings to be used to decorate the villas (Mosco 2001, p. 385). does not seem to have had a counterpart in the Wallpaper Chinese tradition and is likely to have been a product made solely tapestries and wallpapers, for export. As opposed to Western Chinese paintings used to decorate house interiors had an Hanging scrolls were used as essentially temporary character. light-weight changeable wall paintings, which could be easily removed from the wall and rolled up for storage. If a larger or represent various stages of the manufacture of potteryrepresent various stages of the manufacture and cultivation of rice (Figure 2). Figure 2 – 5) had become a very silk, tea and rice important part of the Pottery, wealthy social classes and so paintings describing life of Western Although the portrayals these industries were extremely popular. of industrial techniques and tools in paintings with such motifs are generally faithful, the scenes are set in romantic landscapes of very from the overcrowded workshops different idyllic rural beauty, and unhealthy fields in which these products were actually processed. About thirty paintings of the collection can be identified as Figure 1 – 3(45-6 8+( (210 x 280 mm), Five other album leaves, smaller in dimension wallpapers are characterised by a richer and more decorative decorative and more by a richer are characterised wallpapers executed with the technique two paintings were effect. These gong-bi to obtain veryof minute parallel brushstrokes application detailed 1). representations (Figure and refined I TT

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T M ND U OR E A P S MUS E EX OGIE E S L C E O A N I L H YP colours and the realistic rendering of their subject matter. The central element of the composition is always a flowering tree, generally a peony or a cherry-tree, surrounded by rocks. Around its branches are colourful birds and insects of various kinds standing out against a plain background. The small format of the albums calls for a minute and detailed representation, whereas Two of these leaves, having the same dimensions (330 x 370 Two mm) and perhaps originally belonging to the same album, are depicted with a ‘birds and flowers’ motif. This is a very traditional motif which, even when adopted in export art, exhibits fewer of the aesthetic conventions. Albums, paintings and wallpapers Western decorated with the birds and flowers motif were very popular consumers because of the brightness of their among Western twelve, sixteen, twenty or twenty-four leaves with a single theme due to the particular Unfortunately, or related subject matter. structure of the albums, scenes were easily disassembled to be album This is the case of the seven sold or displayed individually. leaves conserved in the in the collection, which have been framed same style as the other paintings in order to be displayed as single images. been cut, mounted on canvas and framed, their original formats been cut, mounted on canvas and framed, their are often not immediately detectable. Among these three typologies, the album is the most ancient and the most closely related to Chinese tradition (Silbergeld 1982, p. 13). Album leaves provided the painter with a small-scale format for the creation of single unified images. Whether for the Chinese market, albums would usually contain eight, ten, or the Western T C formats: albums, Pictorial art for export was crafted in three main typologies are wallpapers and individual paintings. All these the paintings have represented in the Pitti Palace collection. As Chinese pictorial art for export was largely made to meet the Chinese pictorial art for export was largely made conventions customers in style, subjects, requirements of Western export was also of representation and format. Chinese art for artistic conventions, greatly influenced by the adoption of Western and the verysuch as chiaroscuro, the ‘fixed-point perspective, representation of a idea of a ‘design’ as a graphic two-dimensional three-dimensional thing’ (Clunas 1987, p. 18). paintings had a similar function to photography. They documented paintings had a similar function to photography. his circle in formal political events and depicted the Emperor and they were very different from the free and portraits. Technically, the intellectuals. The quick execution of the artworks favoured by rendering, and aim of these paintings was, in fact, a naturalistic with a wide range of the style is therefore descriptive and detailed, pigments