TY - JOUR
T1 - Nondestructive Characterization and Enzyme Cleaning of Painted Surfaces: Assessment from the Macro to Nano Level
AU - Branco, Luís Alexandre Almeida Fernandes Cobra
AU - Busani, Tito Livio
AU - Sandu, Irina Crina Anca
N1 - Sem PDF
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - This work establishes a multiscale and multitechnique nondestructive approach as valid methodology for monitoring surface properties and evaluating the effectiveness of enzymatic removal of varnishes from paintings/polychrome artefacts. Mock-up samples (documented reconstructions of oil, tempera, and gilded layers on canvas and wooden supports) were covered with different proteinaceous varnishes (egg white, animal and fish glue, casein) and then characterized before and after the removal of these coatings with enzyme-based solutions. The varnish was cleaned in several steps (two dry swabs and two wet swabs) with a clearance step for removing the residues from proteinaceous varnish or from enzyme solution. Microscopy {[}stereomicroscopy (SM), optical microscopy (OM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)] and colorimetric (CIE L{*}a{*}b{*} system) techniques were used for characterization of the reconstruction surfaces at different scales (macro-scale by SM and OM; micro-scale by SEM and nano-scale by AFM). These techniques were also used to monitor the cleaning treatment. Although results presented in this work were obtained for the specific treatment of enzyme removal, the methodology could be extended to other types of materials and cleaning. Further experiments on real works of art are needed for a complete validation of the methodology.
AB - This work establishes a multiscale and multitechnique nondestructive approach as valid methodology for monitoring surface properties and evaluating the effectiveness of enzymatic removal of varnishes from paintings/polychrome artefacts. Mock-up samples (documented reconstructions of oil, tempera, and gilded layers on canvas and wooden supports) were covered with different proteinaceous varnishes (egg white, animal and fish glue, casein) and then characterized before and after the removal of these coatings with enzyme-based solutions. The varnish was cleaned in several steps (two dry swabs and two wet swabs) with a clearance step for removing the residues from proteinaceous varnish or from enzyme solution. Microscopy {[}stereomicroscopy (SM), optical microscopy (OM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)] and colorimetric (CIE L{*}a{*}b{*} system) techniques were used for characterization of the reconstruction surfaces at different scales (macro-scale by SM and OM; micro-scale by SEM and nano-scale by AFM). These techniques were also used to monitor the cleaning treatment. Although results presented in this work were obtained for the specific treatment of enzyme removal, the methodology could be extended to other types of materials and cleaning. Further experiments on real works of art are needed for a complete validation of the methodology.
KW - paint surface
KW - proteinaceous varnish
KW - cleaning effectiveness
KW - AFM
KW - nondestructive methodology
KW - multiscale
U2 - 10.1017/S1431927613013196
DO - 10.1017/S1431927613013196
M3 - Article
C2 - 23941994
SN - 1431-9276
VL - 19
SP - 1632
EP - 1644
JO - Microscopy and Microanalysis
JF - Microscopy and Microanalysis
IS - 6
ER -