E-Conservation Magazine - 11

e_conservation
the online magazine No. 11, October 2009
Software development for conservation (or the lack of it)
The most frequent objects that the public usually associates with conservation-restoration are probably a scalpel and a brush. But nowadays our field is far away from previous empirical times, being supported by a series of scientific disciplines that allow the conservator-restorer to plan the best possible intervention. These last decades have been dominated by a series of technological advances in the widest possible areas, including computer technology, turning our days into the Information Age. In fact, computers are present in most of the fields that complement conservation-restoration today, such as, for example, analytical chemistry, environmental sciences, etc. Computer technology, however, is still almost absent from the conservation process. Of course in almost every workshop there is at least one computer but its function is not directly related to conservation: it is mostly used for internet browsing and Office-type or image editing software, isnt it? Within this panorama, the need for specific software for conservation-restoration becomes obvious. I cannot say, honestly, that creating or adapting software for our professional use has not already been attempted, however its absence from our work does not in the least surprise me. Besides the fact that our options are very limited, there may be various reasons for this, such as the poor level of programming, lack of scalability, non-user friendly interface or limited features. Software industry is a multi-billion dollar business worldwide. Most of it is monopolized either by giant companies who make software for other giant companies or directly for home-users, or by small companies for niche markets. Thus, the lack of well-known specific software for conservation is either because there are no giant conservation-restoration companies or because our niche was never considered a very fruitious market. In this perspective, for example, museums and libraries have been much more prolific, as it is relatively easy to find specific, even open source software for these fields. One of the main concerns of institutions worldwide is to digitalize records in order to safeguard and organise their collections. Thus, collection management software is an indispensable tool. Comparable software for conservation would be one to manage the important and unique documentation of our projects. All those records that we produce for each individual intervention could profit enormously from specific management software. So why are we behind so many other fields of equal importance? There are several reasons that I can think of, among which the lack of data standards, low economic importance or even disinterest. On the positive side, a step forward is now being made by a project, funded by the Mellon Foundation, which intends to develop ConservationSpace, documentation management software which is exclusively designed for conservation-restoration. The project is led by conservators and other museum professionals, although any private conservator from around the world will be able to benefit from it, as it will be released as Open Source. This software is, in a certain way, a major breakthrough, because it will help to establish some standards and it will raise awareness of these needs among conservators. At the same time, I can only hope that this is an awakening call to entrepreneurs to start developing software applications to this so needed field.
Rui Bordalo Editor in Chief
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editorial
www.prorestauro.com
INDEX
NEWS
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CONFERENCE REVIEW CAPITAL CULTURA Development through Culture: the Road to Sustainability
September 21-22, 2009, Sibiu, Romania Review by Raluca Pop
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Culture (2007-2013) Programme Florences 1st International Art and Restoration Fair UPCOMING EVENTS
October-November 2009
EVENTS ARTICLES
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Conservation on the Cyber Frontier

By Daniel Cull
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Let's Paint a Ruin The Conservation of the Steel Coal Tower in Voelklinger Huette
By Kornelius Gtz and Axel Bcker
CASE STUDY
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The Ghalwar Mosque and Girls School. A Project Recently Re-examined Danish Contribution in Post-War Conservation of Afghanistan Heritage in Herat, 1993-94
By Abdul Wasay Najimi
ARP PROCEEDINGS
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Knowing Hodart and His Work The Conservation-Restoration of the Last Supper
By Catarina Gerso de Alarco
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The Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaa The Conservation-Restoration of the Sanctuary Reliquaries
By Andr Varela Remgio
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The Use of Wax-Resin in Conservation Treatments of Gilded Surfaces

By Elsa Filipe de Andrade Murta
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CAPITAL CULTURA Development through Culture: the Road to Sustainability

September 21-22, 2009 Sibiu, Romania http://www.cultura2007.ro Review by Raluca Pop
CAPITAL CULTURA was the 7th annual forum organized by the Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes (CCECP). A public institution responsible for providing information, technical consultancy and support in finding partners for some European Union funding programmes dedicated to culture, the CCECP annual event offers relevant themes for debate and creates networking opportunities to national and regional cultural operators. Culture and sustainable development were in focus this year, as the forum set out to emphasize the importance of integrating the dimension of culture into the theory and practice of sustainable development. The discussions looked at the role culture can play in the sustainable development and in return, the way in which community action or non-action interferes in the life and work of artistic creators, but also, many times as well, unfortunately with devastating results, on built cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the view of the debates was always set on the future, trying to identify resources for the support of artistic creation and the valorization of cultural heritage, while at the same time considering the European context and the necessity to protect and promote European cultural diversity and enhance European citizenship. First day discussion started with a contribution of Ms. Andreea Paul (Vass), personal councilor of the Romanian Prime-Minister, which spoke about the contribution of cultural activities to the ecoe_conser vation
Organisers: Organised with the financial support of the Romanian Ministry of Culture, Religious Affairs and National Heritage and of the European Commission, that co-finance the activity of the Romanian Cultural Contact Point and of the Europe for Citizens Point Romania. These structures are hosted by the Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes that puts forward individual action plans of specific activities each year. The 2009 forum was organized in partnership by these 2 structures and reflected their common interest in investigating the relationship between culture, European citizenship and sustainable development.
CONFERENCE REVIEW
nomy and the need to take into consideration cultural and creative industries, as one of the key pillars of economic development for the future and, from the point of view of culture in general, an important opportunity to convince the Government that culture deserves more financial support. Next was the presentation of Ms. Sabine Bornemann, consultant for the Culture Programme in Germany. She spoke about the way in which the European Union supports culture, underlying the philosophy behind its main financing instrument for direct support: the Culture Programme, trying to give a better understanding of the programmes 'playing rules' - which are intended to protect the independence of the national cultural sectors and the obligatory 'European Added Value'. A short excursion to EU-programmes of other policy areas, or different funds, which might be interesting for cultural projects, alongside indication of webportals in different languages, which help cultural operators to access these, completed the presentation. Ms. Marcela Strakova, consultant for the Europe for Citizens Programme in the Czech Republic and Ms. Oana Bluescu from Romania presented this funding ooportunity and provided interesting project examples. As one of the main objectives of CAPITAL CULTURA was to shed light on the concrete contribution the EU has been making to the valorization of cultural assets and cultural creation as an active ingredient of programmes targeting sustainable development, one could not miss to present the impact of the European Capital of Culture Programme for the Sibiu region from 2007 onwards, when the city acted in this role, alongside Luxembourg. Mr. Constantin Chiriac, director of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival and Mr. Nanu Ilie Dan, member of the implementation team from the part of the public authorities involved in the Programme offered their opinions to the public. The main
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idea channeling through the presentations was the value of partnerships and cooperation in the cultural sector in general, as one of the 3 ways the organizers sought useful to address the theme of forum. Successful initiatives that involved regional and transnational partnerships, joint use of resources and development of joint administrative services (personnel, logistics, infrastructure) for artistic creation, such as the Programme developed in Sibiu in 2007 and the Mains dOeuvres (Saint-Ouen, France) experience were as such introduced to the participants. Ms. Angela Conquet presented the latter. Soon enough, in October 2009, a handful of artist organizations and individuals will open a similar cultural space for creation and exhibition in Cluj-Napoca. Mr. Istvan Szakats, president of AltArt Foundation, one of the Members of the Brush Factory (the soon to be opened cultural space) made clear what is the philosophical fundament of the initiative and their thought stance concerning the European Union and the role of art in the public sphere. We then moved on to the second part of the forum, as Mr. Vladimir Simon introduced us to the focus of the next set presentations: cross-sectoral development, ways to support and harness culture, research, creative industries, education, heritage and traditional craftsmanship in projects dealing with territorial cohesion. We were swiftly introduced to the innovative methods of restoration
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CONFERENCE REVIEW
developed by CERTO Institute of Optoelectronics by using laser technology in artworks. Ms. Roxana Radvan, coordinator of the Centre, presented the way in which laser technology uses the memory of light to bring information and concrete restoration. Participant in more than 4 European research and cultural project, CERTO was dedicated a special case-study brochure, as part of the works of the Romanian Cultural Contact Point (hosted by CCECP), available for free at request. Moving on towards the end of day, Mr. Ovidiu Danes, president of the DALA Foundation, presented the project 60 wooden churches from Northern Oltenia and Southern Transylvania, impressive work in two very different ways: on one hand, the enthusiasm and dedication of the people involved in the project, among which more than 200 volunteers, and on the other, the terrible condition many of the wooden churches are found in. The situation requires, in some cases, urgent intervention for protection, and an appeal was made, not without some echo, to the participants at the forum. At the other end of the cultural spectrum, the support and approach towards creative industries were portrayed by Mrs. Corina Rceanu, which also indicated the massive contribution this sector makes to the economy, relative to others that bring about much more legal and financial support from the State. The day came to an end with an inspiring and motivating input by Mr Alexandru Andranu, coordinator of the Geomedia Centre from the University of Bucharest, responsible for the European Geopark of ara Haegului, and that showed us the way in which this form of territorial marking and organization can represent an important tool for European cooperation, for the benefit of the community and in line with the practice of sustainable development. Second and last day of CAPITAL CULTURA moved us again into a slightly different direction, that of territorial cohesion, from where we tried to
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make sense of the role and impact that culture can have in the context of cultural operators involvement in pluri-sectorial groups of initiative based on regional partnerships. Moderated by Mr. Andranu, this session proved to be an energetic and thought-provoking ending for the forum. It started with a presentation of the implementation of LEADER Programme in Romania and the National Network for Rural Development, performed by Mr. Valentin Tudorache, from the regional public authority in charge for the programme and it continued with a short resume of a material sent by Ms. Lena Bergils, former coordinator of Impact Hlsingland Leader plus area in Sweden and national coordinator in the Cult-Rural European Culture project from the part of the Swedish Local Heritage Federation. In the final part of the event, again under the theme of territorial cohesion and the potential role and impact of culture, were discussions with specialists actively involved in research, development and accommodating cultural and scientific information for targeted groups of beneficiaries: Mr. Dan Palcu (MZC Crossover Communication), Mr. tefan Blici (Arhitectur-Restaurare-Arheologie Association) and Mr. Mihai Dragomir (Mioritics Association). They presented us some reflection upon their work and debated over the idea of rural tourism as solution for the development of different regions. Intellectually challenging and offering
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CONFERENCE REVIEW
valuable insight on some of the most discussed development and cultural projects in Romania in the last few years: Roia Montan, the Haeg European Geopark and the Cultural Route of the Saxon Fortified Churches in Transylvania, the debate also stimulated valuable opinions of Ms. Mioara Lujanschi, coordinator of the Romanian Cultural Contact Point and Mr. Alexandru Andranu, who moderated the discussions. Further on during the day, participants interested in advanced artwork conservation and restoration techniques also had the opportunity to join in the LACONA 8 conference organized by the National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics. CAPITAL CULTURA sought to bring together guests from abroad and from Romania who, along with the other participants, would together to identify those aspects of artists and cultural operators activity that could represent the key to a sustainable development and to supporting the conditions of artistic creation. At the same time, the event tried to launch an invitation for local authorities, significant actors in community development, who can build an extremely relevant relationship: between culture and active European citizenship. This initiative emerged from the belief that artistic activity and cultural heritage resources are an
important community capital for sustainable development and that each social actor has a welldefined role in strengthening and valorizing this potential. Review by Raluca Pop, Consultant for the Romanian Cultural Contact Point, hosted by the Consultancy Center for European Cultural Programmes. Consultancy Center for European Cultural Programmes 57 Barbu Delavrancea str, district 1, postal code 011353, Bucharest, Romania Tel / Fax: +4021 316 60 60; +4021 316 60 61 www.eurocult.ro; info@eurocult.ro The Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes hosts the activities of the Romanian Cultural Contact Point, the Media-Desk and the Europe for Citizens Point.
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NEWS
CULTURE (2007-2013) PROGRAMME

Background Culture is a relatively new sphere of action for the European Union, at least from a legal standpoint: the legal basis for EU action in this field was only introduced in 1992 with the Maastricht Treaty. This action is aimed at encouraging and supporting co-operation within Europe in order to bring the European common cultural heritage to the fore. The European Commission encourages culture in two ways: - through policies, chiefly cultural policy, and by mainstreaming the cultural dimension in other areas of EU interest such as for instance in competition or industrial policy; - and through financial support, primarily via the Culture (2007-2013) Programme, but also via other actions such as for example within the framework of regional policy. Objectives of the Culture Programme The general objective is to enhance the cultural area shared by Europeans, which is based on a common cultural heritage, through the development of cooperation activities among cultural operators from eligible countries, with a view to encouraging the emergence of European citizenship. The specific objectives of the Programme are: - promotion of the transnational mobility of people working in the cultural sector; - support for the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic works and products; - promotion of intercultural dialogue. Timeframe: 1 January 2007 - 31 December 2013.
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Budget: 400 million Euros. Strands of the Programme Strand 1: Support for Cultural Projects Cultural organisations are given support for projects to work together across borders and to create and implement cultural and artistic activities. The aim of this strand is to help organisations, such as theatres, museums, professional associations, research centres, universities, cultural institutes and public authorities from different countries participating in the Programme to co-operate so that different sectors can work together and extend their cultural and artistic reach across borders. This strand is divided into four categories, which are detailed below. Strand 1.1: Multi-annual Co-operation Projects (lasting from three to five years) The first category seeks to foster multi-annual, trans-national cultural links by encouraging a minimum of six cultural operators from at least six eligible countries to cooperate and work within and across sectors to develop joint cultural activities over a period of three to five years. Funds of between a minimum of EUR 200.000 and a maximum of EUR 500.000 per year are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. The funding is intended to help set up or extend the geographical reach of a project and make it sustainable beyond the funding period.
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NEWS
Strand 1.2.1: Co-operation Projects (lasting up to twenty four months) The second category concerns actions shared by at least three cultural operators, working within and across sectors, from at least three eligible countries over a maximum period of two years. Actions that explore means of long-term co-operation are especially targeted. Funds of between EUR 50.000 and EUR 200.000 are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. Strand 1.2.2: Literary Translation Projects (lasting up to twenty four months) EU support for Literary Translation projects is aimed at enhancing knowledge of the literature and literary heritage of fellow Europeans by way of promoting the circulation of literary works between countries. Publishing houses can be awarded grants for translations and publication of works of fiction from one European language into another European language. Funds of between EUR 2.000 and EUR 60.000 are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. Strand 1.3: Co-operation Projects with Third Countries (lasting up to twenty four months) The fourth category seeks to support cultural cooperation projects aimed at cultural exchanges between the countries taking part in the Programme and third countries, which have concluded association or cooperation agreements with the EU, provided that the latter contain cultural clauses. The co-operation projects involve at least three cultural operators, from at least three eligible countries and cultural cooperation with at least one organisation from the selected third country and/or involve cultural activities carried out in the selected third country. Funds
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of between EUR 50.000 and maximum EUR 200.000 are available, but EU support is limited to maximum 50% of the total eligible cost. Every year one or more third country(ies) is/are selected for that particular year. The country(ies) is/are indicated each year on the website of the Executive Agency at the latest 4 months before the deadline for submission indicated in the fixed Programme Calendar (available in the Programme Guide). Strand 2: Support for Organisations Active at European Level in the Field of Culture Apart from direct support for cooperation projects, the Programme gives grants to cultural organisations working, or wanting to work, at European level in the field of culture for their operating costs. The grant awarded under this strand is a support to operating costs incurred for the permanent activities of beneficiary organisations. Four categories of organisations are eligible under this strand: - Ambassadors; - Advocacy networks; - Festivals; - Policy support structures for the Culture Agenda, further divided into two subcategories: structured dialogue platforms and policy analysis groupings. Funds of maximum between EUR 100.000 and EUR 600.000 are available, depending on the category applied for, but EU support is limited to maximum 80% of the total eligible costs. Strand 3: Support for Analyses and for the Collection and Dissemination of Information and for Maximising the Impact of Projects in the Field of Cultural Co-operation
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NEWS
Support is available for analysis and dissemination activities that help collect and research results in response to the need for strong quantitative evidence in the cultural sector and evaluate them in the light of the objectives of the Programme. The Programme also supports the collection and dissemination of information and activities aimed at maximising the impact of projects. It promotes the exchange of experience and good practice and the dissemination of information concerning the Programme as well as trans-European cultural cooperation in the broad sense. Participating Countries
ative sectors) and must have their registered legal seat in one of the eligible countries. Individual persons are not eligible to apply for a grant under this Programme. Management of the Programme The European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture (DGEAC) is responsible for the Programme and directly manages some of its activities, while most of them are implemented by delegation through the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), which operates under its control. Cultural Contact Points
- the EU Member States; - the EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway); - Countries candidate to EU membership (Croatia, Turkey and Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia) plus Serbia. The countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro) could become eligible in the future, subject to the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the participation of each of those countries in the Programme. Eligible Actions and Applicants The Programme supports projects, organisations, promotional activities and research in all branches of culture, except the audiovisual branch for which there is a separate programme named MEDIA. Cultural operators, including cultural enterprises, can participate in the Programme as long as they are acting in a non-profit-making cultural capacity. Eligible applicants must be a public or private organisation with legal personality, whose principal activity is in the cultural sphere (cultural and cre12
The Cultural Contact Points provide, at national level, information and guidance to those interested in applying under this Programme. More information about the Programme can be found at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/culture/index_en.htm, as well as in the Programme Guide: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/culture/guide/documents/culture_programme_guide_en.pdf. Information and assistance can also be provided by the Cultural Contact Point of Romania for the Culture 2007-2013 Programme (functions inside the Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes) Tel/fax: +40 213166060; +40 213166061; e-mail: info_c2k@eurocult.ro; www.cultura2007.ro
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NEWS
FLORENCES 1ST INTERNATIONAL ART AND RESTORATION FAIR

