Conservation Portfolio Home
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Aqueous Cleaning Methods
Professor Richard Wolbers has been a proponent for aqueous cleaning methods of painted surfaces especially for removal of particulate above a varnish layer. This exercise compared different aqueous cleaning methods and used cross sections to closely monitor the success of the cleaning agent and the preservation of the paint and varnish layers.
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Detail of area on a still life painting of flowers before testing took place
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Detail of same area on painting after cleaning tests
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Cross Section from painting before cleaning tests, visible light
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Cross section from painting before cleaning tests, UV light
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Detail of cross section in UV light before cleaning tests
Note two distinct varnish layers and one dark layer of particulate
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Cross section from painting after cleaning tests, visible light
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Cross section from painting after cleaning tests, UV light
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Detail of cross section in UV light from painting after cleaning tests
Note two distinct layers of varnish are still present; no particulate layer is visible
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