used. Nevertheless, the art produced by these Cantonese artisans drew Nevertheless, the art produced and from a common reservoir history of national and mythology, tools and materials with traditional shared many of its techniques, art. Chinese export art point of view, From a stylistic and technical another branch of Chinese pictorial more closely resembles by the Court Painting Academies. Court tradition: the art produced spheres operated. In Chinese ‘high’ tradition, painting is not tradition, painting is In Chinese ‘high’ spheres operated. art, but rather one of the a separate branch of considered of members of the intelligentsia, accomplishments required aim of an artwork The ultimate and poetry. together with calligraphy of the subject. Ink and brush, handled is to capture the spirit on a flexible support of silk or paper, with freedom and discipline are the only tools necessarypursuit of this purpose. for the This art is extremely different from the intellectual depth, technical technical depth, from the intellectual different is extremely This art art pictorial art. The of Chinese traditional skill and purpose elite and the art produced the Chinese intellectual produced by the as well separated as of Canton are inside the workshops artists in these respective within which two social environments PA , a high- Broussonetia Broussonetia mian lian ) is a carbon based ink composed Maxim) are found (Rickman 1988, p. 45; Maxim) are found (Rickman mo , a paper made of the fibres of the shrif bush , a paper made of the !"#$ technique. ), and gong-bi Another technique consisted of transferring the image outlines using wood-blocks. This technique seems to have been used almost exclusively for wallpapers, in which the large decorative style did not require great attention to detail. It can be detected in many of the wallpaper off-cuts of the collection. The use of heavily inked papers to obtain multiples of the same image has also been noted in literature (Clunas 1984, p. 74). In some instance, albums and other paintings of higher quality were executed free-hand with the Once the template image was transferred, pigments were applied have no clear information about by brush within the outlines. We Figure 4 – Detail of one painting executed by the outlining technique: the under drawing in black ink is revealed by the abrasion of the pigment layer. the same image. Two methods could be employed to transfer methods could be employed the same image. Two of the these templates. Due to the high degree of transparency possible to simply outline the contours of the image it was paper, with ink. Chinese ink ( the residue of animal glue and either pine soot or lampblack, of the tung tree. obtained by burning oil extracted from the seeds degree of This second typology is characterised by a deeper The technique black and, if used undiluted, by a lustrous surface. of all the individual of outlining has been used for the execution paintings present in the collection (Figure 4). execution of one specific decorative motif or of the application of a application or of the motif specific decorative of one execution of the palette. single colour up structure made paintings have a composite All Chinese to its intrinsic Due together. of paper pasted of several layers used is too fragile to be in fact, Chinese paper characteristics, generally The painting was application of any support. without the Both good quality white paper. executed on of paper mulberryquality white paper made fibres ( papyrifera %&'()*+(,'-./'#'#)-$*0--/ Lambert & Laroque 2002, & Huxtable 1988, pp. 53-54; Webber p. 125). whiteness and evenness of the improve the smoothness, To generally coated with lead white, chalk support, the paper was 1984, p. 77). This coating also white or shell white (Clunas preventing the ink and of the paper, reduced the hygroscopicity Mica powder was also at times colours applied from bleeding. of silk. used to imitate the shine of the sheets As the paper was handmade, the dimensions generally depended on the mould handled by the papermaker, 1985). In order to 70-150 cm wide and 50-65 cm high (Needham of wallpapers, obtain the larger paper needed for the manufacture starch paste. several sheets were pasted together with wheat pairs of paintings The collection of the Pitti Palace includes several demonstrating that identical in drawing but different in colouring, multiple copies of standard models were used in order to create " +#$) " 3(45-6 " ''! " 1FG " 0 "