The fair will take place from 29th to 31st of October 2009, at the Stazione Leopolda Exhibition Centre, and is organised by the non-profit organisation ISTUR-CHT (Culture Heritage Tourism) in partnership with prominent Florentine institutions and organisations, under the patronage of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, the Ministry of Fine Arts and Culture, the Italian Environment Fund, the Italian Government Tourism Board and the National Research Council among others. The event aims to provide a forum for exchange of information between organisations, schools, companies and professionals involved in the field of cultural heritage conservation. The presence of international participants will make possible the comparison of materials and techniques used by professionals and of the research and innovation that emerged in this sector. The venue, the railway station from the first half of the 19th century, offers 6,000 sqm space of exhibition to 150 national and international participants. The 3-day event will bring together over 30,000 visitors from all over the world. Along with the showcase, there are over 100 events such as conferences, panel discussions, seminars, specialised workshops and technical meetings scheduled to take place within the exhibition areas but also hosted by institutions, museums and libraries in Florence. A pavilion has been set aside for training institutions to receive young people and students who will be given the opportunity to benefit from the technical expertise, work experience and demonstrations of well-established specialists. The event is worth attending because, as the organisers promise, participating in the Fair does not just mean being part of a large international showcase of art and restoration, it also means joining forces to create a new direction for the future of conservation, restoration and promotion of artistic, cultural and environmental heritage. Further information: http://www.salonerestaurofirenze.org Contact: info@salonerestaurofirenze.org
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event
The events in this section are linked to the original homepage of the organisers or to the calendar of events at www.conservationevents.com. Click on "Read more..." to find out more details about each event.
The Art of Conservation - materials, methods and ethics

Date: 26-27 October Place: London, UK The conference comprises a series of lectures and discussions about current techniques and materials used by conservators of inorganic and organic two and three dimensional art, and the ethical dilemmas these can create. A fascinating overview of current conservation practice will be provided, which will appeal equally to the interested layman as the experienced art expert. Read more...
NZCCM National Conference

Date: 21-23 October 2009 Place: Auckland, New Zealand The intention of the New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Material conference is to examine the public face of conservation and how the profession can remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. The conference will provide a forum for discussion about conservation in New Zealand, its past and its future. The topic will include: how conservation has changed, new approaches to conservation and historical perspectives; contemporary problems and contemporary solutions, conservation treatments, research or preventive approaches. Read more...
Crossing Borders: The Conservation, Science and Material Culture of East Asian Lacquer
Date: 30-31 October Place: London, UK Art historical papers will explore aspects of lacquer history including the trade in lacquer in Asia and Europe. Scientific papers will include lacquer analysis, the use of solvents for cleaning lacquer, stress measurement in lacquer films, and new evidence of the use of South East Asian materials in seventeenth century Japanese export lacquer. Conservation papers will discuss risk factors for lacquer collections, cleaning techniques, and the photo-degradation of lacquer and potential conservation treatments. Read more...
Symposium XVII for the Study of Underdrawing and Technology in Painting

Rogier van der Weyden (1400-1464) in context Date: 22-24 October Place: Leuven, Belgium Four themes concerning the artist will be explored: Technical studies concerning paintings, drawings, sculptures, miniature paintings and other works of art by the artist and his followers; Studies of underdrawings in his paintings, his painting practice, materials and technique; Documentary sources, archival and historiographical research; Research on iconography and iconology in his paintings. Read more...
Planned Conservation of XXth Century Architectural Heritage

Date: 30-31 October Place: Como, Italy The event will focus on the state-of-art of Planned Conservation, highlighting researches, policies and practices of an effective conservation of XXth century architectural heritage. Como City Council will present the planned conservation program of three emblematic case studies: Asilo SantElia, Monumento ai Caduti and Fontana di Camerlata. Read more...
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October 2009
EVENTS
Preservation in the City Without Limits

Date: 2-6 November Place: Los Angeles, USA The conference will examine the scientific, engineering and technical ramifications of preserving a modern metropolis rich with historic resources. Professionals from around the world will address what constitutes appropriate technology at a time when the pace of technology development is increasing and technological tools which once took generations to change now evolve daily. Read more...
14th International Congress "Cultural Heritage and New Technologies"

Date: 16-18 November Place: Vienna, Austria Archiving is today central to nearly all aspects of Cultural Heritage Management. Archives are important data repositories. The data contained in correctly treated and accessible archives makes wide and varied information available. This workshop will focus on how can archiving in all its aspects best promote knowledge about and support the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. Read more...
INFuture2009: Digital Resources and Knowledge Sharing

Date: 4-6 November Place: Zagreb, Croatia The scope of the Conference includes, but is not limited to the following topics: Virtual environment in education; Using open-source solutions in cultural heritage; Knowledge management; Using information resources in research, education and presentation; Digitization and preservation; Language technologies; e-Services, eGovernment and business applications; Special session: Doctoral colloquium. Read more...
Reflex or reflection? Actors and decisionmaking in conservation-restoration

Date: 19-20 November Place: Bruxelles, Belgium The colloquium will try to respond several questions: Has restoration become a reflex, an automatism for the conservator/restorer? Or is it the result of a long period of reflection? Is there a golden mean between on the one hand doing nothing, leaving time to do its work and let the work of art die a natural death, or on the other hand a thorough restoration trying to return to how it once was? Isn't conservation-restoration always a happy medium, but where exactly? And why? Read more...
Glazing, Coating, Lacquering Talha e Escultura

Date: 13 November Place: Munich, Germany The central theme of the colloquium will be coloured glazes (red, green, yellow) on metallic leaves and their use on polychrome works of art in the Baroque and Rococo periods. Various aspects of this technique will be discussed especially the examination and analysis of its multi-layered build-up and material composition using newly improved analytical methods. The languages of the colloquium will be German and English. Read more... Simpsio Conservao e Restauro Preservar o Passado, Garantir o Futuro Date: 26-27 November Place: Porto, Portugal As intervenes de conservao e restauro efectuadas sobre o patrimnio artstico, dados os progressos cientficos e tecnolgicos registados nas ltimas dcadas, transformaram-se por completo, conduzindo instalao de uma nova atitude. Read more...
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November 2009
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article
CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

by Daniel Cull
The recent history of conservation, as a science and profession, has seen some interesting points of confluence between conservation and the internet. This short article provides an overview of the development of the internet from its inception, to todays Web 2.0, and on to potential futures. Tracing the history of connections between the profession and the technology, the paper suggests the hack as a metaphor by which conservation theory and practice could connect. This paper exclusively cites works freely available from the internet, in order to demonstrate the wealth of accessible information.
The Glider: A Universal Hacker Emblem
Introduction "We have just gotten a wake-up call from the Nintendo Generation". (Cereal Killer in 'Hackers', 1995)1 The internet first blinked into existence on October 29th, 1969 marking the occasion by promptly crashing after transmitting the letters L and O [1], lo and behold despite the crash a consensual hallucination [2, pp.51] was born. Today our daily lives, and our resulting social relationships and material culture, are made, re/shaped, and mediated through this hallucination. From the skyscrapers of the North Atlantic region, to jungle clearings in Chiapas, to any given conservation lab, on any given day, the internet is changing the ways in which we interact with the world, and one another. This paper focuses upon those potential points of confluence between conservation and cyberspace; it can also be considered an attempt at an auto-ethnographic study of my own place as an ethnographic conservator IRL (in real life to use the internet nomenclature) as well as within cyberspace. The paper is lastly an exploration of the potential understandings that conservators could reach with museums, collections, and the world, in our collective embrace of these new technologies and digital culture. Hacking as Metaphor The hacker community (or sub-culture) has been significant to the development of the internet and digital culture, this paper contends that the conservation profession could use the ideas of the hacker community as both a metaphor and
a means of coming to an understanding between conservation and the internet. Halpin [3, p.162] suggests: We must all be technologists, finding what computer jargon calls hacks: elegant and clever ways of solving our problems employing the materials at hand. It is the hope of this author that conservators will instantly recognize this position as analogous to their daily work; looking around the laboratory ask yourself how many of the instruments, tools, and materials were designed for conservation, and how many have been adapted to suit (hacked)? The beginnings of the hacker culture as we know it today can be conveniently dated to 1961, the year MIT acquired the first PDP-1 [4, ch. 3]. It was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that todays programming tools, slang, and culture of hacking developed, and although writings about hackers widely exist, they vary considerably in their accuracy and merit. Therefore considering writings by hackers would be more conducive to gaining a greater understanding of the culture, and although there are no official canonical texts of hacking culture, there are writings concerning the definition of hacking and hacker culture [4, 5], and the history of hacker culture [6, 7]. However, in the spirit of a hacker its suggested you find out more for yourself. Collectively, these writings could be suggestive of a heritage-hack approach, a technoconservation, a code writing conservator, writing code useful for conserving our cultural heritage. One aspect of hacker culture that is important to understand are ethics. Hacker Ethic is their gift to us: something with value even to those of us with no interest at all in computers (6, Preface). These ethics are described as: - Access to computers and anything which might teach you something about the way the world works should be unlimited and total. Always yield to the Hands-On Imperative! - All information should be free;
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1 Cereal Killer in the film: Hackers. 1995. Written: Rafael
Moreu. Directed: Iain Softley. Produced: Michael Peyser. Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Quote available online at Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/ title/tt0113243/quotes (accessed 29th January 2009).
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DANIEL CULL
- Mistrust Authority, Promote Decentralization; - Hackers should be judged by their hacking, not bogus criteria such as degrees, age, race, or position; - You can create art and beauty on a computer; - Computers can change your life for the better. The Evolution of the Web: From 1.0 to 2.0 The Web, has become an ever present part of the daily lives for many conservators around the world. The Web (WWW or W3) is a web of information nodes rather than a hierarchical tree or an ordered list [8] in Chinese its called wn wi wng which fits the www-prefix and literally means myriad dimensional net [9]. Despite the significant issues concerning access [10], this paper will consider the internet a truly global phenomena, as such it is significant that a hacker in Bangalore
is just as likely to write the next significant piece of code as a researcher in Berkeley. However, despite this system lacking a core and periphery ideology that we have come to expect in all aspects of our lives, it does have edges, a cyber frontier at which possibilities are being explored and weaknesses exploited, a constantly shifting non-geographic virtual frontier within the web itself. Although conservators have rarely been at the cyber frontiers, it is true to say that the idea of conservators sharing information over the Internet is hardly new [11] and furthermore they have in fact often been early adopters (especially within the cultural sector) of internet based technologies. One such example is the ever popular Conservation Distribution List: the DistList was the first library, museum, and archive-oriented list on the Net [12], having been advertised on a (non-
Eniac, (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) the first general-purpose electronic computer (c. 1947-1955).
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electronic) bulletin board at the 1987 American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting. Conservators have also been amongst the early adopters of the currently in vogue concept of Web 2.0. However, the meaning, or relevance, of this term has been somewhat disputed. In an interview the inventor of the internet, Tim BernersLee, stated: Web 1.0 was all about connecting people. It was an interactive space, and I think Web 2.0 is of course a piece of jargon, nobody even knows what it means. If Web 2.0 for you is blogs and wikis, then that is people to people. But that was what the Web was supposed to be all along [13]. It has been rightly claimed that what has changed is not technology, but people, that is to say people are now thinking differently about the internet [14]. Despite these terminological inaccuracies Web 2.0 has become a synonym for the interactive nature of the internet, especially the collaborative nature of user generated content, it is that which differs from the previous common practice of read-only websites. Exploring Web 2.0 One of the distinguishing features of Web 2.0 has been the human to human contact mediated by the internet. In an interview Larry Sanger, one of the founders of Wikipedia, commenting on its success said; "It's a community as well as an encyclopedia" [15]. It is this community that not only creates the information in the articles, but, crucially for conservators also cares for it (cf. [16]). The creation of community itself however is not new, what is new is the networked collaborative model that has developed out of that community [17], elsewhere Shirky [18] referred to this model existing not an edifice but as an act of love. The model is based on exploiting what Anderson [19] calls the long tail, and Shirky [20] calls the cognitive surplus, both terms are based on using the full range of what is mathematically termed the
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power law distribution [21]. This distribution is the result of collating the widest possible collaboration. It has been suggested that conservators are naturally acclimated to the collaborative model because we often act as the expert and a contributor at the same time [11]. Aspects of Web 2.0 have already gained wide purchase within the conservation profession, such as blogging, Flickr projects and social networking. It is possible that the rapid growth in the number of conservation blogs is because technology has its most profound effect when it alters the ways in which people come together and communicate [22, pp.4]. This reminds us that blogs are not a genre of communication, but a medium through which communication occurs [23].That is to say they are a medium for bi-directional communication. With the probable exception of wikipedia, it seems that social networking sites appear to be the most widely used Web 2.0 application amongst conservators. What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather that they enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks [24]. It is this articulation of social network that leads to their rapid growth and acceptance. It only later becomes apparent that these now visible networks could potentially be used as a new means of sharing skills and information away from the traditional, and expensive, meetings and symposia, whilst also allowing for a new forum for public interface. This becomes significant when we consider that many view a public centered conservation as a major factor in the future of conservation (cf. [25]). Where next: Web 3.0 and the Semantic Web? Assuming that Web 2.0 is adopted as a standard technique (technology) of conservation, it is worth looking out to the new frontiers, asking what is
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possibly in store in the future. The immediate goal of those at the cyber frontiers of the internet appears to be what is termed web 3.0. The projects aimed at creating Web 3.0 all take advantage of increasingly powerful computers that can quickly and completely scour the Web [26]. The purpose of this scouring would be to fully answer complicated questions. It is for this reason that Web 3.0 has been described as a system that is read-writeexecute [27] an expansion on the idea that Web 1.0 is read and Web 2.0 read-write. However, in truth the phrase Web 3.0 is really a catch all term used to describe anything and everything that could potentially become the next evolutionary step of the internet. One of the key areas of development has been in what is known as the Semantic Web, this aims at the introduction of an artificial intelligence to the web, allowing software to carry out sophisticated tasks or services for users, the claim has been made that if properly designed, the Semantic Web can assist the evolution of human knowledge as a whole [28]. For many it is not a question of if web sites become web services, but when and how [29]. It would it seem wise, although admittedly incredibly difficult, if potential heritage-hackers began to consider the implications, and the potentials, of such a system now, as it is being developed. The implications of a new internet that was able to reliably answer complex questions, quickly searching all available resources on the internet are phenomenal. Whilst the term web 3.0 is widely debated as to its usefulness, versus being simply an advertising gimmick or buzz word, the Semantic Web is a concrete idea, it is not however without its critics. The practicalities of a system that is based on reliable meta-data have been dismissed by Doctorow [30]: A world of exhaustive, reliable metadata would be a utopia. It's also a pipe-dream, founded on self-delusion, nerd hubris and hysterically inflated market opportunities. Furthermore,
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one of the foremost proponents of Net Culture, and particularly Web 2.0 has also been critical of the idea saying: This is the promise of the Semantic Web - it will improve all the areas of your life where you currently use syllogisms. Which is to say, almost nowhere [31]. Deconstructing, convincingly and with some level of humor, various examples of descriptions of Web 3.0, and what he terms its proof of no concept Shirky [31] continues to describe the Semantic Web as having two goals: one good but unnecessary, the other audacious but doomed [31]. The first is to get people to use more metadata, the second is to take up the Artificial Intelligence project in a new context. However, despite these problems Shirky [31] suggests that much of the proposed value of the Semantic Web is coming, but it is not coming because of the Semantic Web. He suggests that although there are disadvantages to a system developed piecemeal without a meta-narrative, there is one significant advantage to this bottom up design; that it works now. Although the concept of Web 3.0 as it is currently applied is flimsy, at best, it will inevitably remain in common usage. We can be sure that the internet will continue to change and develop, and Web 3.0 will inevitably become a catch all term for these developments whatever form they take. Whether this Web 3.0 and Semantic Web ever come about in the way they are envisioned is not the concern of either this paper, or the conservation profession. The important information is that the internet is altering the profession and the institutions in which we work. Already, Google, YouTube and Flickr have established themselves as museums of the digital world and are actively trying to redefine the idea of curating content. Who knows what emerging entities (Web 3.0? Web 10.0?) will encroach even further on the traditional (and future) functions of museums? [32, pp.15]. As conservators we have a duty of care to come to an
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understanding with such technologies, and attempt to work with these changes, as such monitoring the development of new technologies becomes an ever increasingly significant part of our profession. Conclusions The adoption of the internet as a major component of the conservators work is well underway, particularly of note has been the adoption of a wide array of Web 2.0 technologies within the conservation profession. The question remains to what extent conservators can fully broaden their collaborative efforts to access their creative collective imagination and knowledge and where this may take them within cyberspace. This paper has shown that the conservation profession is well suited to comprehending and interacting with the internet, and in many respects are already applying the hacker ethic that is already so much part of the standard conservation approach. While it is clear that developments in the internet will increasingly become a significant part of the conservation profession, it is pleasing to see that the role of digital culture (tangible and intangible) is increasingly becoming a topic of discussion. The Center for the Future of Museums [32 pp.15] attempted to envision a museum of the future, and importantly warned us in the process not to jettison our traditional material culture and ideas: Museums play a more critical role than ever as purveyors of the authentic, addressing a human desire for the real as the wonders of technology march us towards the opposite path. With this warning in mind we can still embrace the technology that is available, as well as exploring the potential new frontiers, and as one old frontiersman said: Curiosity is natural to the soul of man and interesting objects have a powerful influence on our affections [33]. Conservation could approach these new cyber-frontiers with the same curious
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spirit, discovering new ways of looking at objects that heritage-hacks might provide. Like all frontiers there is nothing to be gained by sitting back, one must venture out and explore.
References [1] L. Kleinrock, The Day the Infant Internet Uttered its First Words, n.d. URL (accessed 15th February 2009) [2] W. Gibson, Neuromancer, Ace, New York, 1984. Online at the Cyberpunk Project: URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [3] H. Halpin, Reinventing Technology: Artificial Intelligence from the Top of a Sycamore Tree, in S. Shukaitis, D. Graeber, E. Biddle (Eds.), Constituent Imagination: Militant Investigation, Collective Theorization, AK Press (Oakland and Edinburgh), 2007. Reprinted online (pdf): URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [4] E. S. Raymond, A Brief History of Hackerdom, 2000. URL (accessed 28th January 2009) [5] The Mentor (Real name: Loyd Blankenship), Hacker Manifesto (aka: The Conscience of a Hacker), Phrack magazine, issue 07, file 03 in January 8th, 1986. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [6] S. Levy, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, Delta/Dell, New York, 1984. (1994 Reprint Online). URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [7] E. S. Raymond, How to Become a Hacker, 2001. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [8] T. Berners-Lee and R. Cailliau, WorldWideWeb:
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Proposal for a HyperText Project, 12 November 1990. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [9] Wikipedia contributors, World Wide Web, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2009. Date of last revision: 27th January 2009 05:19 UTC. Permanent URL, Date retrieved: 27th January 2009 22:22 UTC [10] Association for Progressive Communications, Global Information Society Watch 2008. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [11] R. McCoy, Collaborating with the Publics Interest, CeROArt, 3 | 2009, [En ligne], mis en ligne le 21 avril 2009. URL, Consult le 27 avril 2009 [12] W. Henry, Conservation OnLine -Nuts, Bolts, Hooks, Lines, and Sinkers: About CoOL, 2009. URL, Timestamp: Tuesday, 20 Jan-2009 11:25:56 PST Retrieved: Wednesday, 18-Feb-2009 20:39:07 GMT [13] S. Laningham, developerWorks Interviews: Tim Berners-Lee, Recorded 7-28-2006. (transcript of podcast), 2006. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [14] D. Hinchcliffe, All We Got Was Web 1.0, When Tim Berners-Lee Actually Gave Us Web 2.0, 2006. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [15] J. Sidener, "Wiki technology allows anyone to write, edit reference articles", in The San Diego Union Tribunal, 2004. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [16] C. Shirky, Old Revolutions, Good; New Revolutions, Bad, on Britannica - Web 2.0 Forum, June 14th 2007, URL (accessed 29th January 2009)
[17] C. Shirky, Lecture: Institutions vs. Collaboration, Oxford/England, 2005. URL (Accessed 29th January 2009) [18] C. Shirky, Love Internet Style. Opening Provocation at Supernova 2007. URL (accessed 23rd February 2009) [19] C. Anderson,"The Long Tail", Wired Magazine, October 2004. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [20] C. Shirky, Gin, Television, and Social Surplus, on the Blog: Here Comes Everyone. April 26th 2008, URL. A Slightly Edited transcript of a speech Here Comes Everybody given at the Web 2.0 Conference. San Francisco. April 23rd 2008. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [21] Wikipedia contributors, Power law, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 26th January 2009 03:46 UTC. Permanent URL, Date retrieved: 28th January 2009 19:47 UTC [22] P. Kollock and M. A. Smith, Communities in Cyberspace, in M. Smith and P. Kollock (eds.), Communities in Cyberspace, pp. 3-25. Routledge, London, 1999. (available online in January 2009) [23] D. Boyd, A Bloggers Blog: Exploring the Definition of a Medium, Reconstruction 6(4), 2006. URL (part of a special issue on Theories/ Practices of Blogging, eds. Michael Benton and Lauren Elkin) (accessed 29th January 2009) [24] D. M. Boyd, and N. B. Ellison, Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13 (1), article 11, 2007. URL (accessed 29th January 2009)
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[25] J. Holden and S. Jones, Its A Material World: Caring for the public realm, Demos, London, 2008. (pdf) URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [26] J. Markoff, Entrepreneurs See a Web Guided by Common Sense, New York Times, 12th November 2006. URL (accessed January 2009) [27] W. L. Hosch, Web 3.0: The Dreamer of the Vine, 2007. URL (accessed February 27th 2009) [28] T. Berners-Lee, J. Hendler and O. Lassila, The Semantic Web: A new form of Web content that is meaningful to computers will unleash a revolution of new possibilities, Scientific American Magazine, May 17th 2001. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [29] A. Iskold, Web 3.0: When Sites Become Services, on Read Write Web, March 19th 2007. URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [30] C. Doctorow, Metacrap: putting the torch to seven straw-men of the meta-utopia, Version 1.3: 26 August 2001. URL (accessed 2nd March 2009) [31] C. Shirky, The Semantic Web, Syllogism, and Worldview. First published November 7th 2003 on the mailing list Networks, Economies, and Culture. Reprinted online URL (accessed 27th February 2009) [32] Center for the Future of Museums, Museums and Society 2034: Trends and Potential Futures. Version 1.0. Center for the Future of Museums/ American Association of Museums, December 2008. (pdf) URL (accessed 29th January 2009) [33] D. Boone, Daniel Boone: Attributed Quote, n.d. Brainy Quotes. URL (accessed 29th January 2009)
DANIEL CULL
Conservator The Musical Instrument Museum Website: http://dancull.wordpress.com Contact: daniel.cull@themim.org Daniel Cull is a Conservator, Wikipedian, Social Networker, and Blogger from the West Country of the British Isles. Trained at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, where he received a BSc in Archaeology, MA in Principles of Conservation, and an MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums. He was later awarded an Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. He currently works as an ethnographic musical instrument conservator at the Musical Instrument Museum, in Arizona.
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LET'S PAINT A RUIN

