Tension on paintings during conservation treatments

During my professional experience in the area of structural
restoration of paintings on canvas I have thought of and developed a
system to keep the paintings at a constant tension during
conservation treatments (i.e. to transfer the existing tension of
the painting on the working stretcher to the final stretcher).

During conservation treatments, when a painted canvas is taken off
from its original stretcher, paint layers are subjected to a
contraction before being re-stretched (new exention) on the
temporary stretcher for the different restoration phases
(consolidation, fixing of the painted layers, lining). The canvas
gets affected also when it is taken off this interim stretcher and
then subjected again to tension as it is stretched in order to be
fixed on the definitive stretcher. These continuous movements
produce a notable stress to the painting system (textile support,
ground and painted layers) which may result in structural damage and
surface deterioration.

The system is extremely versatile in that it is applicable to all
canvas paintings, regardless of whether they use strip-lining or
lining. I would like to develop a research project in order to carry
out the necessary studies and tests to collect scientific data
supporting this particular technical innovation. Can anyone suggest
me how I might develop this project, perhaps with a scholarship?

Luigi Orata
Conservation of paintings on canvas and panel
via Cernaia 100
50129 Florence, Italy
+39 0554627415
Mobile: +39 3383468251


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:33
                 Distributed: Sunday, January 13, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-26-33-021
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