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Abstract
This paper describes the conservation of a photographic print, entitled “Panoramic View of Constantinople”. The work, dating from the second quarter of the nineteenth century, consists of 10 albumen prints of an unknown photographer. The work suffered chemical and physical alterations due to a flood accident at the place it was stored. The treatment allowed to remove the deposits of mud, to clean the prints and cards surface and to restore the physical integrity of the work.
Introduction
In general, the conservation of photographs restricts the intervention to the treatment of the photographic media (glass, paper, plastics) due to the fragility of the photographic emulsions and of the constituent materials. The intervention on photographic emulsions is limited, and often unfeasible, due to water-based treatments that may lead to irreversible changes, endangering the chemical and physical stability of the materials. Although sometimes it may seem a good solution to treat a work without taking unnecessary risks, we are often faced with situations where it is needed to remove parts such as adhesive tape and grip elements, in order to restore the material’s integrity and to promote the reading of the overall image. These interventions, however, require that the entire work surface (emulsion and support) is submitted to the treatment in order to avoid the appearance of tide lines and spots that would stand out from the image. Experiments have revealed that it is crucial to perform a dry mechanical cleaning before performing any chemical treatment in order to prevent the penetration of dirt in the emulsion and paper fibres, avoiding to induce chemical and physical alterations to the image. In 2007 we were faced with a new challenge that came from a private collector, himself also a photography conservator, who brought to our studio a photographic work that we designated as "Panoramic View of Constantinople". This work, dating from the last quarter of the nineteenth century, was identified as being an emulsion on photographic print with albumen and silver salts. The owner recounted the entire history of the work since its acquisition in an antiques fair until the flood accident. Intervention This work consists of 10 photographic prints in albumen glued or mounted on cards. The set of prints and cards had the overall dimensions of 31x342 cm. They were organised in folios and it seemed to have been detached from the interior of a binding. The making of thematic albums with urban or rural landscape panoramic views, especially with monuments views, was very characteristic in the nineteenth century. These albums were made by photographic studios that wanted to commercialise their work, whether from their own initiative or at the request of institutions or private clients. The albumen prints were very popular during that period not only for landscapes but also for portraits. Several inscriptions in graphite and ink, for labelling purposes, were identified on the front and verso of the cards. From these, only one mentioned a date: December 4, 1895 (Figure 1). The owner warned us that the date that was marked could be the date of acquisition by a previous owner and not the date of execution. There was no reference to its authorship. The name of these prints derives from the material of the photographic emulsion composed by a fragile albumen layer where the silver salts that form the image are suspended [1]. They were usually glued on cards to correct the tendency to curl. The strong yellowing, the image fading and the “cracked” aspect are characteristic for the albumen prints and result from the material degradation (Maillard reaction) [2] that is sometimes confused with the yellowing of the possible lacquers applied by photographers (Figure 2). In this particular case it was not possible to determine the existence of a varnish layer or its composition, although there was a clearly excessive yellowing at the periphery of the prints. This type of deposits are often described in literature as being run-offs from the application and drying of the finishing layers applied by the photographer [3]. The intervention treatment presented here is very different from the normal conservation interventions on photography that are normally carried out by our studio, to the extent that the specific features of this work, such as its size and condition (Figure 3) forced us to create very specific conditions for their observation and treatment. It was urgent to set real objectives for the work’s treatment and display. Thus, the objectives of the intervention were defined together with the owner: - To restore the materials’ physical integrity while respecting and maintaining the original materials; - To apply the 'minimal intervention' principle; - To apply the principle of compatibility and reversibility of the materials and methodologies - To develop a method to preserve and display the work.
From left to right:
Figure 1. Detail of the date inscribed on the back of the cards. Figure 2. Scheme of the common stratigraphy in albumen prints. Figure 3. General view of the prints before treatment. Figure 4. General view of the secondary card and the mud deposits. The prolonged contact with water from the flood followed by slow drying promoted the formation of mud deposits on the surface and the strong bending of the prints and their respective cards. This accident has had a strong impact on the physical and chemical stability of the work. In general, the prints and cards presented extensive areas with deposits of mud, especially on the lower half of the cards (Figure 4), as well as evident physical deformation (curved and wavy) (Figures 5 and 6) and strong yellowing (Figure 5).
