preservation of works of art on paper

Preservation of Works of Art on

Paper& Examples of the Effects of

Improper Standards

Basics for Preservation

Proper Care and Handling

Storage & Environment

Limiting Light Exposure

Limiting Exposure to Gaseous Pollution and Airborne Particulates

Controlling Temperature and Relative Humidity

Proper Care & Handling

Work in dedicated surface space twice the size of the largest object

Handle paper objects as little and as gently as possible with clean/dry hands

Support documents in folders, mats, and boxes

Avoid sliding documents around on top of each other

StorageStore matted works horizontally in acid-free boxes or in shallow map drawers

Matted works should have acid-free tissues between the window mat and drawing

Oversized objects should be stored flat whenever possible, not rolled or folded

Isolate highly acidic materials by storing them separately

Limiting Light Exposure

Light damage is determined by wavelength of light, length of exposure, and intensity of illumination

Most paper items are susceptible to damage from ultraviolet (UV) and visible light

Damage is cumulative and irreversible

Fades watercolor and writing inks

Yellow, darken, and weaken paper

Limiting Exposure to Gaseous Pollution and Airborne

ParticulatesPollutants from industrial gases, heating sources are absorbed by paper and can form compounds detrimental to the stability of the paper

Dust, soot, and soil are difficult to remove from porous surfaces

Indoor pollutants caused by computers and office machines, paints, installation, cleaning supplies can also degrade paper

Controlling Temperature and Relative Humidity

Keep objects in a cool, dry environment. Maintain a temperature below 70 degrees with relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent.

Warm or moist conditions accelerate deterioration and encourage mold growth and insect activity.

Keep temp and rH within a narrow, constant range

Fluctuations in climate cause papers to expand and contract: structural weakening of paper, undermining attachments, and distortions such a buckling

Examples from The National Gallery of Denmark of

unsuccessful or nonexistent preservation efforts

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’ Lithograph Portraits of Yvette

Guilbert

Before

After

Michael Ostendorfer’s, illustration of deer hunting in the

Löss Forest, 1543, Woodcut

3 blocks

1 2 3

122 x 36 cm

Before After

Peder Als Pastel Portrait of Queen Juliane Marie

Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-91), Landscape around the Drac River near Grenoble, 1880

Watercolor

Iron Gall Ink

Chalk & Pastel

Charcoal