The Conservation of the Steel Coal Tower in Voelklinger Huette
by Kornelius Gtz and Axel Bcker
LET'S PAINT A RUIN
The coal tower, also called steel coal tower due to its steel construction, is an elevated steel structure 19m tall and approximately 10m in diameter. With a holding capacity of 1,187m3 it rests on interconnected steel supports, is held together by horizontal steel bands, and was used to store fine-grained coal. By 1942 it had been retired and subsequently served only as structural support for redirecting a conveyor belt. The tower, built in 1897, has a high-value as a monument because it is one of the oldest components of the coking plant. Its most prominent features are its style of construction and its former role in the production process. The coal tower has been in poor general repair. In 2008, securing the structure became urgently necessary. The goals of the renovation included the preservation of its corroded appearance through corrosion protection pursuant to DIN EN ISO 12944 and the conservation of the ruins through restorative retouching. A so-called "Window into History" serves as primary documentation. The stability of the structure was assured through scaffolding on the inside.
Framework for Monument Preservation In the context of regular monitoring of protected historical monuments of the World Cultural Heritage Site Voelklinger Huette, the old Raw-Coal Tower of the Coking Works (built in 1897) was, as of calendar year 2007, classified as urgently in need of renovation. Because of its steel construction, it is also called the Steel Coal Tower (SCT). The structure had been decommissioned in 1942, but was preserved basically unchanged. Its function was taken over by a bigger concrete silo dubbed the Concrete Coal Tower (CCT). The old steel tower was simply left standing. Filling of the CCT was accomplished through inclined conveyor belts, the Coke Belts. After the SCT had been retired, a station to divert the conveyor belt was erected on its roof. Thus the SCT acquired a new role, without which it most likely would not have been kept around. Maintenance of its sheet metal exterior was discontinued for obvious reasons, only its supports had to be kept intact since they were needed to bear the load of the conveyor belt redirection hardware. The cylinder-shaped container, constructed from riveted sheet metal and tapering towards the bote_conser vation
tom, is one of the oldest unchanged components not only of the Coking Works, but of the entire iron production works in Voelklingen in general, which have been designated a World Cultural Heritage Site. The SCT has a very high value as a monument because it is one of the oldest parts of the coking plant. Most prominent are construction style and its former role in the production process as a silo for the storage of fine-grained coal for the coking ovens (figure 1).
Figure 1. Old picture of the Steel Coal Tower from Richard Nutzinger, Hans Boehmer, Otto Johannsen: 50 Jahre Rchling. Saarbrcken 1931.
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As the primary structure and the diversion apparatus of the conveyer bridge had been restored between 2002 and 2003, in 2008 the latest renovation started with the gradual removal of the coal dust. It had remained inside the tower since its decommissioning and was carried off by makework crews. During this process, the full extent of the damage a restoration plan for the sheet metal construction would have to address became visible. Rust had destroyed crucial parts of the contact surfaces between sheet metal and the horizontal steel bands affixed to the outside of the container for rigidity, so that no residual static load-bearing capacity remained. The following additional adverse factors had to be considered in planning the restoration: 1. Development of a permanent workable solution that does not require additional expenditures for a period of approximately 20 years. 2. Conservation of original components to the greatest extent possible while simultaneously preserving the historical appearance (especially the rusty container surface). From the standpoint of the building engineers involved in the process, the preservation of the sheet metal hull seemed to make little financial sense, particularly in light of the specifications for monument preservation. Instead, dismantling and extensive reconstruction of the entire structure was considered as a workable alternative. The SCT seemed to get lost between the conflicting requirements of conservation of existing building materials, of passing on to posterity the original ('ruinous') appearance, and of making the reconstruction last (i.e., protecting against corrosion). In addition, the cost estimates that had been performed assumed that replacement of the building would be the most cost-effective alternative. The solution to these complex problems required the services of a planning expert because basic
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principles of the field of object restoration had to be applied to a large-scale structure. Conservation Goal The "preservation of the state of decommissioning in 1986" was the designated goal of the restoration. Therefore, the corroded appearance of the SCT had to be preserved and restored. To understand this unusual conservation goal, it is important to consider the time slice that applies to all components of the World Cultural Heritage Site Voelklinger Huette. By time slice we mean the point in history that is intended to be preserved through conservation measures. For Voelklinger Huette this is the time when the plant was closed. The time slice applies to all components of the site. As a consequence, all structures that were in ruinous condition at the time of closing are conserved as ruins and are not brought up to par with structures that were maintained better. Steps in the Decision Process 1. The starting point was abandoning the concept of dismantling the entire structure. The requisite static stability of the object was to be achieved through the addition of scaffolding on the inside of the building. Thus, load was taken off the historic building fabric so that a substantial rebuilding of the existing structure was unnecessary. 2. Next, a detailed map of the points of damage was compiled. All existing pieces of sheet metal were to be preserved as originals with the parts to be replaced kept to a minimum. 3. The question of appearance left several options of how to deal with the object. Originally, all building components had been covered with an anthracite-black coat of paint. This was partly preserved in the funnel area and the lower parts
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LET'S PAINT A RUIN
Figure 2. The Steel Coal Tower and its integration into the surrounding components of the coking plant: Steel Coal Tower (1), Concrete Coal Tower (2), Redirection Station (3), Coke Conveyor Belt (4). The picture was taken in 2005, before the work started.
of the cylinder. A complete renewal of the corrosion protection in this hue, however, would have completely altered the appearance, and the character of the SCT, and with it the prominent position within the coking plant as a 'rusty ruin', would have been lost. Therefore, planners, restorers, and client decided to colour the new and newly corrosion-protected surfaces of the SCT such that the impression of a 'rusty ruin' remained. In this way it was also possible to ensure the specified period of 20 years that the renovation was expected to last. 4. Parts on the side of the building protected from the weather were to be preserved unchanged in appearance to form a 'Window Into History'. This way, for the trained eye a comparison between real and painted ruin is possible as primary documentation.
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Condition The SCT is an elevated steel structure 19m tall and approximately 10m in diameter resting on interconnected steel supports, with horizontal steel bands around the silo added for rigidity (figure 2). It has a holding capacity of 1,187m3. The sheet metal casing had rusted through in several places along stretches several meters in length, especially on the windward side. The entire hull structure was therefore in serious danger of collapse. Apparently, this was not a new problem either: rusted-through metal sheets had previously been patched up in a makeshift manner with coarsely welded-on hull plating (figures 3 and 4). The condition of the exterior of the SCT fully exposed to the weather can be divided into three categories (figure 5):
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Figure 3. Rusted-through metal sheets patched up in a makeshift manner.
Figure 4. The sheet metal casing had rusted through in several places along stretches several meters in length.
1. Hull plating and horizontal steel bands: corroded; load-bearing capacity partially reduced; original black coating remains only in small remnants. 2. Repair panels on top of old hull plates: corroded; able to bear loads; no coating.
3. Funnel surface: Condition better than that of hull plating; remnants of original black coating present.
Figure 5. Excerpt of the damage map for the steel hull (drawing by WPM Ingenieure GmbH, Neunkirchen).
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LET'S PAINT A RUIN
Stability Statically securing the sheet metal hull panels was a prerequisite for the preservation of the SCT as a ruin. It was achieved through a new integrated steel structure inside the container which served as scaffolding and to which the disintegrating sheet metal plating was attached. The support structure was connected to the existing steel structure of the redirection station and thereby secured horizontally in two directions (figure 2): through the sloping coke conveyor belt (4) of the redirection station (3) and through the CCT (2) with which the redirection station (and thus the SCT) was connected, again through the coke conveyor belt. At the bottom, the structure is supported horizontally and vertically by the existing steel beams of the SCT. There, stability is assured because the supports were originally designed for a fully loaded tower and hence for a much heavier load. The sheet metal hull of the tower, damaged heavily in parts, and the horizontal bands were attached to the new support structure with special screws ['Fuchsschrauben'] protecting them from falling (figures 6-8). Corrosion Protection and Retouching Because of the scaffolding on the inside, neither the rust-damaged horizontal steel bands nor the metal sheets of the hull needed replacement or repair. Because they were weathering openly, they were protected against corrosion on the outside, including the edges, according to DIN EN ISO 12944 Korrosionsschutz von Stahlbauten. The corrosion
Figure 6. Anchoring the support structure of the Steel Coal Tower at the top through the coke conveyor belt (4) and the Concrete Coal Tower (c.f. red markings; drawing by WPM Ingenieure).
Figure 7 (above right). Inside support scaffolding built from raw steel. Figure 8 (right). Detail of bottom connection of the scaffolding to the existing steel supports.
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protection was applied by sandblasting with granularity SA2 for surface preparation and by applying three coatings with a combined thickness of at least 240 micrometers. Areas split apart by corrosion were carefully cleaned, sealed, and also painted three times. The constructional corrosion protection of the horizontal steel bands was improved by drilling holes into the horizontal joint profiles. This allows rain water to drain away more easily (figure 9).
Figure 9. Corrosion Protection: Corrosion Protection through holes drilled into the steel bands (1), sealing of gaps (2), surface coating (3) on top of two primer coats.
Finally, restorative retouching was applied to the top layer through a varnish. This retouching simulates the corroded appearance of the SCT by employing different shades of rust colouring and - most importantly - varying the texture upon application through the use of different brushes. Only in this manner was it possible to create the impression of a corroded steel surface when looked at from within normal viewing distance (figures 10 and 11). The steel surface on the inside of the SCT remained untreated. This was done so that in the long run, the former usage context would remain visible on the object itself through preservation of the very tough and highly adhesive coal dust deposits (figure 7). Window Into History (WIH) On the leeward side, the well-preserved sheet metal plates were preserved without corrosion protection or retouching over a continuous area
Figure 10 (above left). After application the retouching must be textured with different brushes. Figure 11 (left). For the final decision on retouching, test surfaces were created on a sample. Visible below the paint line is the original state (1), above is the sample surface for retouching (2).
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LET'S PAINT A RUIN
Figure 12. The Window into History.

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of 30m2 together with the entire exterior of the funnel as a "WIH". Only temporary protection in the form of an anti-corrosion wax was applied. Preparing the surface demanded purity grade P St 2 in accordance with DIN EN ISO 12944. The "WIH" is intended to show the existing ruinous state directly at the object as primary documentation (figure 12). Documentation To record the corroded hull surface, a precise photo documentation was created before sandblasting commenced. In addition, an unrolled projection of the hull surface was created as a CAD drawing, in which the damage to the SCT was cartographically recorded. All methods, materials used, and procedural explanations were delivered to the client for documentation (figure 13).
Figure 13. The Steel Coal Tower after completion of work; picture taken in June 2009.
Conclusion In light of the originally proposed rebuilding of the entire tower, a convincing alternative was arrived at with the restoration goal of "preserving the state at time of closing in 1986". It meets all requirements concerning structural stability and durability. The cost for the renovation was just 80% of that estimated for a complete rebuilding, which anyway would have been inconceivable for a World Cultural Heritage Site. By employing restorative retouching, the time slice applying to the entire plant could be maintained consistently. With the WIH, a primary documentation on a grand scale was produced. In case doubts remain about the painted ruin, it should be pointed out that in the long run all surface treatments are impermanent: later generations, finding the SCT substantially preserved, may later resurface it according to then prevalent standards. We painted a ruin!
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Acknowledgments The comments concerning structural stability and the damage map are based on documentation by WPM Ingenieure GmbH, Neunkirchen.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

e-conservation magazine is open to submission of articles on a wide range of relevant topics for the cultural heritage sector. Next deadlines for article submission are:
KORNELIUS GTZ
Industrial Heritage | Senior Consultant Conservator Bureau for Conservation Advice Contact: goetz@restaurierungsberatung.de Kornelius Gtz, M.A., is a conservator-restorer specialised in the conservation of industrial monuments. He worked as a conservator of industrial objects at the Landesmuseum fr Technik und Arbeit (Technical State Museum for Technology and Labor) in Mannheim from 1984 to 1996. Since 1996 he works as freelancer conservator. He also lectures at the Fachhochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft Studiengang Restaurierung in Berlin and the Haute cole d'Arts Appliqus du Canton de Neuchtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. AXEL BCKER Dipl.-Ing., Landesdenkmalamt Saarland, Ministerium fr Umwelt Keplerstr. 18, 66117 Saarbrcken Contact: a.boecker@denkmal.saarland.de
for Issue 12, December 2009 submissions due 1st November 2009 for Issue 13, February 2010 submissions due 1st January 2010 Nevertheless, you can always submit your manuscript when it is ready. Between the receival of the manuscript until the final publication may pass up to 3 months according with: - the number of the manuscripts on hold, submitted earlier by other authors - the release date of the upcoming issue - the pre-allocated space in the magazine to each section Please check our publication guidelines for more information.
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case study
THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