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A F 278+ " artefacts were created, we have therefore to look at the objects themselves. Unlike Chinese traditional art, Chinese art for export was the product of entire workshops rather than single artists. These laboratories worked on an assembly line basis, with the workload divided to the point that each artisan was in charge of the M O export the study of the technical aspects of Chinese Unfortunately, paintings has suffered from a total absence of related information in Chinese literary art sources, which showed no interest in an understand how these To category considered by all means minor. decorative function. Paintings could, in fact, be framed and or pasted onto the wall as an alternative displayed individually, to the more expensive wallpapers. At least to a certain extent, this typology seems to be related in format and use to the single painted screens used to decorate the sides of beds, couches or sedan-chairs in Chinese traditional interiors (Silbergeld 1982, p. 12). Figure 3 – 5) This typology has characteristics in common with both albums and wallpapers. Like albums, this format demands the creation of single, independent scenes, but like wallpapers it has a strong everyday Bustling Chinese villages are represented life’ motifs. and streams against mountainous landscapes of rocks, rivers various ages are which recall traditional pictorial art. People of activities, represented engaged in a wide range of recreational such as hunting, dancing and smoking pipes. of individual paintings, has the greatest The last typology, 3). representation in the Pitti Palace collection (Figure walls (Saunders 2002, p. 63). Despite their great cost, around walls (Saunders 2002, their European counterparts, Chinese twenty times higher than a peak of commerce reaching popular, wallpapers were hugely between 1740 and 1790. With the exception of four ‘birds and flower’ paintings which the majority of the of wallpaper, constituted one full length collection are illustrated with ‘scenes of wallpaper off-cuts in the can be found. At the end of 17th century, the French missionary century, At the end of 17th can be found. the inner walls of Chinese le Comte described Father Louise William a Chambers, of paper. fully covered by sheets houses as by the Swedish East India Company Scottish architect employed and Lord George Macartney (1737- between 1740 and 1749, diplomat, similarly noted that crimson 1806), an Irish-born British of paper were pasted to the interior and gold-coloured sheets more permanent decorative surface was required, Chinese artists Chinese artists required, surface was decorative permanent more which of wall paintings, more resistant technique employed the than private settings. found in public rather were usually tradition precedents in Chinese extent, though, some a certain To

2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 66 2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 67 ’: . The OR F

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E N T O LL E I L I O P PL C E E N in thin washes favoured good penetration into the paper fibres, and only the inorganic green and blue pigments, applied in thicker layers, were affected by minor cracking and flaking. operations and tests Preliminary The painting was easily removed from its frame and the conspicuous amount of dirt caught in the canvas was removed The large as much as possible with a small vacuum cleaner. amount of dust present on the painting was brushed away using natural soft brushes. Soft the thick layer of surface dirt deposited on the surface. The most thickly painted areas, such as the inorganic blues and greens, The condition of the painting was poor. The work was entirely The condition of the painting was poor. dimensions as adhered on a thick linen canvas having the same poplar stretcher all the painting, which was in turn adhered on a simple black fir frame, along the edges. The work was inserted in a with no glazing. a mechanical The fabric support provided the painting with it to survivestrength it would not have otherwise had, allowing inappropriate handling and storage. through centuries of display, this mounting method triggered severe degradation Conversely, biological processes, the most important of which was to with FT-IR degradation. A large amount of adhesive, identified had been used to be starch paste with the addition of animal glue, to the wooden adhere the painting to the canvas and the canvas areas of silverfish ingestion were visible all around Large stretcher. damage had the peripheral areas. In some cases the insect The leaving the canvas exposed. involved all three layers of paper, majority of the losses, though, involved the painted layer alone, so that the orange-coloured first backing layer of the painting was visible. canvas and wood, these The rigid bond between paper, having different behaviours in response to thermo-hygrometric fluctuations, had caused the paper to tear and delaminate. The paper support was discoloured overall, partly because of light exposure and partly because of the ageing of the amylaceous adhesive. A conspicuous amount of surface dirt blunted the polychromy. Besides a slight overall fading of the organic pigments, the media were in good condition. The application of most of the pigments ‘PEO O TH The conservation artwork will now applied to one such treatment The primarybe described. was to identify focus of this treatment be methodology that could and technical an ethical approach modifications, to each of the paintings applied, with appropriate like all others in the collection, in the collection. This painting, dual identity: Chinese in manufacture but was characterised by a aspects of its character had to be in function. Both these Western respected. In the conservation techniques were used and treatment, Oriental whenever possible. At the same time, Chinese materials applied on canvas and into frame, decided by the mounting of the painting was preserved with a proper and made compatible the collector, conservation. Conservation survey 937 x 627 mm, The painting was a wallpaper off-cut measuring above could be on which many of the characteristics described The first layer identified. Three layers of paper were detectable. on which the outlines of the image was a high-quality white paper, The second layer was a had been transferred by xylography. believed to be short-fibered, orange-coloured paper, also noted in third and last layer was a thin long-fibered paper, & Huxtable 1988, p. 54). other wallpapers (Webber

