LETTERS ON BIRCH BARK: HISTORY ANDCONSERVATION OF OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUMOF REV. JÓZEF JARZĘBOWSKI IN LICHEŃ STARY

Artefacts made of and from untypical materialswith the use of sophisticated techniques preserved in museumsconstitute an exceptional challenge to museum curators. Suchis the case of two letters described in the paper, written onbirch bark by someone signed as the female: Janka and Jaśkadispatched to her mother from the Soviet Polovinka Gulag inthe Urals in 1946 and 1947. Currently, the artefacts are in thecollection of the Museum of Rev. Józef Jarzębowski in LicheńStary, while their history was explained only in the 2010s. In2022, the letters underwent museum conservation, whichallowed to find out what material they were written on andwhat technique was used for the execution, following whichthey were appropriately preserved so that they can last thelongest possible minimizing their deterioration

Non-Invasive Study of Pigment Palette Used by Olga Boznańska Investigated with Analytical Imaging, XRF, and FTIR Spectroscopy

The scientific examination and comparative investigation of pigments are fundamental for further understanding and analysis of historic and artistic works, and particularly useful for conservators. In fine art authentication, investigations are strongly focused on the identification of the painting materials used by the author. This study is focused on the use of non-invasive analytical techniques to increase the knowledge of the painting technique of Olga Boznańska. The aim of this study was to assess the technology, painting technique, and materials used by Olga Boznańska. The pallets, tubes with the paints, and several oil paintings were studied. For each painting, a series of images were recorded using various ranges of electromagnetic radiation, including near-infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, and X-rays. In order to characterize the pigments present in the paint layer, measurements of the elemental composition by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were carried out. The ground layers and paints were measured with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This allowed us to identify the artist’s painting technique and determine how she executed her painting, how she applied the paints, and what pigments she used

Non-Invasive Study of Pigment Palette Used by Olga Boznańska Investigated with Analytical Imaging, XRF, and FTIR Spectroscopy

The scientific examination and comparative investigation of pigments are fundamental for further understanding and analysis of historic and artistic works, and particularly useful for conservators. In fine art authentication, investigations are strongly focused on the identification of the painting materials used by the author. This study is focused on the use of non-invasive analytical techniques to increase the knowledge of the painting technique of Olga Boznańska. The aim of this study was to assess the technology, painting technique, and materials used by Olga Boznańska. The pallets, tubes with the paints, and several oil paintings were studied. For each painting, a series of images were recorded using various ranges of electromagnetic radiation, including near-infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, and X-rays. In order to characterize the pigments present in the paint layer, measurements of the elemental composition by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were carried out. The ground layers and paints were measured with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This allowed us to identify the artist’s painting technique and determine how she executed her painting, how she applied the paints, and what pigments she used

Listy na korze brzozowej - historia i konserwacja obiektów z muzeum im ks. Józefa Jarzębowskiego w Licheniu Starym

Przechowywane w muzeach artefakty, wykonane z nietypowych materiałów i w wyszukanych technikach, stanowią szczególne wyzwanie dla muzealników. Do takich należą omawiane w artykule dwa listy pisane na korze brzozowej, które autorka, podpisana jako Janka i Jaśka, wysłała do swojej mamy z sowieckiego łagru Połowinka na Uralu w 1946 i 1947 r. Obecnie obiekty znajdują się w zbiorach Muzeum im. ks. Józefa Jarzębowskiego w Licheniu Starym, a ich historia została wyjaśniona dopiero w drugiej dekadzie XXI w. W 2022 r. listy poddano zabiegom z zakresu konserwacji muzealnej, co pozwoliło na pozyskanie wiedzy o materiałach i technice ich wykonania, a następnie odpowiednie zabezpieczenie, tak aby mogły trwać jak najdłużej i jak najmniej zmieniać swój stan zachowania

Letters on birch bark: history and conservation of objects from the Museum of Rev. Józef Jarzębowski in Licheń Stary

Artefacts made of and from untypical materials with the use of sophisticated techniques preserved in museums constitute an exceptional challenge to museum curators. Such is the case of two letters described in the paper, written on birch bark by someone signed as the female: Janka and Jaśka dispatched to her mother from the Soviet Polovinka Gulag in the Urals in 1946 and 1947. Currently, the artefacts are in the collection of the Museum of Rev. Józef Jarzębowski in Licheń Stary, while their history was explained only in the 2010s. In 2022, the letters underwent museum conservation, which allowed to find out what material they were written on and what technique was used for the execution, following which they were appropriately preserved so that they can last the longest possible minimizing their deterioration