Calcimine paint

I have two murals painted with calcimine (house paint) paint on
canite (early fibreboard), which formed part of a series of murals
painted by a German prisoner of war (World War II) in an  internment
camp (Camp 13) in regional Victoria.  This internment camp housed
German, Italian and Japanese POWs during the war.  The mural is
painted directly onto the canite board which was part of the
original wall structure of the mess hall.  These panels are the only
remnants of the huts, which have since been demolished, and as such
have significance to the local area, Australian military history and
to internees and their families. The murals have suffered
extensively from water damage, which has stained the paint surface,
and the fibreboard is quite friable.

My question regards the composition and use of calcimine paint,
which I believe was sometimes made up like a distemper, using horse
glue. I wonder if anyone on the list has any experience or
understanding of the application of calcimine paint, preparation of
the surface, pigments and fillers used, and possible methods of
treatment of the water staining. Canite board also appears now and
then, as a paint support, particularly during wartimes, when artists
made do with non traditional materials.  Does anyone have any
knowledge of its composition?

Caroline Fry
Painting Conservator
The University of Melbourne Conservation Service
Ian Potter Art Conservation Centre
The University of Melbourne
VIC 3052
Fax: +61 3 8344 4484
+61 3 8344 7989


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:54
                 Distributed: Thursday, March 27, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-54-014
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