(The zhu !"#$ (Chinese or , a paper ) made from lian zhi The Tian +1-#* ), cinnabar ( lian zhi ) and white lead ) and gamboge mian lian Jie Zi Yuan Hua Jie Zi Yuan (Fiber Optic shi lü 3 dianlan zhe shih 8#9:".#/#)"$;-$#+(#/*)/ and FORS ), malachite ( 2 ), raw umber ( ), and the second lining either shiging Chung-Kuo Hua Yen Se Ti Yen Chiu Se Ti Yen Chung-Kuo Hua Yen , micro-Raman (Chinese Technology in the 17th Century) of Song (Chinese Technology 1 zhangdang ) were used both individually and mixed together (Rickman 1988, p. 45; Webber & Huxtable 1988, (Rickman 1988, p. 45; Webber ). Once dry, the lengths of wallpapers were trimmed, the lengths of ). Once dry, ). The organic pigments indigo ( bi ), minium ( mian lian 6-#$/7($ which they should be placed on the wall, and sold in sets of 20 to 40 rolls. or pp. 53-54; Lambert & Laroque 2002, p. 125). Albums generally comprised between three and seven layers of paper (Clunas 1984, p. 77). the lined paintings were dried and flattened on wooden Finally, boards ( numbered on the bottom on verso in order to indicate the order in Once the execution of a painting was complete, linings were applied on the verso with starch paste. The composition of paper used and the number of linings applied varied depending on the typology of painting. In the case of wallpapers, two linings were generally applied. The first was commonly made by unbleached bamboo fibres ( <($;)*+#,#9"./.')-+'". Both inorganic and organic pigments were identified. The first Both inorganic and organic pigments were identified. group included azurite ( sha ( %'($3/1"#$3 to obtain warmer and more transparent greens. An organic red pigment was also found, but its composition could not be ascertained with these techniques. Reflectance Spectroscopy). Results confirmed the use of the Reflectance Spectroscopy). Results confirmed technical literature. traditional Chinese palette as described in the In collaboration with the University of Florence and the scientific In collaboration with the University of Florence Florence, five department of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of using paintings of the Pitti Palace collection were investigated three non-invasive complementary techniques: XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) and their preparation. The work of the birds and flowers painter Yu flowers painter Yu and their preparation. The work of the birds and Feian (1889-1959), and Painting Colors), is entirely dedicated to the manufacture in recent years several use of pigments for painting. Moreover, with the aim technical and scientific studies have been published of gradually filling this gap in the literature (Wise & Wise 1997; & Kirby 2005; Giaccai & Winter Dronsfield 2005). Cooksey, vulgar and stated that ink alone could reproduce all the hues vulgar and stated that ink alone could reproduce about the present in nature. Nevertheless, some information preparation of the painting materials can be found. 2*$3/4#-/5"/ ink and of paper, Yingxing (1587-1666) describes the manufacture the the end of the 17th century, At cinnabar. Shi Wang Kai, Wang Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting) by pigments Nie dedicated an entire section to Chinese and Wang applied in layers. In order to harden the pigment to the binder and applied in layers. In order a solution of blending into each other, avoid layers of pigments each layer. alum was applied between about pigments is scarce in Chinese information Technical by Jennifer Giaccai and John Winterliterature. As hypothesised (Giaccai & Winter can be ascribed 2005) this lack of information literati, who decried the use of colour as to the influence of the made of weasel-hair were stiffer, and were therefore used for the and were therefore were stiffer, made of weasel-hair requiring more precision, parts of the composition execution of Goat brushes were flabby and such as outlines and details. suitable for applying washes. traditionally animal glue ( The pigment binder was oxen, donkeys and horses. Pigments were the bones and skin of the tools available to these artisans, but it seems likely that it seems likely but to these artisans, available the tools 77; used (Clunas 1984, p. brushes were traditional Chinese animal furs, made with different p. 5). These were Silbergeld 1982, into a bamboo inserted deer, rabbit, goat and such as weasel, Brushes degree of flexibility. furs had a different tube. Different

