Paintings on glass

Beth Richwine <richwineb [at] nmah__si__edu> writes

>This past year our lab was faced with about ten flaking reverse
>glass panels on clocks being treated for an exhibit.  After calling
>around and getting some leads someone suggested the Aquazols
>(available in several different molecular weights from Conservator's
>Emporium).  I decided to try the 50 and the 200 and do some tests. I
>also talked with Richard Wolbers, who had done some aging tests and
>was very pleased with the results.  I did end up using the Aquazol
>50 for its working properties and was very pleased with the results.
>I am still cautious about using this material because it sounds
>almost too perfect--water soluble, same refractive index as glass,
>good aging properties.  We will see only over time how our glass
>panels hold up. It does take a while to dry and seems to remain
>tacky for a long time.  Maybe this will actually help to keep the
>paint on.  While I wouldn't use heat to set the paint down on glass,
>Richard said that it could be used that way as well.

I have to say that after having gone through considerable work to 
trace materials on all the current methods for reverse glass 
treatments and arranging for several restudies, I am amazed that you 
would use an untested method when good data on durability exists.  
This is doubly surprising in the face of the environment in 
conservation of use of scientific methods, case studies and evidence 
based treatments.  I would be interested in hearing why you chose 
not to use the treatments which I summarized in my Studies in 
Conservation article?

Niccolo Caldararo
Director and Chief Conservator
Conservation Art Service 


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:35
                 Distributed: Friday, December 17, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-35-004
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