A Project Recently Re-examined
Danish Contribution in Post-War Conservation of Afghanistan Heritage in Herat, 1993-94 by Abdul Wasay Najimi
Introduction Ghalwar is a village located four kilometers west of the Old City of Herat on the ancient route that starts at the Iraqi Gate of the Old City and heads westwards towards Kohsan and Nishapur. The center of the village, also known as Hauz-i-Karbas (weavers cistern), is 112 meters on the north side of the present road towards Zindajan and is located on the crossroads of an ancient route linking it to villages like Azadan, where the 14th century complex of Abul-Walid exists. The geographic coordinates for the Hauz-i-Karbas are: 3421N 6209E. In this village one can find the historic mosque (figure 1), reportedly built in the 9th century, and renovated with tile decoration in mid 15th century, the contemporary restoration of which is
Figure 1. The courtyard view of the mosque after restoration.
documented in this article. The housing cluster comprising a village constituent to this mosque was surrounded by fertile agricultural land and gardens filled with grapevines, irrigated by the Enjil canal. A covered water cistern, sponsored by the charity of a weaver (Karbas) after whom the centre of the village is named also existed here. The 9th century mosque was restored by the Timurids in 845 Hijri [1441-42 AD] at the poque of Shahrukh Mirza, and the mihrab was decorated with a panel of fine tile work unique in Herat and a tiled tablet was installed (figure 2). Badly destroyed during the war in the 1980s, Ghalwar mosque and its site (figure 3) became the focus of the first heritage conservation project in Herat after relative calm returned to the area in 1992. The mosque was restored structurally and the fallen and damaged pieces of the Timurid tile
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Figure 2. (above) The restored inscription tile tablet (photo 2005); (below) Farsi and Arabic text. Persian Poetry from Gulistan Sadi, worked on the tile tablet; date of construction is 845 Hijri.
Figure 3. Site plan of the reconstructed mosque and the new school.
work of the Mihrab were recovered and assembled by a team of local masons and craftsmen with funds from Denmark throughout 1993-94. Following this work the Mosque resumed its function as a centre for the community and, with the introduction of a small complex of new buildings adjacent to the mosque serving as a girls education centre, it also became a place for learning. The new buildings, which followed the conservation of the mosque, were built using traditional materials and techniques. Historical Background Thirty years ago, Ghalwar was one of many idyllic villages surrounding Herat and many people like Abdul Wahid Nafez, the provincial head of culture in the city until 1978, owned land there and would escape the hectic pace of Herat on the weekends in preference for his tranquil gardens. This changed with the onset of war and Ghalwar and other villages were systematically depopulated and the
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buildings destroyed during the 12-years war of resistance sparked by the Soviet invasion in 1979. Famous resistance leaders from the village like Abdullah of Hauz-i-Karbas and the Khalifa, leader of the local Sufi order, were imprisoned and killed in 1979. One account of the devastation caused by the war is told by Nick Danziger [1], who wrote the following in 1988: I stayed in a village where they claimed there had been 5,000 inhabitants. There remained one building intact in the whole village. I did not see more than ten inhabitants there. To destroy this place the bombers came from Russia. And there were craters everywhere, even where there were no buildings, so there was no pretense about, we are trying to hit the mujahideen. It was a complete blitz. All the way from there on into Herat there was no one living there, absolutely no one. The town that I stayed in, Hauz Karbas, looks like Hiroshima. And there had been tremendous amounts of vineyards there, and they were just reduced to
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gray dust. It really sums up everything that exists in Afghanistan today. The Swedish writer Stefan Lindgren also visited Herat and described the tragic destruction of the villages to the west of the city in 1986 [2]. Following the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet installed regime in 1992, the responsibility of the provincial administration of Herat was given to a war veteran, Ismail Khan, who became governor of Herat. People began to return to their villages and claim their lands and in the process of picking up the pieces of their lives the reconstruction of the city and the surrounding villages began. The author went to Herat in 1993, as an architect and member of a team from the Danish NGO DACAAR, to set up an office and to begin a post-war rehabilitation program focusing on the reconstruction of schools, community buildings, roads and irrigation structures, similar to what this organization had been doing in the eastern parts of Afghanistan.
One of the projects was the restoration of the Ghalwar mosque and its tile work (figures 4-11). A picture taken in midst of the war and published by Sikorsky in 1989 [3] of the destroyed mosque showed the tile panel still standing (figure 7). It was hoped that one may still find it in the same
Figure 5. The summer prayer hall (2005).
Figure 4.View of the mosque being reconstructed (photo by Claus Christensen, 1994).
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Figure 6. Plan and section of the mosque in 1977.
Figure 7. The main prayer hall after the roof destruction in 1985 (photo by Sikorsky; translated by Ahrary 1989).
condition. To everyones disappointment, upon reaching the village in 1993, it was discovered that all that remained on the site was a mound of debris covering the shattered pieces of the elaborate tile work that once decorated the mihrab (figure 8). The villagers narrated that government forces, suspecting that the mosque was used as a hiding place by the opposition, bombed it in mid 1980s. By this time several families had returned after being displaced or were refugees in Iran and reaccommodated amidst the collapsed buildings, the remaining of which projected the architectural character of the village. Partnering with the newly re-established local branch of the department of historic monuments and involving members of the community, a brief consultation process was initiated, which led to the restoration of the mosque, providing a catalyst towards the regeneration of the village.
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The authors own knowledge about the Ghalwar mosque was from 1973, when as a student of architecture in Kabul University he visited Herat. The mosque, built of thick mud walls and covered with arches and domes, typified the materials and forms used in buildings in the region. The main prayer hall, which also used to be the winter prayer hall, was accessed through a vaulted corridor with little natural light. Adjacent to the prayer hall, the summer prayer hall opened to the courtyard. The main hall of the mosque was originally composed of three vaulted bays, the central bay framing the mihrab with glazed tiles. The tiled panel framing the mihrab was made up of blue, turquoise, terracotta, green and white glaze cut pieces forming a Quranic inscription [Ayatul Kursi], verse 255 of First SuraAlbaqara. This panel was carefully framed by floral designs and geometric shapes, all set as muaraq completing the final ring of an arched recess. Similarly, a rectangular tiled panel with inscriptions in Persian and Arabic recording
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Figure 8. View of the Mihrab found in 1993-94 (photo by Claus Christensen).

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the dedication and date of the construction was found on the wall inside the main hall. The internal soffit of the arched recess was decorated with abstract geometric patterns known as gereh made of plaster. This technique was known at that time as also seen on the buildings of Ghaznavids and Ghurids period. Openings in the upper part of the first vaulted bay to the south, made up of screens of plaster and tessellation of geometric shapes, allowed natural light into the main hall. At a later date another domed chamber formed part of an extension of the main space to the north. The summer prayer hall, laid out parallel to the eastern wall of the main hall, formed an open colonnade looking out into courtyard where a 1.5 meters deep pool of water for ablution was situated. The pool was fed by a small channel which also provided water for the village cistern [hauz-i-karbas], located across the street. A low mound adjacent to the cistern formed a graveyard, where the graves of important persons were marked by carved marble gravestones. The remaining buildings in the village were one story high courtyard houses of various sizes. Several large mulberry trees planted on the edge of the water channel running along the street provided deep shade. Subsequently, the Ghalwar mosque was surveyed and documented four years later, in the summer of 1977, when a team of architecture students from Kabul University were engaged by UNESCOs rehabilitation project in Herat in surveying and recording monuments within the Old City. A Soviet scholar G.A. Pougatchenkova had also visited and published her study of this building in 1976 [4]. Restoration of the Building and Mihrab Tiles The damage that occurred during the war did not completely destroy the delicate glazed tiles surrounding the Mihrab of the Ghalwar mosque.
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What the war did not destroy, nature ravaged over time. Following the destruction of the roof of the mosque by bombs, as depicted in the picture by Sikorski, the decorated mihrab survived for some time longer. But without its protective covering, rainwater began to seep into the cracks between the exposed tiles deteriorating the gypsum bedding. As the temperatures dropped in the winter this water froze and expanded causing the tile work to break and fall apart. The work began by clearing and simultaneously documenting what was found. Sorting through the debris the team painstakingly collected and stored all the pieces of the fallen and broken glazed tiles. Once the clearance was completed the original foundations and shape of the building became evident. While clearing the debris, materials such as brick and decorative fragments were collected and sorted in order to re-use them in the rehabilitation. Additional bricks needed in the conservation, of the same quality and size as the ones found in the debris, were supplied by the same producer who provided bricks for the much larger conservation project of Qala-e Ikhtyaruddine (Herat Citadel 1977-79). Finding masons who knew how to build in the same tradition as those who originally constructed the mosque was another important task. One of the elders in the village, who was a famous mason and plasterer in his youth in 1960s, would visit the mosque and perform his prayers amidst the ruins. Throughout the conservation he continued to come to the site for his prayers and began taking interest in the work although he himself was too weak to participate. A section of the tile work that was still attached to the wall was discovered, which was protected by a shelter to prevent further damage. This section of unmoved tile became very important in the restoration as it provided the exact settingout point for refixing the remaining tiles.
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The provincial department of historic monuments through its supervisor Haji Abdul Ahad engaged an elderly mason, Khalifa Ahmad, who was experienced in working with brick buildings and domes. Two other men from Ghalwar offered to work in the rehabilitation and an elderly Baba Khair Mohammed, who was also from the village, became the foreman. Following the clearance we discovered that the floor of the winter mosque, accessed through a vaulted corridor, was on a lower level. The summer prayer space resembled a colonnade with the brick pillars facing the courtyard. After further excavations in the courtyard the rectangular water pond surrounded by old mulberry trees appeared. Initially the parts of a mud wall, made of stabilized earth called pakhsa, and that of sun dried bricks were stabilized. For exposed areas burnt bricks were now used. The bricks used for rebuilding the arches, vaults and domes, were specially ordered in size 20cm x 20cm x 4.5cm and were set in lime mortar. Lack of time is the reason why many buildings are conserved improperly. It was important that this exercise would build local capacity and the understanding within the community of the value of their heritage and historic monuments. As the project progressed the conservation team discovered layers upon layers of earlier interventions upon the building. For example, once the damaged plaster from one wall was removed it was discovered that an earlier opening had been blocked over time. In addition to returning the building to what we felt was closer to its original design, we took the opportunity to introduce some enhancement to the way it could be used by women worshipers. As mosques, particularly in the villages, are commonly used only by men, it was decided to allow for another room and entrance to be added to the northernmost chamber of the main prayer hall. This was intended
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as space to be used by women to participate in the congregational Friday prayer and the tarawih in the month of Ramadan. The final external finish of the building became exposed brick work, while the interior of the winter hall was restored to its original plaster finish of gypsum, incorporating small areas where the original plaster remained. The project took in total 9 months to complete involving two masons and a number of unskilled laborers supervised by one foreman and two trainee architects. The site became attraction for visitors including a friend of Herat, Claus Christensen who was on visit in 1994. To plan the restoration of the rest of the destroyed tile panel surrounding the mihrab one needed to return to previous documents and photographs. In order to find appropriate images of the full tile panel before it was damaged the Danish architect Flemming Aalund provided his photo of the mihrab taken in 1977 (figure 9). The full-page color photo
Figure 9. The tile decorated mihrab (photo by Aalund, 1977).
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Figure 10. The Mihrab tiles reinstalled in 1994 (photo 2005).

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he provided helped us to regroup the recovered tiles of the panel and to restore it (figures 10-11). As for the plaster decoration on the soffits of the arches in the main hall of the winter mosque, a young mason, Ein-ul-din, assembled the fragments of decorative gypsum that were recovered from the rubble. The geometric base for the completed decoration is formed by a pentagon that is rotated around its central point and is repeated along the length of the arch (figure 12). The plaster screens allowing light into the main hall were cast of gypsum in situ, and the perforated geometry was made by hand as it had been originally constructed (figures 14-15). After the removal of waste from the interior of the mosque, the internal floors were paved using square burnt bricks. Although the original floors were also made of burnt brick, over time they had been plastered with a composite of mud, gypsum and
Figure 11. Detail of the Muaraq tile work of the mihrab.

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Figure 12. Details of arches plaster decoration.

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Figure 13. Plan and sections of the mosque after restoration.
lime plaster. For the external finish of the roof, the traditional technique of waterproofing with a layer of lime-mud plaster before covering it with a layer of mud-straw plaster was applied. While attempts were made to restore the building to its original form, in certain areas the team introduced enhancements which were thought to better suit the future use of the spaces. On the southern elevation additional bay was added to
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the composition of the facade, in order to provide both symmetry to the blank arcade flanking the entrance and to enclose the courtyard. In doing this a screen was built within the extended arch allowing a visible connection between the courtyard and the street. As a result of the lessons learned and capacity built during the conservation of the Ghalwar mosque the team moved on to restore a further
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nine important historic structures in other historic neighborhoods of Herat, such as Mahal-i-Araban, Abulwalid, Mahal-i-wardaka, Baraman, Mahal-iBabaji, that belonged to Enjil district (north of the river Harirud), and Ziaratja at southern part of Herat valley. Also the team continued restoration at Shahzada Abdullah and the Gowharshad in Kohsan (west of Heart). One of the concerns, upon completing the restoration, was how the site would be looked after and maintained in the years to come. Traditionally village elders would collectively take the responsibility of maintaining communal buildings which they considered common property. But at the time of completing the restoration, not many of the former inhabitants of the village had returned and it was not clear whether the previous social structure and sense of responsibility was intact. Working for Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Herat in 2004-06, I went to re-examine Ghalwar project.
Figure 14. Screen of brick work implemented in the mosque and school buildings.
Figure 15. Ceiling details of the restored prayer hall (photo by Claus Christensen, 1994).
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Figure 16. Interior of the winter praying hall of the mosque and children taking primary education (2005).
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To my pleasant surprise, on many of the visits that I have made to the village after the restoration, the mosque and related buildings were found well maintained and kept clean. It became very interesting for me as an architect to observe how people used the spaces restored through this exercise. The mosque was used both as a space to pray and to teach increasing numbers of pre-school children (figures 16-18). The grandson of Baba Khair Mohammed, who was foreman during the restoration, was one of those learning from the Imam in the mosque. Contrary to what it was intended for the women prayer area to become, I discovered that the Imam of the mosque had occupied the room for himself. Another addition to the building by the community was the introduction of wiring for lighting within the building. At the time of the restoration, Ghalwar did not have electricity but since 2001 electricity has been brought to the village. In hindsight it would have been better to provide for electrical wiring in the building in anticipation of the electricity. Community participation for upkeep was seen, but the Afghan Department of monuments of Herat province should still guard this unique heritage.
Building the New Girls School In the second stage of the project in Ghalwar, applying lessons learned in the conservation of the mosque, a new school was built to the north of the mosque using traditional materials and techniques. Funds for the school came from DANIDA and the Friends of Herat, a French organization created by Christina LHomme the widow of a Frenchman Stefane Thiollier that had died in France shortly after his visit to Herat in 1991. Since the building was to be located a few meters from the mosque it seemed important from the beginning that the new school must be built in harmony with the existing building. The team designed a structure of brick arches and vaults. The building was composed of six classrooms, a teachers room and a store-room. While the base plan of the building was derived from an L-shape access corridor, the space at the intersection
Figure 18. Western Facade of the school building (2005).
Figure 17. Roadside view of the mosque building.
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provided a secured open space (figure 19). The team of craftsmen and laborers responsible for the restoration of the mosque were transferred onto this project. In the design of the school, built in the context of children protection, it was important that the building provided both a place for learning and better security for the children. The building is accessible from two entrance doors, which could be locked while the children are in classes, and incorporated an external courtyard space for them to rest during class breaks. The screened arcade of the courtyard was built of normal bricks, at kids eye-level outwards, allowing them to see outside. While designing the screens, which were derived from the new screens added to the entrance wall of the mosque complex, one would have thought that they would not last very long. But since the screen made sense as local and traditional solution, it was pursued and have lasted so far (figures 20 and 21). The original plan allowed for the landscaping of the site, and designs were made for a children's playground. As a result of water shortage in the community the planned greening of the site did not happen. But at a later stage the community constructed a boundary wall around the site in order to protect the property and allow only one access from the street. Visiting this building 10 years later I was relieved to see that the structure was still there and stable. A lack of regular maintenance and cleaning had resulted in problems with the gutters. In post 2001 Herat, with funds from USAID, a private company painted the interior of the building and laid a waterproofing layer over the roof. The irony is that after completing this work the contractors replaced the original marble tablet with a new plaque oute_conser vation
Figure 19. Plan and Elevation of the school building.
Figure 20. The protected patio of the girls school (2005).