" , was , the was A+(#8 " A,8+ " $*)-:#=( =-A"=-/=*A" . Thanks to the . Thanks to ?(,-$(!@ swelled very easily @#@(9 " used to gain a perfect funori Reemay® K#@#-(3( " 5) " 9-A":#=( $,-,-B " J938 " 8+( " (Figure 6). 5) " on recto and verso, until fully relaxed and planar. on recto and verso, until fully relaxed and planar. , gently brushed through a Reemay® tissue, was .1-3*=( I@@$,4#8,5- " H " 9-A":#=( F " $#;(:#=( ;,B&9( starch paste. The used to guarantee the perfect adhesion of the lining to the verso of the painting. The work was turned face up, and the facing of rayon-paper gently removed from the painted surface. The and the rayon-paper was peeled from the recto without causing any resistance on the pigment layer (Figure 7). contact. Using a dahlia sprayer, the painted surface was sprayed contact. Using a dahlia sprayer, gently blotted away with deionised water and the excess of water with dry A considerable amount of soluble degradation blotters. was then laid face products was drawn into the blotters. The work first lining. down on a Reemay® for the application of the Application of the first lining Japico A very 100% kõzo paper, thin Japanese in weight and chosen for the first lining because of its similarity The paper was appearance to the now-removed second support. cut into pieces to replicate the necessary structure. Following the the verso of the same order of application, sheets were laid on painting, and a very thin wheat starch paste was brushed through them with a seaweed was dissolved and strained through a silk cloth. a silk strained through and was dissolved seaweed chosen rayon-paper, sheet of medium-weight A slightly damp a the painting, and using was laid on as a carrier, The from the centre outwards. warm, was applied adhesive, still on turned face down work was then released the adhesive was with the facing, moisture administered the verso the canvas from to carefully remove and it was possible piece. A sheet of of the painting in one single in order to slow down the drying verso placed on the painting’s complete. time until the removal was examined. The second long- verso was carefully The painting’s discoloured and imbedded with fibered lining was extremely considered best to remove it from adhesive. It was therefore An six small sheets of paper. the verso. The lining comprised their positions on the painting and order of overlay at 1:1 scale of on a Mylar ®. Once fully documented, the application was traced gently peeling away the fibres still moist, was removed by paper, The first backing paper was verywith scalpel and tweezers. well cause any tension to adhered to the verso, and since this did not Once the backing the painting it was preferred to leave it in place. to dryremoval was completed, the painting was left on felts. Blotters washing gently humidified In preparation for the lining, the painting was with a was laid face The work, supported by two sheets of Reemay®, up on a damp blotter and the

funori because of 2%. $-=#0# nikawa , historically less relevant , and aged wheat starch , and aged wheat starch funori prepared at different is the most refined; and funori shin-nori $-=#0# and , wheat starch and methylcellulose, $-=#0# funori ), widely used in both mounting and conservation; in choosing the appropriate adhesive. Traditional adhesive. Traditional in choosing the appropriate (Japanese scroll-mounters) were trialled. Chemical (Japanese scroll-mounters) was prepared at a concentration of 2% in deionised was prepared at a concentration of 2% in deionised hõgushi furu-nori hõgushi Figure 5 – Consolidation of the pigment layer with >-=#0# beads were soaked overnight and cooked in The gelatine water. consolidant, still a double boiler until completely dissolved. The 5). warm, was applied locally with a thin brush (Figure After testing both concentrations, the decision was made to use in consolidating its excellent penetration in the substrate, efficacy changes on the the fragile areas and the absence of chromatic being animal glue, the traditional binder painted surface. Moreover, the most appropriate for Chinese paintings, this choice appeared from an ethical stand-point. paste, animal glues, among which adhesives from seaweeds, such as but extremely interesting from a conservation standpoint (Masuda 1984; Morita 1984; Winter 1984). Consolidation Searching for an appropriate consolidant, the adhesives used by Searching for an appropriate the the absence of any flexibility and reversibility, and physical stability, artefact are the characteristics required chromatic change on the by the be divided in three classes: starch pastes Oriental adhesives can paste, (such as wheat starch and the frame was veryand the frame possible to and it was therefore brittle, dry painting and the stretcher separate the a thin by inserting of the canvas. The solubility the wood and the spatula between with deionised water and a solution of pigments was then tested alcohol 50%. Some of the more thickly deionised water and ethyl and blues were found to be slightly soluble painted copper greens in water. were avoided and gently vacuumed through a light textured fabric. textured fabric. a light through gently vacuumed avoided and were the dulled colours regained this simple operation, Already after and depth. brightness fabric artefact to both the paste used to mount the The starch to be strong enough to give appropriate support to the artwork, but also flexible and easily reversible, without causing any visible change to the painted surface (Keyes 1986). After testing with 2.5 % was chosen as the adhesive for the facing. The algae was soaked in water overnight, cooked in a pan over low heat until the to be dry before proceeding with the next one, and the painting was left to dry for two weeks. Facing In order to remove the canvas from the verso, a temporary support needed to be provided to the painting. Facing is a very delicate The chosen adhesive has operation from many points of view. This operation was repeated twice, waiting for the first application