Despite the visible damage caused by prolonged contact with water, structurally the ensemble presented physical strength and there were no visible gaps or detachments of the emulsion. The surface of both the prints and cards presented dirt, foxing, tide lines and small areas with clear signs of use. Before the beginning of the intervention, some operations were carefully performed, such as the graphic and photographic documentation of the original folio organisation, the sequential numbering of the prints and cards, and cleaning tests to determine the most appropriate methodology. All the information gathered in the documentation was relevant for the reorganisation of the prints and conditioning of the work.
Intervention The identification of the prints and the diagnostic of the state of conservation were carried out to the entire ensemble. However, given its overall dimensions and the loss of function of some materials, it was necessary to remove the cloth hinges in order to perform the treatment to each print and card. The removal of the cloth hinges and adhesive residues was performed through the application of a solution of distilled water and ethanol (50/50) and mechanically with a spatula. The extension and strong adherence of the mud deposits to the prints and their cards resulted in changes in the intervention methodology, leading to a lengthier treatment. Given the fragility and extreme sensitivity of the emulsion, it was decided to start the treatment with mechanical cleaning of the surface using scraps of Staedler Mars plastic vinyl eraser and a soft brush (Figure 7) [4]. This cleaning was gentle and effective and enabled a new reading of the image without any creases or traces of gum on the print surface. This action ensured that the emulsion would not be damaged during the support cleaning. The mechanical cleaning of the cards took place in several phases. It started with the removal of the thicker layers of mud with a scalpel and spatula (Figure 8), followed by cleaning with the soft brush and the eraser. The effectiveness of the mechanical cleaning permitted to continue with the chemical cleaning test using a solution of distilled water and ethanol (50/50) (Figure 9). The mechanical and chemical cleaning was successful to remove the mud deposits allowing to observe image details and damages that were hidden by the mud. However, the physical deformities that prevented proper handling of the ensemble were still present. The need to flatten each print and respective cards was addressed by a method that consisted in the humidification of the cards in a smooth and controlled way by applying distilled water over a drying paper (Figure 10) followed by drying and flattening (Figure 11). Then, the materials used for flattening were exchanged by other dry ones to remove the introduced moisture and an acrylic plaque and weights were applied to correct the deformations during drying and subsequent flattening.
Flattening allowed to rejoin the peripheral areas of the prints to the cards from which they had been detached (Figures 12 and 13) and to consolidate the cards that presented lamination on the corners with the application of starch glue for the fixation and consolidation.
From left to right:
Figure 5. Detail of a bent corner before intervention. Figure 6. Physical deformations of the print before intervention. Figure 7. Detail of cleaning with a soft brush. Figure 8. Removal of the deposits of mud. Figure 9. Detail of cleaning with cotton swab using a solution of distilled water and ethanol (50/50). Figures 10 and 11. Humidification scheme and scheme of the drying and flattening processes. Figures 12 and 13. Detail of the prints and cards before and after the intervention. It was chosen to build a recessed mat to ensure the most adequate display with respect to the organisation and dimension of the work. It was necessary to find a framing system that would fit the total dimensions of the ensemble of the prints and secondary cards, mat and protection glass, and that would offer the necessary stability for its display. After consulting several suppliers and assessing the stability of different materials and their performance in showrooms, we chose, in agreement with the client, a mahogany frame and museum grade acrylic glass, with dimensions slightly larger than those of the ensemble for presenting the required strength and quality we sought. We chose to build a mat with recess because it was the most adequate method for mounting the prints glued on the cards and those curved or wavy ones. This method consists of three card elements: the first one, designated “back card”, is bigger than the work and it has the objective to protect the support of the prints and cards; the second card, known as “cardboard spacer”, has dimensions larger than the prints and openings with the exact dimensions of the card, on which the prints are glued; and finally, a “window card” that slightly overlaps the cards. The “cardboard spacer” compensates the thickness of the print and fastens it without resorting to hinges or corners [5]. The mat was built directly on the acrylic glass which had the function of supporting the whole set. Museum Heritage cardboard of 600 microns was glued onto the acrylic glass with double-face adhesive tape 3M 345 in order to create an inert support and to avoid the direct contact between the print and the acrylic glass, fulfilling the function of the “back card” (Figure 14). A ‘box’, called “cardboard spacer”, was built of the same materials and at the exact dimensions of the work. This allowed to centre the print during the mounting and to prevent future accidents and possible abrasion of the prints (Figure 16). The mounting of the prints and their respective cards was performed directly onto the previously described structure (Figures 15 and 16), with Japanese paper and starch paste for the cards joining. After mounting the ensemble (Figure 17), a “window card” was built of Conservation Heritage Museum card of 1200 microns, fastening indirectly the print and avoiding it to enter in direct contact with the protective glass. The gluing of the "window card" to "spacing card" was made through the application of double-face adhesive tape 3M 345. Finally, the second acrylic glass was placed for the protection of the print (Figure 18). The back of the frame was sealed with adhesive paper tape to prevent the entry of dust, and it was reinforced with metallic elements that promoted a higher resistance and stability during the future display (Figures 19 and 20).