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Figure 21. South-eastern view of the school building (2005).
side the boys school building, in which they indicated that the whole construction was built by them and with USAID funding. This shows both the lengths to which unscrupulous contractors go to make a profit and how a donor confined behind heavy security walls, but wanting immediate visibility could be deceived. More of the village is reconstructed by now and the city has expanded until here. The road from Herat city and westwards to Rawashan passes some 112 meters south of the Ghalwar mosque, and has been recently widened implementing the 1962 city master plan. If asphalted for two way traffic as intended it would increase the urbanization process in Ghalwar, and much of its land could be transformed into buildings in a short time. When land is being transformed to construction, the pattern of agrarian employment is lost and the peasants would look for other jobs. Therefore, more shops and road-linked-services might emerge with consequences of a change in the character of Ghalwar, calling for safeguarding its heritage. Conclusions The Ghalwar project is a good example of sustainable conservation and construction of new village buildings. It was a real laboratory for learning as well as teaching young architects and masons in
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traditional modes of construction and the use of local building materials. It is also an indicator for a better maintenance and usage once the community participation, local ownership and capacity building were all pursued. Ghalwar was the first of nine community complexes restored as postwar reconstruction after 1992. It was important to safeguard the artwork of glazed tiles of this unique mihrab in Herat. Lessons learned from this exercise paved the way for the fast implementation of similar projects in other historic neighborhoods. These projects were good examples of cost efficiency. The direct costs of restoration of the mosque were around US$ 9000 and of the school building around US$ 12000. The screen walls provided in the mosque and the school gives protection to the space where children could stay, a space outside their homes to play, learn and grow not too far from their elders and families. When a significant part of the village population was displaced they received education in camps and therefore they are now more desirous to go to school in their home village. A functioning coordination between the government departments and the people needs to be at place to ensure protection of heritage, maintenance and appropriate use for the benefit of the living community.
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Donors need to understand the real needs of the people and communities and should allocate funds according to local perceptions in order to serve the purpose most effectively, instead of trying to achieve quick visibility. One can do larger conservation works, but it is the smaller-scale projects like public bath-houses, popular shrines and smaller mosques - that have had the most impact on people. Danish contribution in safeguarding Afghanistan's heritage had been considerable in earlier times through UNESCO. Jen Hertz worked in consolidation of the main iwan of Gazargah complex and Erik Hansen restored the Ghurid portal to the Grand mosque of Herat in late 1960s. He also worked in documentation and re-installation decorative panels belonging to Lashkergahs royal mosque in the national museum of Kabul. Flemming Aalund worked in the restoration of Herat Citadel in 1977-78. Conservation works in Herat in early 1990s had positive impact on revival of villages and resettlement of the returning refugees. But today Denmark has only army in Afghanistan. The majority of the 734 soldiers, among whom 34 women, stay mostly in Helmand which is another rich heritage site of Afghanistan. But Danish architects are not around. Based on the embassys website, Denmark's overall engagement amounts to 200 million USD per year. Development assistance alone is 80 million USD per year, some for support to education. But not much funds are given to Heritage nor education in architecture and planning, which is one of the immediate needs for the fast transforming sites and cities. In January 1993 when we left Peshawar together with my colleague Bernt Glatzer to set-up the new DACAAR branch-office in Herat, Erik Christensen (from Ribe, Denmark) the then director of that
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Figure 22. The protected patio linking the two corridors building (photo 2005).
NGO, saw us off at the airport asking me to promise that that I will do something good for the war damaged monuments of community importance in Herat. The year before, he had seen the damages to the Herat monuments. I kept my promise, but Erik could not see the results as he sadly passed away in mid 1993 in Nepal. I dedicate this article to him. The Conservation Team: Conservation Architect: Abdul Wassay Najimi Assistant architect: Najib Ameri Government supervisor: Haji Abdul Ahad Masons: Khalifa Ahmad, Gul Mohammad Plaster works: Ein-ul-Din, Mentor: Ustad Qamar Community Representative: Baba Khair Mohamed Resource: Flemming Aalund, Architect & Claus Christensen, Denmark Funded by: Danida, EU & Friends of Herat Year completed: Mosque 1994, School 1995
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References
[1] N. Danziger, Danziger's travels: beyond forbidden frontiers, Paladin, London, 1988 [2] S. Lindgren, I vargens gap. Resa till Heart, Ordfront, Stockholm 1986, 1986 [3] R. Sikorski, Dust of the Saints - a Journey to Herat in Time of War, Dari translation by Ahrari, Paragon House, 1989 [4] G.A. Pougatchenkova, Les Monuments peu connus de Larchitecture medievale de LAfghanistan, Afghanistan Quarterly XXI, Kabul, 1976, pp.17-52 [5] G.A. Pougatchenkova, A l'tude des monuments timourides d'Afghanistan, Afghanistan 23/3, 1970, pp. 33-37 [6] M. Herawi, Geography of Hafiz Abru Tehran, 1970 pp. 18-80 [7] Human Rights Watch, "Tears, Blood, and Cries: Human Rights in Afghanistan Since the Invasion, 1979 to 1984", A Helsinki Watch and Asia Watch Report, New York, 1984 [8] M. Hassan Kakar, Afghanistan: the Soviet invasion and the Afghan response, 1979-1982, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1995 [9] Kh. Khallili, Asar Herat(dari), Tehran 1382, 2001, pp. 314-424 [10] A. W. Najimi, The Ghaznavid Architecture, Afghanistan Quarterly 3, vol. 34 Kabul, 1981 [11] A. W. Najimi, Herat, the Islamic city: a study in urban conservation, Curzon Press, London, 1988 [12] M. R. Samizay, Islamic Architecture in Herat. A Study Towards Conservation, Kabul, 1981, pp. 60-61 [13] S. Fekri, Herat Shrines (Dari), 2001 [14] W. Ball, Archaeological Gazetteer of Afghanistan, ditions Recherche sur les civilisations, Paris, 1982, vol. I, p.104; vol 2, p. 438
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[15] Dictionary of Islamic Architecture, www.ArchNet.org, last consulted in August 22, 2009 [16] B. Wannell, Echoes in A Landscape - Western Afghanistan in 1989, in Ball, Warwick and Leonard Harrow, (Ed.), Cairo to Kabul: Afghan and Islamic Studies. Presented to Ralph Pinder-Wilson, London, Melsende, 2002, pp. 245-246.
ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

Architect Ph.D. MAA Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Kabul Contact: abdwasi.najimi@akdn.org Abdul Wasay Najimi is a conservation architect with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, and has been involved in restoration and conservation projects in Bamiyan and Herat since 1991. From 2002 to 2005, Dr. Najimi carried out a major restoration project at the King Timurshah Mausoleum in Kabul and has assisted other conservation activities by AKTC in Kabul and Herat, Afghanistan. Prior to joining the AKTC, Dr. Najimi worked with various international aid and research organizations involved in development work in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has taught at Kabul University and conducted extensive research on the monuments of Herat. Dr. Najimi was educated in Afghanistan and Denmark, and has published articles on architecture in Afghanistan, and a book, "Herat, the Islamic City" (1988).
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arp proceeding
Professional Association of Conservator-Restorers of Portugal http://www.arp.org.pt/
SECOND ARP SEMINAR

The Practice of Theory Treatments of Conservation-Restoration
This issue inaugurates a new temporary section dedicated to the publication of the proceedings of the Second ARP Seminar, organised by the Professional Association of Conservator-Restorers of Portugal. The Second ARP Seminar, The Practice of Theory Treatments of Conservation-Restoration was held in the auditorium of the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA) in Lisbon on May 29-30, 2009. The proceedings will be published in Portuguese by the association and the English version of the articles presented at the meeting will be published in the next issues of e-conservation magazine. The series of articles in this issue is dedicated to the Conservation of Sculpture.
KNOWING HODART AND HIS WORK

The Conservation-Restoration of the Last Supper
by Catarina Gerso de Alarco
CATARINA GERSO DE ALARCO
A program for the rehabilitation of the Last Supper of the French sculptor Philippe Hodart was started in 2002. The clay images of the Christ and the Apostles, dated 1534, were broken and scattered. The first museum director, Antnio Augusto Gonalves, recovered most of the set and in 1960 gave the ensemble the deserved highlight despite its deplorable conservation state. The intervention, carried out for more than three years, allowed us to understand several factors related to the creation of the work and to show to the public aspects never revealed before.
The Work The Last Supper by Hodart, made in 1530-34, is composed by 13 figures: twelve apostles together with the Christ, all in clay, all life-sized figures. They were grouped around a table with the lamb and all the necessary things for the supper, everything made of clay, very natural and faultless. The work was received by Friar Brs of Braga, who was in charge of the reformation and the works of the Santa Cruz Monastery of Coimbra, on January 8, 1534 [1, pp. 64]. The Santa Cruz refectory, made by Diogo de Castilho, was composed of a rectangular room, in the middle of which an arch would receive the ensemble: a beautiful stone arch, where the Chapel called
Supper of the Lord is, where the holy Master can be seen seated at the table with the twelve apostles, all figures in relief made with great spirit, and that represent that last supper so well [1, pp. 78]. The Material The name terracotta derives from the Latin terra cocta which means baked earth. It designates, in a general way, the clay mixed, worked and fired in kilns, one time only, at a temperature between 900 and 1000 C. A more detailed definition may be the one of a relatively heterogeneous paste, of coarse structure due to the presence of pores and impurities, which constitutes a coloured, porous,
Figure 1. The sculptural ensemble "Last Supper" exibited at MNMC.
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opaque and uncoated ceramic body, cold manufactured and consolidated by heat [2, pp 81-82]. The results obtained by X-ray fluorescence and diffraction analysis performed to the sculptures revealed relatively high contents of SiO2, Al2O3 and K2O, as well as the presence of quartz, feldspars, illite/muscovite and traces of mullite. The clay composition is, thus, illite-kaolinite with calcite dispersed in the plastic component and quartz and feldspar in the non-plastic component. With these characteristics, along with the texture of the ceramic material and the geologic setting the city of Coimbra it is likely that the clay used came from local sources. The Technique The Making of the Figures The sculptures could not have been modelled at once as they are life-sized figures. Several breaks would have been necessary to allow the clay to dry, acquiring the necessary resistance, in order to progress with the modelling without deformations. The areas in work were probably covered between sessions with humid cloths to keep the clay malleable [3, pp. 23]. Diogo de Macedo [4, pp. 18] states that Hodart had the collaboration of a locksmith, Gabriel Belm, which would have executed the anchor structure for the artist studies. It is common practice to make the internal structure in iron or wood on which the clay is applied according to the figures volumes. A wood mallet is used to improve the shape of the structure according to a draft previously made. The apostles heads and hands were modelled apart, as proved by the terracotta spike conserved on only one figures head, the fact that they are hollow, the conic shape of the fists and the existence of openings in the neck and forearms. The draperies were the last to be modelled, by overlapping thin clay layers, as well as the hair,
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nails and costume ornaments, using different instruments depending on the intended texture. The carnation was subject to a more careful work; engobe was applied to smooth the face imperfections and to homogenise the surface, giving it an even and less porous aspect. Hollowing and sectioning The figures were hollowed to reduce the thickness of the walls in order to minimize the risk of facture. The marks of the instruments used for that purpose are still visible. In general, the thickness is constant to ensure that the contraction experienced during drying and firing is uniform [5, pp. 28]. On the posterior side, some pieces have small sections lids - probably used for the hollowing process, facilitating the drying of the figures and the access to their interior after firing [5, pp. 28]. In order to avoid cracks Hodart left ventilation openings vents - of different shapes, often localised on the back of the head. These allowed the water vapours and gases from the combustion of organic matter to escape during drying and firing, avoiding the pieces to come apart [6, pp. 31; 5, pp. 28]. We believe that the sectioning of the figures was made after the hollowing when the clay was firm but still humid. Hodart would have sectioned the pieces on their harder areas according to vertical, horizontal and oblique planes, dividing them in two or three sections. Although some of them present small differences in size, which may be due to different firing or temperature variation inside the kiln [7, pp. 71], most figures fit perfectly between them. Drying After the figures were hollowed and sectioned, the individual sections were left to dry out prior to
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firing, a process that was slow in order to avoid deformation, fissuration or even fracture [7, pp. 44] and to allow constant moisture evaporation. For this, the sculptor would have to cover the figures with a cloth for one or two weeks and then uncover them gradually. As the drying period depends on the clay thickness [6, pp. 33], it is considered that each apostle figure took between one and two months to dry. However, the figures drying at room temperature would not have loosened completely their moisture. This would only happen in the kiln at a temperature of 100 C, when atmospheric water evaporates. The firing The sculptor probably used a wood kiln equipped with an oven chamber and a chimney for hot exhaust gases, allowing the flames to move upwards and the hot gases to circulate between the sections that were not subjected to direct action of the flames. The sections dimensions allow us to state that the oven chamber had approximately 1 meter height and at least 80 centimetres width and depth. Considering the 39 months period that took Hodart to complete the work, it is likely that he used one single kiln. As the sculptor would finish a figure, that is modelling, hollowing and sectioning it, he would fire it, each section at a time. The mineralogic composition revealed several crystalline phases, namely illite/muscovite inherited from the raw materials and mullite formed during the firing, indicating that it was a slow process at a maximum temperature of 950 C. The polychromy Some sculptures present traces of polychromy and white preparation on the most protected areas of the figures, namely within or between the folds and under the arms or collars. Optical microscopy
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revealed that in general there is a yellow/brown layer applied immediately over the support and a white layer, probably preparatory, applied over the previous one, followed by two or three more overlayers. X-ray micro diffraction and microchemical analysis identified the pigments used: Prussian blue, lead white, charcoal, yellow ochre and vermilion on the most recent polychromy, and azurite, lead white and vermilion on the most likely original polichromy. Micro-fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy identified linseed oil, skin glue, proteins and starch as binders. Conservation State By decree of July 6, 1865 the Ministry of Public Works granted the Santa Cruz refectory to host the Coimbra Artists Association. When the Apostles Chapel was transformed into the associations
Figure 2. Apostles ancient wooden bases.
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reading and meeting room, the figures arms were broken into pieces and used as waste material [1, pp. 86]. According to Aaro Lacerda, the composition was hammered down to build a platform over which, in a shabby pedestal, the figure of D. Fernando was placed [8, pp. 90]. Fernando de Pamplona [8, pp. 90] refers that the figures were taken out of the monks intimacy and tossed away carelessly to deposit rooms where they got broken and parts of them were even buried. In 1866, Possidnio Narciso da Silva, president of Lisbons Architects and Archaeologists Association, visited the place where the Supper was located and
Table 1: Main conservation problems of the sculptures.
ordered to saw off the heads and the arms which he took back to the association, together with other objects. In 1890, Antnio Augusto Gonalves saved the Apostles from total destruction. Unaware of their origin, he recovered some heads, paying a guard from the Artists Association to reveal him where they were kept [9, pp. 230]. As part of Coimbras town council, he recovered from rubble what was left of the ensemble and restore it as he could. Table 1 shows the figures main conservation problems.
Problems
Firing fracture and fissures (of different depth and extension) Diferences of mechanic resistance Salts Oxidation of metallic elements
Causes
Incorrect drying; too fast water evaporation during firing Uneven distribution of heat during firing; moisture accumulation over the years From the material itself and by capillary rise in the previously exposed areas Section union; structural reinforcement; restoration interventions
Effects
Decreased clay cohesion; poor physical stability Areas with cohesion differences; easy detachment of fragments under minimum mechanical stress Terracotta pulverulence; crystallization of soluble salts in the areas of evaporation Terracotta fissuration; spots
Joints with gypsum and sisal Union and / or reinforcement of fractured parts; Introduction of foreign and harmful materials increase of mechanical resistance; restoration interventions Joints poorly made and misplaced elements Fillings and reinforcement with cement Filling of empty spaces; increase of mechanical Alteration of the anatomically correct strength; restoration interventions reading; lack of physical stability Filling of empty spaces; increase of mechanical Introduction of foreign and harmful materials strength; restoration interventions with different expansion coefficients Alteration of the anatomically correct reading
Reconstitutions with gypsum, Loss of formal values and modelled shapes glue / beeswax, polyester resin Fixation of the figures in wooden bases Foreign materials Fixation of the heads with wood spikes Thick deposits of dust Thick deposits of cement Fungi colonization
Provide physical stability; ease the transport Introduction of foreign and harmful materials; lack of physical stability Structural reinforcement of the figures Provide physical stability Incorrect exhibiting and depositing conditions Restoration interventions Alteration of the anatomically correct reading; introduction of foreign and harmful materials Introduction of foreign and harmful materials; alteration of the anatomically correct reading Alteration of the reading of decorative details Alteration of the reading of decorative details; different resistances
Excess of moisture in the exhibit and deposit Chromatic alterations of the surface
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History and Methodology of Restoration The restoration intervention had two main objectives: on the one hand, to restore the structural elements, with the main objective to provide both physical and chemical integrity and stability to the set; and on the other hand, to restore the formal and figurative values, where the reconstitution of the formal values of some figures was necessary for a good reading of the work. Restoration of the Structural Aspects Salt extraction Although this treatment was not a priority for all the figures, it was chosen to be performed first as it is easier to desalinate the whole piece than several fragments. The removal was made by osmosis applying patches of paper pulp with weekly conductivity measurements (figure 3).
Figure 3. During treatment; extraction of salts.
Figure 4. Apostle upper body already separated from its legs.
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Disassembly The next stage was the disassembling of the figures and the removal of the wooden bases as they were unaesthetic, attacked by xylophagous insects and rotten, and unable to perform their function (figure 4). The materials that attached the figures onto their bases - gypsum, sisal and cement - were removed mechanically and the figures were disassembled in individual sections, previously identified. Incorrectly glued fragments were also separated, allowing a formal reading of the shapes. Verification of the metallic elements Iron elements were used, probably to unite sections or to reinforce fragile areas. Their removal was not difficult as they were oxidised and unstable, unable to fulfil a bonding function and jeopardising the stability of the terracotta. However, it was sometimes required to drill holes around them in order to use pliers for their extraction (figure 5).
Removal of the old filling materials All gypsum and cement fillings were mechanically removed as they were contaminating the support with salts and were disturbing the formal reading, overlapping the original surface (figure 6). Occasionally, when the removal would extremely weaken the support or when the adhesion of the cement was too strong, it was decided to remove as much as possible of the material but without reaching the terracotta surface. Polychrome consolidation and fixation It was found necessary to consolidate some areas and terracotta fragments due to their lack of cohesion and to fixate the traces of polychromy and preparation layer. Both procedures were performed by brushing, with an acrylic resin dispersion at 10% and 15% in organic solvent (figure 7).
Figure 5 (left). Extraction of the metallic elements. Figure 6 (below). Separation process of the head from the apostle's body.
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Cleaning All the sections and fragments were mechanically cleaned with soft hair brushes and a controlled suction vacuum to remove the surface dirt with low adhesion. The materials with stronger adhesion -glues, plaster and mortars - were removed on a later phase with scalpels and chisels. Chemical cleaning was performed selectively, reaching an average cleaning level and preserving all the white preparation and polychromy traces. The cleaning allowed the comparison between the fragments, leading to the conclusion that there were elements with different visual quality, and returned the pieces their decorative richness once many of the motifs were hidden under the dirt. Parts Identification The hundreds of fragments were grouped by typology, colour and material in order to identify and return them to their original location. The
Figure 7. Traces of blue polychromy.
large number of fragments, the diversity of tones and the variety of shades in a single piece made this phase the most difficult one. A great percentage of fragments were identified (table 2) allowing thus the reconstruction the formal reading. Reassembly The original height of the figures was unknown as they were connected to the wooden bases with cement and plaster and most of them were wrongly mounted with parts from other figures. This factor made us choose as new support a steel structure with three adaptable positions, allowing the adjustment of the sections during the reassembly. The figures were mounted on a wood base with the shape of the sections, attached to the steel structure (figure 8).
Table 2. Number of fragments assembled and associated percentages.
Reference E111 E112 E113 E114 E115 E116 E117 E118 E119 E120 E121 E122 E123 Assorted Total
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Identified Fragments 18 27 6 23 23 36 19 44 5
_
Percentage 7% 10% 2% 8% 8% 13% 7% 16% 2%