2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 68 2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 69

NS IO S E T O NCLUS XRF analyses have been carried out by Alessandro Migliori, Nucleari per i Beni Culturali, Department Laboratorio di Tecniche of Physics, University of Florence.

Figure 8 – The painting after treatment. examination of the technical aspects of these objects and the careful execution of conservation treatments, valuable information on the history of the artefacts and the techniques and materials employed in their production can be obtained. Equally important is that this information be shared, so that gradually a more complete understanding of Chinese export art can be gained. ENDN 1 CO Between the beginnings of the 18th and 20th centuries, the arrival in Europe of numerous Chinese export artefacts exerted art and architecture that can be hardly an influence on Western underestimated. Nonetheless, very little is known about the workshops that produced this art, in regards to their organisation and operations as well as to the techniques and materials they employed. Large collections of Chinese export paintings, like the one of the Pitti Palace Museum, are therefore extremely important, since they provide a wide range of formats, motifs and techniques to be investigated. In this context, the conservator close plays a critical role. Through Mounting Mounting wooden frame was certainly on a fabric and The old mounting for a good conservation,not appropriate had historic but it still were treated the stretcher and frame Accordingly, importance. The washed and deacidified. and the canvas against woodworms false wooden stretcher with then mounted on the canvas was BEVA along the edges with fabric, adhered borders of polyester 371 FILM, and an interleaving layer of ORIGINAL FORMULA® paper was mounted with false margins on high-weight Japanese mounted on the stretcher Finally the painting was the stretcher. paper extending beyond the using the margins of Japanese in the original wooden frame (Figure 8). second lining, and inserted ) mo board to and a ) and ink ( =#)-:#)- 9-A":#=( teng huang , slightly heavier than the ), gamboge ( =-$"3#0# effected a very sizing of gentle cleaning and dian lian funori paper was toned with Windsor & Newton gouaches . The lining paper, larger than the object, was pasted . The lining paper, ), indigo ( !"#$ zhe shih infilled with this paper. However, the external area of the painting However, infilled with this paper. presented extensive losses which could not be graphically and chromatically reconstructed without making arbitrary interpretations of the design. Therefore, in these areas only the infilling and and and not the infilling inpainting of the original backing paper, were carried out. inpainting of the painted paper, Once the losses of the first lining were all infilled, repairs of the painted layer were carried out. The Chinese pigments raw umber ( were diluted with a solution of nikawa 2% and brushed in layers on a sheet of xuan paper until the colour of the background of the painting was obtained. Losses of the painted paper which were able to be graphically and chromatically reconstructed were then Two types of losses were observed of in the painting: losses Two and revealing the orange-coloured first lining, the painted paper, losses of both the painted paper and the first lining. In order to replicate the opaque and dull appearance of the first lining, Chinese before being shaped and secured in place as infillings with wheat starch paste. Once dry, the painting was again gently humidified with the Once dry, 9-A":#=( along the edges and the painting was fixed on a dry and flatten. Loss infilling and retouching The painting was again humidified with the second backing of Japico on the verso paper used in the previous lining, was applied technique. The with thin wheat starch paste, using a drop-lining painting was then left to dry on felts. drying on karibari Tension In order to provide additional strength to the fragile painting it In order to provide additional strength to the this paper, was decided to apply a second lining of Japanese Japanese paper, time Japico kinugawa. Compared to Chinese of the paper has a higher mechanical strength. In consideration the need to mount it moderately large size of the painting, and of the application of a stronger again on its original wooden stretcher, paper was deemed preferable. The painting was then laid down on felts. A metallic frame covered The painting was then laid down on felts. A metallic blotting paper was with Reemay® and large strips of dampened dryingplaced on top of it, in order to slow down the time of the peripheral areas (otherwise shorter than the drying time of inner areas) and limit deformation. Application of the second lining Figure 7 – Removal of the facing from the recto of the painting. the Moreover, which once dry more even and appeared noticeably the paper, resistant. , IPC