From left to right:
Figure 14. Mounting scheme of the ensemble and materials used. Figure 15. Aspect during the mounting of the ensemble. Figure 16. Detail of a print mounting. Figure 17. General view during the mounting of the prints. Figure 18. Final view of the print mounting. This intervention was definitely a challenge, given the type of photography, organisation, pathologies and dimension of the work. It was also one of the most interesting projects due to the dialogue with the client who provided us all the information concerning the history and conservation state of the work, and with whom we set the real objectives of the intervention. Although the principles of minimal intervention, reversibility and compatibility of materials and actions were respected, we understand that some doubts may be raised by the use of organic materials which generally are not recommended for the preservation of photography, such as the mahogany frame. This option was based on the need to build a frame with single beams and with dimensions larger than the prints that would promote the stability we sought. Several suppliers were consulted concerning the use of frames made of inert materials but these presented the inconvenient of joining several elements due to the large dimension of the beam, and thus lacking the required strength and stability for the preservation and display of the work. It is also relevant to mention that our methodological options had in consideration the future role of the owner, who will perform frequent inspections to assess the state of conservation of the work as well as of the mounting materials. The fact that the work is on display makes easier to observe and detect possible alterations that may occur with time. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the owner of the work for his indispensable contribution on the identification and diagnosis processes; to their colleagues at Luis Pavão Lda. for their encouragements; to conservator-restorers Ana Coelho, Catarina Mateus and Lúcia Moutinho Alberto for their suggestions, friendship and support, and to photographers Daniel Cristo and Paula Lourenço for their support and quality of the documentation record performed. References [1] Gordon Baldwin, Looking at Photographs – A Guide to Technical Terms, The J. Paul Getty Museum e British Museum Press, 1991, pp. 7-8 [2] James M. Reilly, Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints, Kodak Books, 2001, pp. 35-42 [3] Clara von Waldthausen, “Coatings on salted paper, albumen, and platinum prints” in Coatings on Photographs – Materials, Techniques and Conservation, Photographic Materials Group of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, New York, 2005, pp. 78-93 [4] Nancy Reinhold, Hanako Murata, Richard Stenman, Taina Meller, Nora W. Kennedy, “Marking Photographs: The Impact of Ink Stamping Practices”, Topics in Photographic Preservation, Volume twelve, American Institute for Conservation, 2007, pp. 3-14 [5] Luís Pavão, Conservação de Colecções de Fotografia, Dinalivro, 1997, pp. 296-300
About the author
Élia Roldão
Conservator-restorerContact: elia.roldao@gmail.com
Élia Roldão is a conservator-restorer of photography. She has a degree in Conservation and Restoration and a post-graduation in Chemistry Applied to Cultural Heritage. She currently works at Luis Pavão, Lda.
Luís Pavão
Conservator-restorerContact: lupa@lupa.com.pt
Luis Pavão has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Lisbon. He then pursued a Master in Fine Arts by the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York (USA) where he specialised in conservation of photography. He currently works as conservator-restorer of photography at the company he established in 1982, Luis Pavão Lda.
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