Structural support for mural panels

Niccolo Caldararo <caldararo [at] aol__com> writes:

>... David
>Erhard's study of Wolper's methods is a case in point, David showed
>in his experiments that the materials left insoluble films on the
>paintings,

As an astute a reader as Mr. Caldararo is, it is disturbing that he
would choose to summarize Erhardt and Bischoff's study in these
terms. I would refer him to Letters to the Editors by both Alan
Phenix and myself in Studies in Conservation, v.40 (1995), pp
207-212. Both letters raise a number of objections to the research
reported in "The roles of various components of resin soaps..." in
Studies, v.39 (1994), pp. 3-27. One of the points raised in my
letter was that the cleaning materials were not properly cleared
(indeed, in some cases not cleared at all) in Erhardt and Bischoff's
study. Their conclusion that Wolbers' cleaning techniques leave
residues on painting surfaces is therefore unsupported by their
study.

Chris Stavroudis
Paintings Conservator in Private Practice

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:10
                  Distributed: Tuesday, July 14, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-10-003
                                  ***