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D , Washington UP, Seattle. UP, , Washington E LS WL O

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T A Nuno Felipe, Camarneiro Mendes (University of Florence), Marcello Picollo (Instituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara” IFAC-CNR, Marabini (Hirayama Sesto Fiorentino, Jin Xian Qiu and Valentina Studio, British Museum). An especially deep thank you to Jon for his invaluable support in writing this paper. Faulkner, Wishab Sponges and Funori Phase Restauro Srl Via Dello Sprone 6/8 R, 50125, Florence (Italy) +39 055 289113; Fax: +39 055 2381023 Tel: Japanese brushes Talas 10011 NY, 20th Street, New York, 5th Floor , 20 West +1 212 219 0770; Fax: +1 212 219 0735 Tel: R1) and Kinugawa Kizuki Kõzo Japanese paper (art. 623 470 / Japanese paper (art. 632 161) Japico Rasmussengasse 2, 1210 Vienna () +43 1 4702009; Fax: +43 1 497014 Tel: ORIGINAL FORMULA® 371 FILM CTS BEVA Via L. Gordigiani 54, 50127 Florence (Italy) +39 055 3245014; Fax: +39 055 3245078 Tel: Nikawa, Chinese paintings and Chinese paper were a generous gift of the Hirayama Studio, British Museum. ACKN I wish to acknowledge all the people that have worked with me on this project: Rosanna Morozzi (Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Pitti Palace Museum), Cristina Pace and Maria Luisa Giorgi (Museo Nazionale d’Arte Orientale of ), Michela Piccolo (Opificio delle Pietre Dure e Laboratori di Restauro of Florence), Alessandro Migliori and M *7/K#)/Q#.'()$/U)'V/&)(N)-$'./*7/'1(/P*$')-:"'-*$./'*/'1(/4R*'*/ P*$3)(..V/[\/O/Ya/H(N'(9:()/[\ZZV Conservation pp. 44-51. (IIC), London, 2002, Saunders, G London. Albert Museum, J 1982, Silbergeld, N)-$+-N,(./*7/7*)9 P & Huxtable, M 1988, ‘The conservation of Eighteenth Webber, century Kingdom’, Chinese wallpapers in the United P*$.()L#'-*$/*7/K#)/Q#.'()$/U)'V/&)(N)-$'./*7/'1(/P*$')-:"'-*$./ '*/'1(/4R*'*/P*$3)(..V/[\/O/Ya/H(N'(9:()/[\ZZ Institute for Conservation pp. 52-58. (IIC), London, J 1984, ‘Natural adhesives in East Asian paintings’, Winter, of the Contributions to Preprints Adhesives and Consolidants, '1(/&#)-./P*$3)(..V/Y/O/Z/H(N'(9:()/[\Z] for Conservation (IIC), London, pp. 117-126. Wise, D & Wise, A 1998, ‘Observations century on Nineteenth greens’, Chinese pigments with special reference to copper +*$7()($+(/N#N()./^*$;*$/[\\`D/N)*+((;-$3./*7/'1(/7*")'1/ -$'()$#'-*$#,/+*$7()($+(/*7/'1(/X$.'-'"'(/*7/&#N()/P*$.()L#'-*$ 6-9 April 1997, Institute of Paper Conservation, London, pp. 123- 136. ,

, ,

, 2-6

, Giunti, , vol. 20, pp. , U. Atti del , Victoria and , Victoria and 5*)=./*7/#)'/*$/ , International Institute The Conservation B-,,#/;(,,#/C(3-$#D/ I"#;)(''-/+-$(.-/;-/ , Vol. 3, p. 59. , Vol. , Napoli, Palazzo Reale, 7 dicembre 2001 , Napoli, Palazzo Reale, H+-($+(/#$;/+-L-,-.#'-*$/-$/P1-$#W/B*,W/_D/