_
16 19 37 574 847
6% 7% 14% 78%
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Drawing by Joo Pocinho
Figure 8. The new metallic base structure with three adjustable positions.
Figure 9. Structure designed to attach the head to the body.
Originally, the ensemble would have been arranged according to a scheme that was impossible to trace. The decision to reconnect the sections relates to the need to ensure a good stability of the ensemble, to keep each individual section on a unique structure and a stable support, and to facilitate the transport (figure 8). A structure in aluminium composed by one or two parallel profiles and a third perpendicular one was designed for each of the figures. The first structure was used to attach the heads to the body (figure 9) and the second to attach two sections between them (figure 10). In this case, one of the two parallel profiles was placed on the respective section and the union was made with screws, facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the parts. The profiles are fixed on the interior of the figures with a 30% solution of acrylic resin in acetone and 25 microns stone powder. Although the principles adopted for the structures are identical in all figures, each of them presents
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a particular shape that adjusts to their volume and ensures the stability of the ensemble. Aluminium was chosen due to its good performance to oxidation, its lightweight and resistance and also its availability on the market in a great variety of profiles, allowing for a wide variety of solutions. For specific cases special solutions were adopted (figures 9-14): a) When jointing of sections was not possible due to the lack of access to the interior of the part (figure 11); b) For the almost total reconstitution of the elements and for the fixation of the lids (figure 12); c) To allow the assembly and exhibit of the parts with incomplete sections (figures 13 and 14). Jointing Whenever possible, the fragments were joint with acrylic resin (30%) in a first phase and later with
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Figure 10 (above). Structure designed to attach two different sections of the body. Figure 11 (above right). Structure designed to attach the sections when lacking access to the interior. Figure 12 (below). Structure designed to the almost complete reconstitution of the elements and lids fixation.
epoxy resin. Two types of resin were used due to the fact that in the initial phase the fragments required a temporary gluing, as other fragments could be later found to complete the surface. A preliminary jointing ensured the possibility of easy removal whenever required. When it was considered impossible to adjoin another fragment and the acrylic resin was not sufficient to ensure the stability of the fragments, this was removed and a new jointing was performed with epoxy resin. The jointing of structural fragments, or of the parts where contact points were few, required the application of brass spikes. The process was assisted with diverse systems such as cases, sand pads, duct tape, plastic or fabric tape, clips, etc., adapted to the shape of the fragments and to their resistance. Filling The filling of the superficial cracks and fissures was performed with a vinyl-based paste (DAS),
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Figures 13 and 14. Structure designed to facilitate the assembly and exhibition of sculpture with incomplete sections.
which is non-hygroscopic, resistant and very ductile, to which demineralised water was added to facilitate the modelling. In deeper, structural areas or where a mechanical resistance was sought, the filling was performed with acrylic resin at 30% in organic solvent (acetone), using as filler limestone powder of 25 microns. Conservation of the Formal Aspects Once the physical and chemical stability of the ensemble was ensured, the next objective was to return its formal reading by restoring the continuity of the surface and its aesthetic values. In order to allow a correct formal reading of the ensemble it was necessary to restore some figurative parts as several lacunas were disruption points in the composition. The adapted criterion was to differentiate the interventions performed, not deceiving the observer
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but warning him/her of our aesthetic concern, that of enabling the public to enjoy the ensemble. Reconstitutions The reconstitutions were made with a mixture of stone powder of 25 microns bonded with acrylic resin (30%) dissolved in organic solvent (acetone) at a level lower than the original. In situations where the areas to fill were large, it was necessary to use as filling Leca, a very light and resistant spherical inert material. In places where it was not possible to apply the filling material, it was necessary to insert a polyethylene net attached to the terracotta with epoxy resin. The areas that would come in contact with the filling material were isolated with acrylic resin (3%) in organic solvent (xylene). The final layer was applied with vinyl paste DAS modelled in the same way as the original.
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Chromatic reintegration According to the principle of authenticity, as set out in the Nara Document (UNESCO, 1994), a difference between the original materials and those used in the present intervention was made. Indeed, the combination of both is easily perceptible by their different tones. The main objective was to provide a good reading of the figures and decorative motifs, while ensuring that the reintegration was discrete and in harmony with the ensemble. Acknowledgments The present work was carried out by the team of the National Museum Machado de Castro with the collaboration of contracted professionals. We express our sincere thanks to Ana Alcoforado, Antnio Ferro, Ausinda Flix, Carlos Santos, Ceclia Beiro, Cludia Felix, Conceio Reis, Dulce Gonalves, Joo Nora, Joo Pocinho, Narcisa Ferreira and Nazar Neves. Bibliography [1] J.M. Teixeira de Carvalho, A Cermica Coimbr no sculo XVI, Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 1921 [2] F. Bruno, Il restauro della ceramica, Nardini Editore, Firenze, 1993, pp. 81-82. [3] I. da Piedade e Vasconcellos, Padre, Artefactos, Symmetriacos e Geometricos, Lisbon, Joseph Antonio da Silva, 1733, pp. 48-51 [4] D. de Macedo, Phelippe Hodart, Academia Nacional de Belas Artes, Lisboa, 1956 [5] P. Clrin, La sculpture, toutes les techniques, Dessain & Tolra, Paris, 1988 [6] J. C. Rich, The materials and methods of sculpture, Dover Publications, New York, 1988 [7] M.-T. Baudry, Sculpture - Mthode et vocabulaire, Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1990 [8] J. M. Teixeira de Carvalho, "Museus provinciais"
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Arte e Arqueologia, Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, 1925, pp. 89-91 [9] F. de Pamplona, Dicionrio de pintores e escultores portugueses, volume IV, Livraria Civilizao Editora, 4 Edio, 2000

Conservator-restorer of sculpture National Museum Machado de Castro, Coimbra Contact: mnmc.catarinaalarcao@imc-ip.pt catarinaalarcao@gmail.com Catarina Alarco graduated in Conservation-Restoration from the New University of Lisbon. She than received a grant from the Ministry of Culture in 1997 and undertook the Corso di Perfezionamento sui restauro dei materialli lapidei in the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro in Rome for 11 months. Since 1998 she works at the National Museum Machado de Castro being the responsible of the workshop of sculpture conservation-restoration. She coordinates internships and training programs, and she designed and coordinated the exhibitions Esculturas em dilogo and Conhecer conservar that took place in the same museum. She published Introduo ao estudo material e conservao da escultura em pedra e em madeira [Introduction to material study and to the conservation of sculpture in stone and wood] (December 2002) and has presented several communications of projects developed in the museum and from her private practice.
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THE MONASTERY OF SAINT MARY OF ALCOBAA

The Conservation-Restoration of the Sanctuary Reliquaries
by Andr Varela Remgio
ANDR VARELA REMGIO
The present intervention on the reliquaries from the Sanctuary of the Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaa is the second phase of a conservation-restoration treatment previously executed by the Institute Jos de Figueiredo. Essentially, the intervention followed the same methodology, focusing on the treatment of degradations that appeared in the meantime, redoing some operations and detailing others. However, the remounting of all reliquaries in the altarpiece was a more complex operation. Furthermore, the study of the Monasterys terracotta sculptures proposes their correct attribution and dating, the addition of other sculptures to the ensemble, and the existence of several terracotta workshops in the monastery.
Introduction This article describes the second phase of the conservation-restoration treatment of the reliquaries from the Sanctuary of the Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaa that took place in 2006. Given that much has already been said about this artwork by previous researches, this paper will focus on the interpretation of data collected during the present intervention and the remounting of the reliquaries. It is not appropriate to address what is not well understood and, as indeed the terracotta sculpture of Alcobaa is an enormous unexploited subject, it was a temptation hard to resist for those who dealt with it daily since 2006. Thus, the new data concerning its study is briefly presented herein, which hopefully will influence a new approach to the subject in the future, as well as some terminology and dating corrections of some of the sculptures. The Alcobaa Terracotta Sculpture In 1153, ten years after the Treaty of Zamora1, King Afonso Henriques donated conquered lands to the moors to St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, where the Cistercian monastery was founded (figure 1). The monastery became one of the most important, powerful and wealthy from Portugal due to the
1 The Treaty of Zamora (1143) recognised the independence
Figure 1. Monastery of St. Mary of Alcobaa in the beginning of the 20th century.
consecutive royal concessions, inherently having works of art of great quality. According to the Chapter XXVI of the 12th century Exordium Cistercii [1, pp. 61], sculptures were not allowed in Cistercian monasteries, except for painted wooden crosses, not to distract the monks from their prayers with mundane things. However, the rule was updated and in the 17th century the Cistercian monks from Alcobaa, as well as the others, surrender to the Baroque opulence. In this period, the polychromed terracotta sculpture became one of the main artistic fields of interest in the monastery.
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of kingdom of Portugal from the Kingdom of Len and Castile.

