Documentation_in_Painting_Conservation.pdf

"Documentation in Painting Conservation" is a file that outlines the systematic recording of a painting’s condition, treatment processes, and materials used. It highlights the importance of accurate written, photographic, and graphic records in preserving both the artwork and its conservation history.

1. Documentation in
Painting Conservation
Asst. Prof. Crisencio M. Paner

2. Introduction
•Documentation is a cornerstone of painting conservation.
•It records a painting’s condition, treatment history, and
interventions, guiding future conservators.
•The purpose of documentation is not only to inform
current treatment decisions but also to guide future
conservators in understanding the history of an artwork
and ensuring its long-term preservation.

3. Importance of Documentation
•Ensures transparency, continuity, and ethical decision-
making.
•Required by institutions and supports scholarly research
(ICOM-CC, 2008; Staniforth, 2000).

4. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment:
-A thorough examination before any treatment begins.
-This includes visual inspection, raking light photography,
and UV/IR imaging.
• Detailed Mapping: Cracks, paint loss, previous
restorations
• Analytical Data: X-radiography, FTIR, XRF, SEM/EDS
(Bomford et al., 1990)

5. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: Visual inspection

6. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: Photography in raking light
-Raking Light is an illumination technique that enhances the surface details of
artwork by utilizing a low-angle single light source.
-This method effectively highlights structural issues such as paint lifting and
prior restorations, as it creates contrast between light and shadow, bringing
subtle anomalies to the forefront.

7. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: UV Imaging
•While invisible to the naked eye, UV light can reveal ultraviolet-induced
visible fluorescence when it interacts with certain materials, allowing
conservators to assess the condition of artworks.
•The fluorescence colors vary depending on the material; for instance,
aged natural resin varnishes produce a yellow-green haze, while synthetic
varnishes can appear milky white to purple.
•Compounds like linseed oil emit a bluish hue, whereas newer restorations
typically fluoresce much less, appearing dark violet or black.
•This fluorescence can assist in identifying original paints and highlight
areas of previous restoration or retouching, as noted by specific blemishes
in the analyzed artwork.

8. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: UV Imaging
The photograph reveals dark violet blemishes in the center and right sky, as
well as along the vertical edges, indicating areas where retouching or non-
original paint has been applied during past restorations to repair damage to
the painting.

9. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: IR imaging
•Infrared reflectography is a key technique in art conservation that
allows researchers to examine preliminary sketches made with
charcoal or graphite, revealing alterations and hidden elements within
the artwork.
•In the case of Lane’s painting of Boston Harbor, this technology
exposes the underdrawing of the sails and horizon line, as well as
modifications to the placement of figures in the boat.
•Additionally, a faint buoy that does not appear in the final work is also
detected.
•The analysis indicates that the smaller sailboat was painted directly
onto the background without an underlying drawing.

10. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: IR imaging

11. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Initial Assessment: Normal imaging

12. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Detailed Mapping: Deterioration such as cracks, paint
loss, and previous restorations are documented and
mapped.

13. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report

14. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report

15. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report

19. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: X-radiography
•X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation that can penetrate
materials to varying degrees based on their density, and they
produce images known as X-radiographs.
•The discussed X-radiograph highlights how different paint strokes
exhibit varying patterns based on the density of the colors used.
•Curved patterns are observed in the sky, while water and boat
strokes appear more linear and smooth.
•Lighter areas in the image, such as the clouds, sun, and white sails,
suggest the presence of denser materials, like lead white, which
block X-rays.
•Additionally, the wooden stretcher and nails supporting the canvas are
visible in the X-radiograph.

20. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: X-radiography

21. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: FTIR
FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) is a powerful analytical
technique used in the study of paintings and other artworks to identify
materials such as pigments, binders, varnishes, and degradation
products.

22. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data:XRF
XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) analysis is a non-destructive technique
widely used in the examination of paintings to identify the elemental
composition of materials—especially inorganic pigments, ground layers,
and metallic elements.
??? What XRF Can Identify
•Pigments (e.g., lead, copper, iron, mercury-based pigments)
•Ground layers (e.g., calcium from chalk, gypsum)
•Restorations (detect differences in materials)
•Metal foils (e.g., gold leaf, silver, tin)
•Layer stratigraphy (with advanced mapping or micro-XRF)

23. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data:XRF
??? Common Use Cases in Art
•Identifying forgeries or overpainting
•Studying historical pigment palettes
•Revealing hidden compositions or underdrawings
•Mapping elemental distributions across a painting

24. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data:XRF
XRF Analysis Results from a 17th-Century Painting.
Area Scanned Detected Elements Interpretation
Background sky Pb (lead), Sn (tin)
Likely lead white pigment, possibly mixed
with tin-based whites
Red robe Hg (mercury), S Indicates vermilion (mercury sulfide)
Green foliage Cu (copper), Zn
Suggests verdigris or copper resinate,
with possible modern zinc-based additives
Yellow highlights Pb, Cr
Likely lead chromate (chrome yellow) –
not original if used before 1800s
Underpainting Fe, Mn
Indicates earth pigments like umber
(iron/manganese oxides)

25. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: SEM/EDS
SEM/EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray
Spectroscopy) is a powerful technique used in art conservation and
painting analysis to obtain high-resolution images of the paint structure
and elemental composition of microscopic areas.
??? What is SEM/EDS?
SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy): Provides detailed images of a
painting’s surface or cross-section at high magnification (up to
nanometer scale).
EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy): Identifies the
elements present in the sample by detecting characteristic X-rays
emitted from the atoms after being hit by the electron beam.

26. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: SEM/EDS

27. Types of Documentation: Condition
Report
• Analytical Data: SEM/EDS

28. Types of Documentation: Treatment
• Proposal and Rationale: Ethics and
scientific basis
• Procedures: Materials, techniques,
solvents
• Before-and-After: High-res photography
and condition reports

29. Types of Documentation: Treatment
• Proposal and Rationale:
-Any proposed interventions, with a rationale
rooted in ethics and scientific assessment.

30. Types of Documentation: Treatment
• Procedures: Materials, techniques,
solvents

31. Types of Documentation: Treatment
• Before-and-After: High-res photography and condition reports
Condition: Varnish layer had discolored, and the surface
was covered with dirt and grime.
Treatment: Discolored varnish, dirt, and grime were
removed with appropriate solvents.
Charles Bird King, Miss Satterlee, ca. 1830-39

32. Types of Documentation: Preventive
• Environmental Monitoring: Light,
temperature, humidity, pollutants
•Handling & Storage: Guidelines and
incident records

33. Types of Documentation: Preventive
• Environmental Monitoring: Light,
temperature, humidity, pollutants

34. Types of Documentation: Preventive
•Handling & Storage: Guidelines and
incident records
•Proper handling of paintings is crucial to prevent damage during
movement or examination.
•The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) provides detailed
guidelines on this topic.
•For instance, they recommend that medium-sized paintings be
handled by two individuals, each supporting the lower and upper
corners to balance the weight.
•Additionally, using padded trolleys can aid in transporting larger
artworks safely.

35. Types of Documentation: Preventive
•Handling & Storage: Guidelines and
incident records

36. Types of Documentation: Preventive
???️ Best Practices for Painting Storage
Use of Art Storage Racks: Museums often utilize specialized art
storage racks to store paintings securely. These racks allow artworks to
be hung vertically, minimizing contact and reducing the risk of damage.
Climate-Controlled Environments: Maintaining stable temperature
and humidity levels is essential. Fluctuations can cause materials to
expand or contract, leading to deterioration.
Proper Wrapping and Framing: When not displayed, paintings should
be wrapped in acid-free materials and stored in sturdy frames or crates
to protect them from dust, light, and physical damage.
Regular Inspection: Periodic checks help identify any signs of
deterioration early, allowing for timely conservation measures.

37. Types of Documentation: Preventive
•Handling & Storage: Guidelines and
incident records

38. Digital and Long-Term Documentation
•Digital platforms like ConservationSpace
and Getty databases use standardized
formats and metadata (Michalski, 1993).
•Archival best practices recommend use of
non-proprietary formats (like PDF/A, TIFF)
and metadata standards (CIDOC CRM,
Dublin Core) (Michalski, 1993).