Needham, J 1985, P1(9-.')R/#$;/+1(9-+#,/'(+1$*,*3RW/&#)'/[D/&#N()/#$;/N)-$'-$3 Cambridge University Press, New York. Rickman, C 1988, ‘Conservation of of Chinese export works art on paper: watercolors and wallpapers’, P*$')-:"'-*$./'*/'1(/&#)-./P*$3)(..V/Y/O/Z/H(N'(9:()/[\Z] International Institute for Conservation (IIC), London, pp. 121-122. Mosco, M 2001, ‘Carte dipinte a ’, in InternazionaleConvegno del Centro di Studi del Gabinetto H+-($'-T+*/^(''()#)-*/2W/&W/B-("..("!/O/K-)($A(V/Y_/O/Y`/9#)A*/ 1999 for Conservation (IIC), London, pp. 127-128. Morena, F 2005, +*,,(A-*$-/;-/#)'(/+-$(.(/(/3-#NN*$(.(/#/&#,#AA*/&-''- Florence. Morita, T 1984, ‘Nikawa – traditional production of animal glue in Japan’, +*$.()L#'-*$W/P*$')-:"'-*$./'*/'1(/XXP/8#,'-9*)(/+*$3)(.. September 2002, International Institute for Conservation (IIC), London, pp. 122-128. adhesives used in the workshop Masuda, K 1984, ‘Vegetable of the Hyõgushi, restorer and mounter of Japanese paintings’, of the Contributions to Adhesives and Consolidants, Preprints '1(/&#)-./P*$3)(..V/Y/O/Z/H(N'(9:()/[\Z] Keyes, K M 1986, ;('()-*)#'(;/'1-$/.")7#+(/,#9-$#'(V/-$/S1(/N#N()/+*$.()L#'*) 10, pp. 10-17. Vol. Lambert, I & Laroque, C 2002, ‘An eighteenth-century Chinese wallpaper: historical context and conservation’, N#N()V/:**=.V/;*+"9($'./#$;/N1*'*3)#N1.D/'(+1$-6"(./#$;/ Evans, D 1984, ‘Funori: a short description, recipe and source’, Evans, D 1984, ‘Funori: a short description, S1(/:**=/#$;/N#N()/3)*"N/#$$"#, Painting Colors: History J 2005, ‘Chinese Giaccai, J & Winter, and Reality’, N)*+((;-$3./*7/'1(/.(+*$;/K*):(./.R9N*.-"9/#'/'1(/K)(()/ Gallery of Ar Albert Museum, London. Clunas, C 1987, Albert Museum, London. J 2005, ‘Chinese green, an Dronsfield, A & Kirby, C, Cooksey, enduring mystery’, 155-164. Allemandi, . (editors) 2001, Caterina, L & Porzio, A. +*,,(A-*$(/:*):*$-+#/;#,,#/JK#L*)-'#M/;-/>#N*,-/(/&#,()9*/O/ +#'#,*3*/;(,,#/9*.')# . – 5 marzo 2002, Arte Tipografica, Clunas, C 1984, R C (editors) 2005, Caterina, L & Mossetti, -,/C-E(..*/;(,,FG)-($'(/$(,/&-(9*$'(/;(,/H(''(+($'* 2 3

2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 70 2010 AICCM BOOK, PAPER AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS SYMPOSIUM 71

LS AI has a BA in Art History has a BA in the University of from T E D

PHY CT A NT 00198 Rome Italy [email protected] National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne VIC 180 St Kilda Rd 3004 Australia [email protected] Via Adige 64 started an on-going collaboration with the Pitti Palace Museum with the Pitti Palace Museum collaboration started an on-going for the conservationof Florence export paintings of the Chinese working in the conservationcollection. She has been department initially as Paper Conservationof the NGV since 2008, Intern and more recently as Conservator and Photographs. of Paper CO BIOGRA Polidori Elisabetta Conservation a MA (Hons) in Paper Florence and from the Opificio graduation, Elisabetta Since her Dure of Florence, Italy. delle Pietre