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After the execution of the sculpture ensemble of the St. Peter altarpiece (figure 2), probably dating from the first half of the 17th century, the monastery began an intense production of terracotta sculpture, which possibly started with the sculpture of Our Lady of the Rosary [2] followed by: the sculptures of the Sanctuary (c. 1670) [3, pp. 36]; the altarpiece of the main chapel (1676-1678) [3, pp. 25; 4, pp. 9]; the first phase of the altarpiece of Transit of St. Bernard (commissioned between 1676 and 1678) [5]; the first phase of the series of the Kings of Portugal (commissioned between 1675 and 1778) [5]; the Nativity scene (commissioned between 1684 and 1690) [5]; the second phase of the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard (possibly commissioned between 1687 and 1690) [5]; the altarpiece of the Miracle of the Loaves (c. 1702) [3, pp. 48]; the second phase of the series of the Kings of Portugal (executed before 1710) [3, pp. 41]; the altarpiece of St. Bernard Giving Alms [3, pp. 39]; and the third phase of the series of the Kings of Portugal (c. 1765) [6].
It is possible that the ensemble of the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard was executed in two different phases and by two different workshops. The execution of the series Kings of Portugal would also have been performed in three phases. The altarpiece Miracle of the Loaves is also included in this sequence as it is referred in the chronicles together with the previous ones. Similarly, the altarpiece of the Calvary [7] may also have been executed in the same phase as there are references of its existence. Beyond these ensembles, religious and pagan sculptures existed in the monastery, although of smaller dimensions [2]. Along with the correction of the ensemble dating based on the Cistercian chronicles, we also propose the correction of some designations, according to the documentation until the 19th century. The most evident cases are the ones of the Sanctuary [3, pp. 36] and the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard [3, pp. 29] that are called by a variety of names. Although this altarpiece is commonly called the
Figure 2. Denomination, dating and location of the terracotta sculpture ensembles from the monastery.
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Death of St. Bernard, it represents more than the eminent death of the Mellifluous Priest. It also represents the transit of his soul to heaven where it is received by the Virgin to whom he was especially devoted. Considering the ensembles that are dated, it is known that there were several major commissions during the first priorship of Friar Sebastio de Sottomayor. These commissions, however, would hardly be answered by one single workshop that, according to some authors [8], would be led by a Friar Pedro. Following this argument, we proceeded to the formal and material comparison (at macroscopic level), of the different sculpture ensembles in order to group them according to their possible provenance workshops (table 1). Some evident similarities were then detected between some of the busts and the sculptures of the first phase of the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard. Comparing the archaic sculpture of Our Lady of the Rosary with some busts, we may find some formal similarities, especially with the bust of St. Euphemia (?), concerning the hairstyle and headdress. We propose the hypothesis that this sculpture
was executed by the same workshop although it was one of their early works followed by more complex projects as the reliquaries of the Sanctuary and of the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard [2]. The most comprehensive studies of the Sculpture of Alcobaa did not find any references about Friar Pedro [9, 10]. Thus, and following the above argumentation, it is likely that there were several clay workshops working simultaneously and not only one single. We also believe that these workshops were not necessarily made up of monks, as it is usually and undisputedly referred, but possibly by seculars, as other teams of major projects from the monastery. The idea of seculars working in workshops is also corroborated by the existence of sculptures and ensembles in other monasteries and convents that are very similar to those from Alcobaa. The Sanctuary As the medieval sacristy became too small for a monastery with the importance and splendour of Alcobaa, King Manuel I ordered the construction of a bigger sacristy behind the ambulatory. The
Table 1. Grouping of several ensembles of sculpture by workshops and some of their individual characteristics. Altarpiece of St. Peter Our Lady of the Rosary, Sanctuary Reliquaries, Altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard, 1st phase 17th (?) century c.1670c.1678 Orange paste Thin walls Naturalist model Round face, prominent eyes, thick lips
Clear pink paste with Very thick several black areas. walls Serious cohesion problems red paste with several black areas Thick walls
1676Altarpiece of the main chapel, Altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard, 2nd phase c.1690 Nativity D. Afonso I to D. Joo IV (?) c.16751678
Effeminated angels, triangular face, slit eyes, thin lips, flying draperies n.a.
D. Pedro II and D. Afonso VI D. Joo V, D. Jos I and the coronation ensemble
<1710 c.1765
Clear pink paste with Very thick several black areas. walls Serious cohesion problems n.a. n.a. red paste n.a.
n.a. n.a.
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medieval one became the Treasure Room to keep the important and renowned collection of the monastery relics. In time, however, this space also became unworthy of the relics collection, requiring the construction of a new space for that purpose that would represent the cultural and institutional importance of the relics collection. Thus, in 1670 the Abbot General Dr. Friar Constantino de Sampaio (1619-1691) [5] commissioned the construction of the Sanctuary (figure 3) with its own chapel at the top of the Sacristy. The Sanctuary has an octagonal plan and a dome in carved stone and shed dormer. The walls are entirely covered with a gilded and polychromed altarpiece with several niches that house the reliquaries. The reliquaries, of monumental scale and mostly in polychrome terracotta, were initially composed of seven full-body sculptures, 82 busts and 14 arms. Currently, only seven full-body sculptures, 68 busts
and 10 arms remained in the altarpiece. One additional bust, the heads of two busts and an arm in terracotta are kept in storage due to their poor conservation state. Each reliquary represents a saint (figure 3) and has embedded in the front a container with glass with the respective relic and a rag paper [11] with the saint identification. The relics that still exist are mostly bones, teeth, flesh and tissue fragments. Seven of the busts are in polychrome wood, formally very similar to the others. Although the reason why they were made in wood is unknown, it is likely that they are part of the initial project once they are mentioned in the oldest descriptions and they are still located in the same place [12]. Given that they constituted perfectly symmetrical pairs (figure 4), both geometrically and iconographically, we believe that they would have been part of an earlier core ensemble.
Figure 3 (left). Sanctuary of the Monastery of St. Mary of Alcobaa before 1930. Figure 4 (below). Reliquary of St. Nicholas.
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One bust is highlighted among the others due to its exuberance: it is the one from St. Zacharias (?), represented as the priest of the Temple in Jerusalem. The back of the bust has marked a signal that would increase its exoticism in case it has a meaning (figure 6). This signal consists in an inverted cross painted in red, hypothetically the signal of the Antichrist. This bust seems to exchange looks with one other from a monk from the Reliquia Sanctorum which is located one level up and that has on its back a catholic cross painted in red, like representing the Good watching the Evil from above [2]. Execution Techniques Since there is already literature on the technical execution of the reliquaries, this chapter will address this thematic very briefly. The clay was extracted in the clay pits from the region, the reliquaries were executed hollow, and bars, intersected or not, were placed in their interior to support the sculpture walls. Vents were opened in the top of each one. The already modelled full-body sculptures were sectioned transversally in horizontal blocks, preFigure 5. Busts of polychrome wood.
sumably with a cutter of untempered wired [13, pp. 98]. This operation was intended to facilitate their transport and to promote the drying and firing process. In order to avoid the switch of parts from the different sculptures during the entire execution, some of them were manually marked with the name of the saint, as in the case of the mitre of St. Edmund (figure 7).
Figure 6. Locations of Reliquia Sanctorum (right) and the busts of St. Zacharias (?) (left), with the red marks painted on the back.
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Starting from the support, the stratigraphy consists of several layers: animal glue, thick white preparation of gypsum and animal glue, and colour layers. Over the preparation of the areas to be painted, a layer of an ochre-based bolus in animal glue was applied, then the gold leaf, which was polished, and then the colour layer [11]. The pigments were applied in egg tempera and were identified as lead white, chalk, yellow ochre, vermilion, ochre, azurite, malachite, and charcoal (figure 8) [14]. Chalk was used in white layers over the metallic leaf due to its weak opacity, while lead white was mixed with other pigments in the colour layers or as underlayer [14, pp. 68]. The polychromy (figure 9) is made of vegetal and geometric motifs, executed in sgraffito or with a brush directly over the polished metallic leaf, reproducing tow, silk, damasks and embroidery in gold thread. On the interior of the relic vessels, a madder oil-based glaze [11] was applied over the metallic leaf.
Figure 7. Inscription marked in the mitre of the reliquary of St. Edmund.
Figure 8. Stratigraphy of one of the Innocent Saints bust.
Figure 9. Example of polychromy of the treated reliquaries.
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Subsequent Interventions The Sanctuary went through several interventions that are difficult to date (table 2), although they did not alter the essence of the original project. After the research of several photographic collections, namely in the Vieira Natividade House Museum (partially unpublished), Collection Alvo and the Estate of Barata Feyo (partially unpublished), it was found that one of the sculptures [15] from the altarpiece appears to be the upper part of a mid-sized sculpture, possibly representing an angel holding a thurible (figure 10 A). This sculpture, placed over the altar in the beginning of the 20th century and now disappeared, may have belonged
A C
Figure 10. Lost sculptures. A - angel holding a thurible; B and C - feminine busts.
Table 2. Chronology of some of the posterior interventions performed in the Sanctuary. Before the 18th century Before 1885 Reliquaries Altarpiece Reliquaries Reliquaries Beginning of 20th century 1931 1952 1952 1952 Altarpiece Sanctuary Sanctuary Altarpiece Reliquaries Reposition of arms in full-body sculpture corbels and their substitution by others in silver. Addition of a corbel for a polychrome terracotta sculpture representing the decapitated head of Saint John the Baptist Placement of four wood busts (?). Varnish application Placement of the several sculptures from the monasteries in niches in the altar and on/over the altar Roof repair Placement of the sculptures of the altarpiece of Saint Peter, meanwhile dismantled. Execution of another altar in stone, formal integration and partial gilding Intervention by the Direco Geral dos Edifcios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGEMN): gluing; formal integrations (very rough); application of overpaint on flesh colour, hair and purpurine; application of a mid-size head to one of the decapitated busts; and dislocation of some busts from the two first levels Intervention of conservation-restoration by the Institute Jos de Figueiredo: dome cleaning; altarpiece joinery work, carving and gilding, fragment fixation, cleaning, reattachment and partial removal of overpaintings and purpurine; reliquaries - fragment fixation, punctual formal integration, cleaning, coatings fixation, partial removal of overpaintins and purpurine, execution of missing glasses and chromatic integration of lacunas according to several criteria (from simple colouring to integral and extremely detailed integration). Disinfestation
The reliquaries were taken down while the full-body sculptures were kept in the sacristy and the busts and the arms were placed in storage.
1979-1986
Sanctuary, Altarpiece and Reliquaries
2002
2002
Altarpiece
Reliquaries
2003 2006
Reliquaries Altarpiece
First phase of the conservation-restoration intervention of the reliquaries (7 sculptures of full body and 24 busts) performed by other team. Intervention of conservation-restoration.
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to one of the lost ensembles, most likely to the enigmatic Nativity [2] from which so little is known. A total of thirteen busts and three arms are missing from the reliquaries ensemble. After research in the previously mentioned photographic collections, two feminine busts were identified as lost (figure 10 B and C). The busts disappeared after 1929 [15] and one was similar to two other busts, one in wood and another in terracotta, possibly of St. Valeria. Noting that the wooden bust is perfectly symmetrical to the existing one, the previous hypothesis that these busts may have belong to a core preceding the Sanctuary is supported. Conservation State The terracotta support of the reliquaries presented lacunas, fractures and fissures, and the wooden busts were affected by biological attack caused by wood boring insects and Serpula lacrymans (dry rot) fungus.
The coatings presented lack of cohesion (extremely punctual), lacunas (in numerous reliquaries and in large areas), altered varnish, colour overpainting and extremely oxidised purpurine overpaint and chromatic integrations performed by Institute Jos de Figueiredo (IJF). Intervention of Conservation-Restoration The second phase of the intervention of conservation-restoration of the reliquaries of the Sanctuary, in 2006, focused on the reliquaries that had not yet been treated, namely 48 busts, 10 arms and the decapitated head of the Precursor. Although the intervention aimed to the maintenance and continuity of the treatment started by IJF, it also addressed the damages that appeared meanwhile, redoing some operations and detailing others. After the individual diagnostic of each reliquary, the surface was cleaned. The intervention then continued with the treatment of the support, namely fragments reattachment (figures 11 and 12)
Figures 11 and 12. Before and after the reattachment of the fragments of Saint John the Evangelist bust.
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Figures 13 and 14. Improvement of the reintegration performed by DGEMN on one of the arms.
and fissures reinforcement. The gaps between the fragments were filled with a kaolin-based coloured paste with a similar texture of the surrounding areas. After the preventive disinfestation of the wooden busts it was proceeded to the reattachment of the fragments, the filling of cracks with lower density wood and consolidation of the areas with dry rot. The shape of the missing support was not remade, which would have been beyond the conservationrestoration ethics, although the very rough integrations performed by DGEMN were improved (figures 13 and 14) as in many cases they were difficult to remove and they distorted the formal reading and interpretation of the sculptures. The few detached areas of the polychromy were fixated. The layers of overpaintings, purpurine and varnish still existent in some reliquaries (figure 15), as well as similar numerous traces in other reliquaries, were completely removed as they covered the original polychromy, disrupting the unity of the composition.
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Figure 15. Removal of the purpurine and varnish layers from the bust of Saint Umbelina.
The chromatic reintegration executed by IJF was already altered, having lost its effectiveness, and therefore was replaced by other. The chromatic reintegration of the lacunas respected the previous project and sought to offer a certain colour homogeneity, to return the unity to the composition and to provide a better reading of the ensemble.
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Figures 16 and 17. Bust of St. John the Baptist. Filling, levelling and chromatic reintegration of the lacunas of the flesh tones.
On the first two levels, part of the existing fillings made by DGEMN were improved in order to obtain an homogeneous and effective chromatic integration (figures 16 and 17), given the reliquaries dimensions, the observer proximity to these areas, their irregular surface and the polishing of the flesh colour polychromy. The bust of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal was treated
in the same manner, presenting some of the conditions mentioned above. The bust also occupies a central place in the composition and in the symbology of the Sanctuary, although it is at a reasonable distance from the observer (figures 18 and 19). Superficial detachments of the flesh tones from other reliquaries were reintegrated without the use of filling.
Figures 18 and 19. Chromatic reintegration of the bust of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal.
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ANDR VARELA REMGIO
Figure 20. Chromatic reintegration through overlapping of traces and points.
The chosen chromatic was similar to the surrounding area, carefully respecting the lacuna limits, reversibly and perfectly discernible. The reintegration of lacunas should always be easily discernible at short distance but invisible when observed from a distance [16], to ensure the authenticity of cultural property and not to interfere with the reading of the transmitted message. Therefore, we chose the reintegration by overlapping of large and parallel traces or points depending on each situation (figure 20). The superficial lacunas of the polychrome and golden areas were toned with shades of Armenian bolus. In a very few exceptions when this option did not work, the areas were toned with the colour of the surrounding background, but never remade. A protection layer was later applied to all the reliquaries. The remounting When the second phase of the conservation-restoration intervention was completed, the reliquaries were placed back in the altarpiece. The busts and arms were first protected and then placed back in their respective niches, from the upper levels to the lower ones, with the help of an electric forklift. The previous order was followed instead of the original one due to the fact that some busts could not be identified.
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Figures 21 and 22. Stages in the remounting of the full body sculptures on the altarpiece corbels.
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Figures 23-26. Stages in the remounting of the full body sculptures on the altarpiece corbels.
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ANDR VARELA REMGIO
The remounting of the full-body sculptures was the most complex operation as they were about two meters tall, one ton of weight and were made of less fired terracotta sections. Before the sculptures could be placed it was necessary to remove the corbels wood linings which would support the weight. For that end, the sculptures were slowly pushed over silicone cylinders to another pallet at the same height. To avoid the displacement of the sections, the sculptures were fully wrapped in polyethylene film and a board was attached to their back. Placed over the pallets, the sculptures were elevated until their corbels and placed in positions, once again using the silicone cylinders to slide them (figures 21-26). The sculpture of the head of St. John the Baptist (figure 27) was not remounted in the altar and its corbel was removed because originally the sculpture did not belong within the Sanctuary and in its correct position, it was not even visible. Conclusions Apart from knowing the production techniques of the works of art, conservator-restorers are given privileged information, being in the proximity to the pieces. The study of the sculpture of Alcobaa has revealed that its execution would have been the work of several terracotta workshops, possibly seculars, and not of a single workshop of monks, as it is always referred. Through a formal and technical analysis, we have grouped the ensembles of sculpture by their provenance from different possible workshops. The present study is in its early stages but the steps are already outlined: the study of the altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard, the one of the main altar, as well as the sculptures executed by the same workshops for other convents is soon to be expected. The conservation-restoration treatment presented
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Figure 27. Head of St. John the Baptist.
herein maintained the continuity of the previous treatment performed by IJF. The remounting of the reliquaries was the most complex operation due to the fact that the full-body sculptures were originally mounted and painted directly in their corbels and since then they had never left their places. Acknowledgments The author expresses his sincere appreciation to Ceclia Gil, Director of the Monastery of St. Mary of Alcobaa, to Maria Augusta Trindade Ferreira and Rui Rasquilho, former directors of the Monastery, to Isabel Raposo de Magalhes, subdirector of the Institute of Museums and Conservation, and to Carlos Moura, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the New University of Lisbon, for their cooperation during the intervention and the research. References
[1] A. A. Nascimento, Cister: Os Documentos Primitivos, Edies Colibri, Lisboa, 1998 [2] A. V. Remgio, Tratamento de Conservao e Restauro de relicrios do Santurio do Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaa, Revista Estudos Patrimnio 11, IGESPAR, 2009 (in press) [3] M. dos Santos, Frei, Descrio do Real Mosteiro de
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Alcobaa, A. A. Nascimento (introd. and notes), Associao para a Defesa e Valorizao do Patrimnio Cultural da Regio de Alcobaa, Alcobaa, 1979 [4] V. Correia, O Retbulo da capela-mor de Alcobaa, Imprensa da Universidade, Coimbra, 1931 [5] B. So Bernardo, Frei, Extractos das Contas das Obras do Mosteiro de Alcobaa de 1618 a 1696, National Library of Portugal, Reserved, Cod. ALC.301, fl.280-283 [6] V. Correia, Inscries do Claustro do Silncio, Imprensa da Universidade, Coimbra, 1929 [7] R. Ortigo, As Farpas-O Pas e a Sociedade Portuguesa, Tomo I, Livraria Clssica Editora, Lisboa, 1998 [8] G. Matos Sequeira, Inventrio Artstico de Portugal: Distrito de Leiria, 5 Vol., Academia Nacional de Belas-Artes, 1955 [9] M. Calado and P. Canavarro, Investigao Histrica, in Problemas de alterao e conservao do conjunto em terracta da Morte de S. Bernardo no Mosteiro de Alcobaa, Vol. 1, col. Alcobaciana, Associao para a defesa e valorizao do Patrimnio Cultural da Regio de Alcobaa, Alcobaa, 1974 [10] C. Moura, A Escultura de Alcobaa e a Imaginria Monstico-Conventual (1590-1700), 2 vol., PhD Thesis, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, 2006 [11] A Capela-Relicrio do Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaa Processo de Brigada, 1984-1989, Reports of Conservation-Restoration of Sculpture of the Institute Jos de Figueiredo (unpublished) [12] M. da Rocha, Frei, Descrio do Santurio das Relquias do Mosteiro de Alcobaa, National Library of Portugal, Reserved, Cod. ALC. 307, fl. 60v-fl. 66, transcript in C. Moura, A Escultura de Alcobaa e a Imaginria Monstico-Conventual (1590-1700), Vol. 2, PhD Thesis, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, New University of Lisbon, 2006, pp. 18-23 [13] I. Piedade Vasconcellos, Artefactos Symmetriacos e Geometricos, advertidos, e descobertos pela industriosa perfeio das artes, esculturaria, architectonica, e da pintura, Impressa da Academia Real, Lisboa, 1733 [14] C. Moura, A. Barreiro and I. Ribeiro, Os Bustosrelicrio Alguns casos notveis da escultura seiscentista de barro em Alcobaa, in POLICROMIA - A
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Escultura Policromada Religiosa dos sculos XVII e XVIII Estudo comparativo das tcnicas, alteraes e conservao em Portugal, Espanha e Blgica, IPCR, Lisboa, 2004 [15] D. E. S. ALVO (1872-1946), Documentao fotogrfica, Biblioteca Municipal de Alcobaa, BMA 406 and 407 [16] C. Brandi, Teoria do Restauro, Edies Orion, Lisboa, 2006
Photographic sources
S. C. S. d'E. Barata Feio, Photographic documentation, Authors collection (partially unpublished) Casa-Museu Vieira Natividade, Photographic documentation, Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaa (partially unpublished)
ANDR VARELA REMGIO

Conservator-Restorer Contact: mail@avremigio.com Website: http://avremigio.com/ Andr Varela Remgio is a conservator-restorer of sculpture. He has a Bachelor degree in conservationrestoration by Escola Superior de Conservao e Restauro of Lisbon and a Master in conservationrestoration by Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He currently works as freelancer and has participated in conservation treatments of sculptures belonging to monuments classified as National Monuments and listed UNESCO World Heritage. He is also member of the Direction Board of ARP, the Associao Profissional de Conservadores-Restauradores de Portugal, since 2001.
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THE USE OF WAX-RESIN IN CONSERVATION TREATMENTS OF GILDED SURFACES

by Elsa Filipe de Andrade Murta
Beeswax, either mixed or not mixed with natural resins, has been used since antiquity in both in the composition of colour, as a binding medium, and in other artistic purposes. Due to its hydrophobic properties, it is often employed in conservation treatments to reattach and consolidate paint layers in high humidity environments. Beeswax has also been a common polishing or coating material on wooden objects without polychrome layers. This article brings two matters into discussion: first, the material characterisation of baroque gilded wooden works of art that have been treated by this method at the Conservation-Restoration Department of the Institute for the Museums and Conservation (DCR-IMC), and second, the pros and cons of this procedure that seems to have been forgotten and out of use.
ELSA FILIPE DE ANDRADE MURTA
Introduction The theme of this article has long been a motive for reflection for the conservator-restorers that have shared work, problematics and results in the area of wood and gilded woodcarving from the Department of Conservation and Restoration of the Institute of Museums and Conservation (DCRIMC). This subject needs to be discussed in order to justify a methodology apparently fallen into disuse, but with high chances of success. The use of wax-resin mixtures was first implemented at the former Institute Jos de Figueiredo (IJF)1, brought from the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) by Portuguese trainees. In the authors experience, previous wax-resin treatments are, in a certain way, often ignored in the diagnostics and treatment proposals of the conservation state of altarpieces. This paper is not intended to make an apology of a method over others but to justify the validity of a methodology that is still very effective as proved by analytical characterisation and by 30-years experience in the area of sculpture and gilded woodcarving at the Portuguese Institute. Part I: Materials The Wax Wax may have mineral, vegetal or animal origin. It is the latter that we will focus on. Wax is naturally secreted by the intra-abdominal glands of bees (Apis mellifica). In literature, the composition of beeswax is usually referred as a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, esters and free fatty acids [1].
Chemically, it includes more than 300 components, among which: monoesters (35%), hydrocarbons (14%), free acids (12%), diesters (14%), hydroxyl polyesters (8%), hydroxyl monoesters (4%), triesters (3%), acid polyesters (2%), acid monoesters (1%) and unidentified products (7%). Physically wax [2] is a solid, slightly translucent, plastic material that melts when subject to heat, having a low melting point of about 63 C. Wax has an excellent resistance to hydrolysis, which makes it practically insoluble in water, and a great resistance to oxidation, remaining stable for long periods of time. It is soluble in a few solvents, particularly in aromatic ones, and its solubility increases with temperature. It can be found in natural colour or bleached and although it yellows in time, it remains stable for very long periods. Wax has been the preferred finish for polishing or finishing the surface of furniture or woodwork in general. Since antiquity, it has been used as modelling material in ceroplasty2 for statues, medals, funerary masks, busts, etc. and in painting for encaustic, still seen nowadays in mummy portraits from ancient tombs of Egypt, which confirms that the degradation of fatty acids by oxidation did not occur. In the technique of brocade relief applied on European medieval polychromed sculpture, wax was used mixed with natural resins and, probably, honey and oil as well [3]. Agns Le Gac studied this thematic, describing and justifying the importance that the baroque poque gave to the use of [] wax materials [], in both the art of ceroplasty and wax modelling, as well as in the unusual expression of polychromies with wax decoration from the end of the 17th century [4, pp. 64]. It was also used as the adhesive by excellence in the famous Portuguese nativities
1 IJF would later become the Portuguese Institute of Conser-
2 "Term that defines the technique of modelling in white or
vation-Restoration (IPCR) which is today the Department of Conservation-Restoration of the Institute of Museums and Conservation (DCR-IMC).
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polychrome wax for making models or final sculptures" in Lus Manuel Teixeira, Dicionrio Ilustrado de Belas Artes, Editorial Presena, Lisbon, 1985, pp. 60.
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THE USE OF WAX-RESIN IN CONSERVATION OF GILDED SURFACES
from the 18th and 19th century where we find it recurrently [4, pp. 58]. The Resin Dammar resin is extracted from the Dipterocarpaceae trees in Asian countries [5] and is produced by tapping trees [6]. Like most triterpenoid resins, dammar produces good quality varnishes due to its good solubility in organic solvents, its insolubility in water and low yellowing coefficient compared to other natural resins. It is commercialised on solid state in the form of small, translucent dusty stones with strong and aromatic odour. Its melting point is between 100 and 150 C, roughly twice as that of beeswax. It has a great adhesive power and it is often mixed with wax to improve its adhesive strength. Another advantage is its low acidity. Part II: The Mixture The use of wax and resin mixed in different proportions for conservation treatments such as relining of paintings or for the reattachment of gilding has been mentioned in literature since a long time3. The exact proportion of the components depends on factors such as the objective or the climate. Although wax has a certain adhesive strength by itself, the addition of resin will increase its adhesion to the support.
Figure 1. Manual worksheet for the preparation of wax-resin (7:2) prepared by Gracelina Barros.
Figure 2. The wax and the resin are to be melted separately.
3 Among other references, we especially refer to the Bulletin
de l'Institut Royal du Patrimoine Artistique, as well as to the IIC publications such as Studies in Conservation, Reviews in Conservation, News in Conservation and their Congress Preprints.
4 Gracelina Barros is a conservator-restorer who worked in the
division of sculpture and gilded woodcarving at IJF until 1999.