39. Digital and Long-Term Documentation
•ConservationSpace is a web-based digital document
management system developed specifically for conservators.
•It allows users to write, store and retrieve conservation
information.

40. Digital and Long-Term Documentation
???️ Getty Conservation Institute: Advancing Digital
Documentation
-The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) has been at the forefront of
developing and promoting digital documentation practices in
conservation.
-Their initiatives emphasize the use of standardized metadata and
non-proprietary formats to enhance the accessibility and longevity
of conservation records.

41. Ethical Considerations
•AIC Code of Ethics: Documentation must
be thorough and honest (AIC, 1994)
•Burra Charter: Documentation before,
during, and after conservation (Australia
ICOMOS, 2013)

42. Challenges and Developments
•Standardization varies across institutions
•Digitization raises issues of access and
preservation (Reilly, 1995)
•Emerging tech: 3D scanning,
hyperspectral imaging, AI

43. Challenges and Developments
•Standardization: Despite numerous guidelines,
practices can vary widely between institutions and
countries, making cross-institutional research or
collaboration difficult.
•Digitization: While digital documentation increases
accessibility, it introduces challenges such as data
migration, storage, and long-term accessibility (Reilly,
1995).
•Emerging Technologies: 3D scanning, hyperspectral
imaging, and AI-based damage detection are beginning
to influence documentation methods in conservation.

44. Case Study: National Gallery, London
•Detailed documentation for conservation,
e.g., Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne
(Bomford et al., 1990)

45. Case Study: National Gallery, London
???️ Conservation Documentation and Technical Analysis
•The National Gallery, London, has conducted extensive
conservation work on Bacchus and Ariadne. Their Technical Bulletin
provides in-depth information on the painting's condition, materials,
and restoration processes.
Technical Bulletin: Titian's 'Bacchus and Ariadne' includes:
•Historical context and provenance of the painting.
•Detailed analysis of pigments and materials used by Titian.
•Documentation of past restorations and their impact.
•Insights into the techniques employed during conservation efforts.
These resources provide valuable insights into the meticulous process
of conserving a Renaissance masterpiece, highlighting the importance
of detailed documentation in painting conservation.

46. Case Study: The Getty Museum
•Used multi-spectral imaging and XRF for
Mantegna’s The Adoration of the Magi
(Getty, 2017)

47. Case Study: The Getty Museum
???️ Conservation Documentation and Technical Analysis
The J. Paul Getty Museum has conducted extensive conservation work
on The Adoration of the Magi. Their publication provides in-depth
information on the painting's condition, materials, and restoration
processes.
Publication: Andrea Mantegna: The Adoration of the Magi
includes:
•Historical context and provenance of the painting.
•Detailed analysis of pigments and materials used by Mantegna.
•Documentation of past restorations and their impact.
•Insights into the techniques employed during conservation efforts.
These resources provide valuable insights into the meticulous process
of conserving a Renaissance masterpiece, highlighting the importance
of detailed documentation in painting conservation.

48. Conclusion
•Documentation is not a passive record-keeping task but
a dynamic and integral part of conservation practice.
•It provides the necessary continuity and transparency to
maintain the integrity and authenticity of artworks across
generations.
•As new tools and ethical standards evolve, so too must
the practices of documentation, ensuring that
conservation remains a forward-looking and responsible
field.

49. References
AIC. (1994). Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. American Institute for
Conservation. https://www.culturalheritage.org
Bomford, D., Kirby Talley Jr., M., & Roy, A. (1990). Conservation of Paintings. London:
National Gallery.
ICOM-CC. (2008). Terminology to Characterize the Conservation of Tangible Cultural
Heritage.
Michalski, S. (1993). Preservation of Collections: Assessment, Strategy, and Program
Development. Canadian Conservation Institute.
Reilly, J. (1995). Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access Network. Council on Library
and Information Resources.
Staniforth, S. (2000). Conservation: Principles, Dilemmas and Uncomfortable Truths.
Routledge.
Australia ICOMOS. (2013). The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places
of Cultural Significance.