5 Documentation as digital photographs made in 2007 during
the curricular internship of students Catarina Antunes and Joana Madureira from the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar.
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Figure 1 shows a worksheet prepared by Gracelina Barros4 that describes the preparation procedure of wax-resin at a ratio of 7 parts of beeswax to 2 parts of dammar resin, which is considered the ideal proportion in terms of wax consistency and resin elasticity. The preparation procedure was documented in the context of a curricular internship5. Figures 2 to 5 show the typical steps required in the preparation of the mixture. 700 g of beewax are placed in a pot over a hot plate in water bath in order to control the wax melting, while 200 g of dammar resin are put in a separate container (figure 2). When the wax is almost melted, the dammar resin is placed in another hot plate. When both are melted, the resin is poured into the wax, letting the mix85
Figure 3 (above). After melting, the resin is poured over the wax and homogenised. Figure 4 (upper right). Parallel and perpendicular incisions are made in the surface when the mixture is semi-solid. Figure 5 (right). Ready to use individual pieces of wax-resin.
ture to homogenise (figure 3). In order to prepare the mixture for future applications, it is standard practice to set up a wood grid covered with a nonadherent film, in this case melinex, where the mixture is poured over after being filtered for any residues that wax can have. Finally, it is left to cool. When the mixture is almost solid, parallel and perpendicular incisions are made (figure 4) to obtain ready to use individual doses (figure 5). Part III: Material Analysis The consulted bibliography focuses on the difficulty in identifying the different qualities of wax and resin by methods of analysis. Some of these are able to determine the classes of binders but not the specific variations within the same class. Richard Newman performed a valuable characterisation of the most common binders found in sculp86
ture polychromy and published infrared spectra from samples of wax and resin, among many other materials [7]. Although in his study Newman did not use pure materials but samples taken from works of art, the analytical characterisation is very useful in the determination of the characteristic peaks of both beeswax and dammar resin. Some questions concerning the interventions made with wax-resin are raised: is the adhesive used as a binder visible in cross-section? Would it stain the preparation layer? Is the general aspect of the sample the expected one, in terms of uniformity and layer colour? In order to answer these and other questions, data concerning the material characterisation of gilded objects that had been subjected to interventions with wax-resin was gathered. We present five cross-sections (figure 6) taken from different locations and observed under the
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Figure 6. Cross-sections corresponding to the following locations: column, Chapel of the Lord of the Speech, Church of St. Albert (MNAA); angel, altarpiece of the Church of St. Albert (MNAA); column, altarpiece of the Church of St. Albert (MNAA); column, altarpiece of the Church of Mercy of Proena-a-Velha; golden cartouche of an angel, Church of Our Lady of Carmo, Beja.
microscope. The material characterization was performed by -FTIR6. Figure 6a shows a cross-section from the left side of the altarpiece of the Chapel of the Lord of Speech (Capela do Senhor da Fala), the oldest in the Church of St. Albert (Igreja de St Alberto), located at the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA) in Lisbon. Several layers were identified in the sample, starting from the support identified as Quercus sp. (oak): a preparation layer composed of a thin strata containing gypsum and amide (most probably animal glue); a yellow preparation layer for the application of gold, consisting of kaolin and gypsum admixed in oil7 and amides (from animal glue); gold leaf; and a non-continuous layer of beeswax and dammar resin mixture.
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Figure 6b shows a cross-section from an angelshaped corbel from the altarpiece of the same church. The support, not visible in the sample, was identified as Pinus sylvestris L. (pine).The
6 The analytical characterisation was performed by the LCR-
JF from IMC; the biologic study was performed by biologist Llia Esteves; micro-FTIR was performed by Eng. Isabel Ribeiro; the samplings and XRF analysis were performed by physicist Ana Mesquita e Carmo.
7 The identification of oil in the preparation layers of the
gilding with water technique may be unprecedented. The micro-FTIR spectra of the white preparation layer show sharp peaks characteristic of water and gypsum while the second layer of the yellow preparation (bolus) shows characteristic peaks of water, gypsum and some oil. Thus, we concluded that the gilding was executed in a water-based technique.
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strata structure and the identified materials are similar with those from figure 6a8. Figure 6c shows the cross-section of a sample taken from a column from the left side of the altarpiece of the same church. The structure of the strata and the identified materials are similar with those from figure 6a and 6b9. Figure 6d shows the cross-section of a sample taken from a column from the right side of the main altarpiece from the Church of Mercy (Igreja da Misericrdia) of Proena-a-Velha. In shape of an aedicule classified as from the 16th century [8], this altarpiece is probably the oldest here mentioned. The Laboratory of Conservation-Restoration - Jos de Figueiredo (LCR-JF) identified gypsum admixed in oil in the preparation layer, which is likely due to a later contamination. The infrared spectra of the same area revealed characteristic peaks of water that are probably related to the aqueous solvent of the binder. The orange layer, which is the gold bolus, is constituted by kaolin and ochre admixed in oil and gold leaf. Figure 6e shows a cross-section from a golden cartouche of an angel, probably executed in the second third of the 18th century10, from the Church of Our Lady of Carmo (Igreja de N S do Carmo), Beja. Over the support, identified as being Quercus sp. (oak), a white preparation layer of gypsum with proteic binder, a 20 m brown layer that is ochre bolus and vegetable carbon admixed in animal glue were found. The direct observation of the cross-sections shows that samples in figures 6a, 6b and 6c, provenient from the same location but from different ages,
are physically very similar. The preparation layers appear to be cohesive, dense, spotless and without infiltrations from the gold layer. The thin layer of wax-resin that can be observed over the gold leaf is consistent with the conservation-restoration treatment of the gilded surface, made with waxresin (7:2) in 1981 and 1994. Figure 6d shows similar characteristics with the previous figures, but with a darker and denser colour of the bolus, without stains or infiltrations in the white preparation layer. The presence of oil11 in the composition of the preparation layers is likely due to the ancient practice of applying oil over the polychromy to protect it and highlight its colour. This altarpiece was subject to conservationrestoration intervention by IJFs Division of Sculpture in 1984 using wax-resin (7:2) and the stratigraphy has apparently not changed since then. Figure 6e corresponds to an area of golden decoration that later received a thick layer of varnish, which infiltrated the preparation layer through the gold fissures, stained it and prevented the consolidation. After the removal of that intervention and the stabilisation of the gold and preparation layers, a fixative and protective layer of wax-resin (7:2), diluted in hot aromatic solvent was applied with the aid of hot air source. Part IV: Some procedures As fixative, wax-resin (7:2) may be used in its solid state, with the aid of a hot spatula, or diluted in an organic solvent.
8 The infrared spectra (-FTIR) show the characteristic peaks
10 This sculpture has a pair with the same material charac-
of kaolin and amides, probably from skin glue, usually associated with the bolus. The presence of oil can be due to contamination.
9 In this cross-section the characteristic peaks of gypsum
teristics. Due to their original provenance and stylistic aspect, they are referenced by Jos Antonio Falco, from the Department of Historic and Artistic Heritage of the Diocese of Beja, as being the work of the brothers Abreu do , active with a workshop in vora in the second third of the 18th century.
11 Unfortunately, a more precise identification of the binders
and oil were identified, although other materials necessary for the layer consistency were not identified.
from the white and yellow preparation layers was not possible.
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Detachment of the gold layer was diagnosed in a sculpture representing Mary Magdalene from the National Museum Machado de Castro (MNMC) in Coimbra. The decohesion and detachment of the preparation layers was caused by a long-term improper exhibition condition, such as permanent high-humidity environment. The treatment of the sculpture was made with wax-resin (7:2) applied directly onto the area with the aid of hot spatulas (figure 7). The areas were previously humidified with an organic solvent to enhance the wax-resin absorption. To fix the gold detachments, several drops of wax-resin were softened through a melinex sheet with a hot spatula, at a maximum of 120 C to prevent wax degradation. Once the mixture was absorbed, the excess was removed with a cotton swab with organic solvent. Wax-resin (7:2) may also be used cold when dissolved in an appropriate organic solvent such as white spirit, in a high percentage in order to obtain a soft consistency (figure 8), ideal to apply as polishing or final protection layer. This methodology gives good results on surfaces with successive interventions on gilding when it is necessary to homogenise the surface and to return its brightness. Part V: Some Case Studies Conservation treatments were performed using the methodology previously described to gilded altarpieces in several Portuguese locations during the first course of conservation and restoration of sculpture at IJF from 1981 until 1986. The altarpiece of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snow (Capela de Nossa Senhora das Neves) in Arentim, Braga, was subject to conservation treatment in 1982. After a preliminary cleaning and dust removal, the surface was humidified with white spirit and a layer of wax-resin (7:2) diluted in white spirit at 50% was applied. After impregnation, excess of mixture remained on the surface due to the rapid
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Figure 7. Application of wax-resin (7:2) for the reattachment of detached gilding with the aid of a hot spatula.
Figure 8. Wax-resin (7:2) diluted in a high percentage in white spirit.
loss of heat. The same problem occurred in the treatment of the gilded surface of the carved wooden decoration on the Santa Claras retable from MNMC (figure 9). This excess was removed with a natural bristle brush to uniformize the surface, assisted by a hot air source. The runoff was absorbed with paper towels. It should also be noted that in some cases the problems that appeared during treatments were due to improper work conditions and environment, such as the assembling and the quality of the scaffolding, lack of power and water sources and not necessarily due to the methodology (figure 10). In 1986 the Division of Sculpture of IJF, supported by the Municipality of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, organised activities for a Programme for Free Time
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Figure 9. Application of wax-resin (7:2), diluted hot, before the removal of the excess on the gilded framing on the Altarpiece of St. Claire, MNMC, Coimbra.
Occupation of Youth, among which the conservation treatment of the gilded surface of the altarpiece of the Church of Holy Mary of Aguiar (Igreja de Santa Maria de Aguiar) while in storage in a warehouse from that municipality. The same methodology using wax-resin (7:2) was once again applied to the gilded surface (figure 11). At the end of the intervention, the lacunas where the wood was visible were cleaned in detail with a neutral detergent in emulsion in an aromatic solvent in order to remove the traces of consolidant and to degrease the wood that had a darkened surface (figure 12). One year later the same group carried out the conservation treatment of the altarpiece of the Church of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. The surface was cleaned and the very dry wood and gilded surfaces with large lacunas (figure 13) were revived by the impregnation with a wax-resin layer (7:2) that nourished and re-established the cohesion and adhesion of the preparation layers and gold to the support. The church known as Abertas is integrated in the National Museum of Ancient Art, built from what was the Convent of Saint Albert (Convento de Santo Alberto), the first headquarters of the Discalced Carmelites Order (Ordem das Carmelitas Descalos)
Figure 10. During the conservation treatments of the gilding at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snow, Arentim.
Figure 11 (below). Application of the hot mixture. Figure 12 (below right). Cleaning procedure of the visible wood gaps.
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followers of St. Teresa of vila reform. The church altarpiece was twice treated using the wax-resin (7:2) method, in 1984 and 1994, by the IJFs Division of Sculpture. During the 1984 intervention, an extensive dust layer adhering to the gold surface, with particular emphasis on the horizontal planes was observed. The golden preparation layers however did not present any significant problems such as lack of cohesion or adhesion to the support. The wooden ceiling and the left wall of the nave in direct contact with the exterior, presented rainwater infiltration and environmental problems that affected the churches conservation conditions. The diagnostic concluded that the most suitable conservation treatment would be the fixation with wax-resin (7:2) diluted in white spirit. The treatment restored the condition of the wood and made possible the fixation of the gilded layer.
Figure 13 (upper right). Application of wax-resin (7:2). Figure 14 and 15. Wall of the main altarpiece and back wall of the Church of St. Albert during the intervention of 1981.
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Figure 16. Intervention phases: a) dry cleaning b) wet cleaning c) removal of wax-resin excess d) removal of excess with the aid of absorbent paper.
Some years later, after improvement works in the museums exhibition route, the gilded decoration of the Church was one more time cleaned and the fixation treatment rectified, as this methodology is easily reactivated by heat. In time all materials are subject to some level of deterioration hence nowadays it is necessary to review the roof, the plaster walls and the attachment of the altarpiece to the wall support. In a near future, the church should be once again subjected to a conservation treatment. The problems now observed are more related with the structural aspect and the lack of stability of the wall plaster than with the wooden support or the gilded surface. However, a new surface cleaning and a rectification of the gilding fixation are required. The environmental condition recordings, taken in the month of March 2009 as reference, present occasional peaks of humidity varying from 51% to 78% and regular temperature between 13 and 19 C, fully compatible with the surface treatment where the application of heat is required. Graphic documentation and environmental condition recordings were made in 2008 and 2009 as part of a typological, formal and material study for the preparation of a dissertation in Decorative Arts at the Portuguese Catholic University in order to gather information for future treatments of conservation-restoration of altarpieces from the church of Saint Albert (Igreja de Santo Alberto),
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in particular, the chancel and the chapel of the Lord of Speech (Capela do Senhor da Fala). In this context, several samples from the gilded surface were taken for the survey (figures 6a, 6b and 6c) where the preparation layers are cohesive and traces of wax-resin can be observed over the gold layer. Part VI: Conclusions The methodology that has been explained has the advantage to be implemented in situ to altars without requiring disassembly. It may be reactivated by the application of heat or by the use of organic solvents at any time. Whenever possible, the same methodology should be followed rather than be modified. The surfaces are greatly favoured by this treatment, the preparation and gilded layers being nourished, consolidated and integrated, as the white preparation absorbs the yellow tonality of the wax-resin. The final aspect becomes denser and with colour depth. Furthermore, it is a very effective and rapid way to clean the gold surface. It is very important to highlight that this methodology can only be used in areas with simple golden polychromy, without fragile decoration or blue colour, which are sensitive to heat or aromatic solvents. Past experience has shown that some decorative elements of altarpieces polychromed with oil-based techniques did not suffer any alterations in contact with wax-resin. However, blue coloured areas did react, in part due to the hue difference between blue and the yellow of the
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mixture but mostly due to the fact that blues are normally applied with water-based solvents which are incompatible with the wax. Before taking any decision concerning the methods and materials to be used, all possibilities should be considered. Among the biggest enemies of works of art are not only the physical damage such as vandalism or negligence, excess of incident light, rainwater infiltration or environmental conditions but also, and mostly, poorly executed or irreversible restoration interventions. Professionalism should be the leading principle for establishing the best methodology for the treatment of works of art with large areas with golden decoration. Acknowledgments I would like to thank my colleagues Alexandrina Barreiro, Belmira Maduro, Miguel Mateus for their help and collaboration and to Mrio Rui Zagalo for his motivation and support. I am also thankful to Michle Portela for her friendship.
References [1] C. V. Horie, Beeswax, in Materials for Conservation: organic consolidants, adhesives and coatings, Butterworths, London, 1987, pp. 150 [2] Richard Newman, Waxes, in Valerie Dorge and F. Carey Howlett (eds.), Painted Wood: History and Conservation, The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1998, pp. 51 [3] M. Serck-Dewaide, Relief decoration on sculptures and paintings from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century: technology and treatment, in John S. Mills and P. Smith (eds.), Cleaning, retouching and coatings: Technology and Practice for Easel Paintings and Polychrome Sculpture,Preprints of the Contributions to the Brussels Congress, 3-7 September 1990, International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, London, 1990,pp.36-40
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[4] Agns Le Gac, A utilizao de compostos base de cera na escultura policromada dos sculos XVII e XVIII em Portugal, in Imagem Brasileira 3, Actas do III Congresso do Centro de Estudos da Imaginria Brasileira, So Joo del Rei (Minas Gerais, Brasil), 29-31 Agosto, 2003, CEIB, Belo Horizonte, 2006, pp. 41-68 [5] Rutherford J. Gettens and George L. Stout, Dammar, in Painting materials: a short encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966, pp. 16 [6] RCM (Restauraci, Conservaci, Materials), Resinas, in Sustancias naturales y materias plsticas, Col. RCM (Gua de productos), Barcelona, 1990 [7] Richard Newman, Tempera and other NondryingOil Media, in V. Dorge and F. Carey Howlett (eds.), Painted Wood: History and Conservation, The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1998 [8] Robert C. Smith, A Talha em Portugal, Livros do Horizonte, Lisbon, 1963, pp. 34.

Conservator-Restorer Contact: elsa.murta@gmail.com Elsa Murta is a conservator-restorer at the Conservation Department of the Institute of Museums and Conservation (DC-IMC). She has a bachelor degree in Conservation and Restoration of Sculpture and she is currently preparing her Master in Decorative Arts at the Portuguese Catholic University. Since 1989 she has performed several conservation-restoration projects in sculpture and gilded woodcarving at the Institute Jos de Figueiredo, later Portuguese Institute of Conservation and Restoration and now DC-IMC. Simultaneously, she supervises internships of national and international students, teaches courses and lectures within her specialisation.
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e_conservation

the online magazine No. 11, October 2009

Software development for conservation (or the lack of it)

Rui Bordalo Editor in Chief

Conservation on the Cyber Frontier

The Use of Wax-Resin in Conservation Treatments of Gilded Surfaces

CAPITAL CULTURA Development through Culture: the Road to Sustainability

CULTURE (2007-2013) PROGRAMME

FLORENCES 1ST INTERNATIONAL ART AND RESTORATION FAIR

The Art of Conservation - materials, methods and ethics

NZCCM National Conference

Symposium XVII for the Study of Underdrawing and Technology in Painting

Planned Conservation of XXth Century Architectural Heritage

Preservation in the City Without Limits

14th International Congress "Cultural Heritage and New Technologies"

INFuture2009: Digital Resources and Knowledge Sharing

Reflex or reflection? Actors and decisionmaking in conservation-restoration

Glazing, Coating, Lacquering Talha e Escultura

Are you reading this?

AREAS OF PUBLISHING Conservation Treatment

CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

The Glider: A Universal Hacker Emblem

CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

1 Cereal Killer in the film: Hackers. 1995. Written: Rafael

CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

CONSERVATION ON THE CYBER FRONTIER

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

KORNELIUS GTZ and AXEL BCKER

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

KORNELIUS GTZ and AXEL BCKER

Figure 3. Rusted-through metal sheets patched up in a makeshift manner.

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

KORNELIUS GTZ and AXEL BCKER

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

Figure 12. The Window into History.

KORNELIUS GTZ and AXEL BCKER

LET'S PAINT A RUIN

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

Figure 6. Plan and section of the mosque in 1977.

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

Figure 8. View of the Mihrab found in 1993-94 (photo by Claus Christensen).

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

Figure 9. The tile decorated mihrab (photo by Aalund, 1977).

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

Figure 10. The Mihrab tiles reinstalled in 1994 (photo 2005).

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

Figure 11. Detail of the Muaraq tile work of the mihrab.

Figure 12. Details of arches plaster decoration.

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

Figure 13. Plan and sections of the mosque after restoration.

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

ABDUL WASAY NAJIMI

THE GHALWAR MOSQUE AND GIRLS SCHOOL

Figure 17. Roadside view of the mosque building.