Retouches with History. Conservation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Adolf Herman Duszek and its authorial post-WWII Restoration

[EN] WWII left a great proportion of cultural heritage in Middle-Eastern Europe damaged. In the immediate aftermath of the war, there was neither necessary expertise, manpower nor resources to deal with such complex and total conservational challenges. Artists and craftsmen took to preserving and repairing the most darling objects of local heritage, leaving to us not only their original works, but also visible marks of the struggle to preserve them. Today, we are facing the task to preserve the multilinear story hidden behind those objects - their original body, wounds, and bandages, showing both the art of creation as well as the art of restoration to next generations. A great example of such a conservation effort is the story of The Sacred Heart of Jesus, painted by Adolf Herman Duszek in 1924 and restored by him after the war, in 1950. Over 70 years later, the painting required another intervention – mainly because of the bad state of preservation of the paint layer. The main challenge of this restoration was to find the balance between leaving the visible traces of the history of the object, the conservation ethics as well as the aesthetics and expectations of the recent owners. As it turns out, the impact of a private context is a significant aspect during the formation of the conservation programme. This paper discusses the need for compromises which had to be reached during the conservation of this particular painting. The author of this article received a grant from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, which enabled researching the remaining paintings.Śwituszak, P.; Tomaszewska-Szewczyk, A. (2023). Retouches with History. Conservation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Adolf Herman Duszek and its authorial post-WWII Restoration. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 45-51. https://doi.org/10.4995/RECH6.2021.13508455

Mosiądz w starożytności i średniowieczu. Przyczynek do dziejów kultury materialnej

Brass was obtained in present-day India during the early Iron Age. Although zinc was distilled in the mines in Zawar (India) as early as in the 9 th c. CE, the method only influenced European brass-smelting in mid-18 th c. In ancient Europe, copper zinc alloys were produced by combining copper with calamine (zinc ores): hemimorphite or smithsonite (zinc spar). During the early days of the Roman Empire, cadmia, i.e. zinc oxide found on the walls of furnaces used for smelting ores containing the metal, was also employed for the purpose. The method, called cementation and believed to rely on refining copper, remained the only one practiced in Europe until the end of the 18 th century. As a sculptural material, brass did not become popular in Europe until the Middle Ages. The Meuse basin, where ancient traditions were continued in the workshops of Dinant, Givet, Liège or Cologne, played a major part in the process, and production developed with the birth of the Frankish Empire. Beside major manufactures, local production also developed; for instance, evidence of brass production in Kruszwica, Poland, dates back to mid-11 th c. The main source of data on the production and processing of medieval brass is Diversarum Artium Schedula , a treatise complied by Theophilus Presbyter, which describes two types of alloys: aes (leaded brass) and auricalcum. The properties of these alloys were consciously selected to suit individual purposes.Mosiądz otrzymano w Indiach w okresie wczesnej epoki żelaza. W Zawarze (Indie) już w IX w. n.e. opanowano umiejętność destylacji cynku. Technologia ta wywarła wpływ na produkcję mosiądzu w Europie dopiero w I połowie XVIII w., chociaż umiejętnością sporządzania mosiężnych stopów posługiwano się już w starożytności. Otrzymywano je przez stapianie miedzi z rudami cynku – galmanami (smithsonit, hemimorfit), a w wyniku rozwoju technologii w okresie wczesnego cesarstwa także z kadmią, tlenkiem cynku zbieranym w kominach pieców hutniczych w czasie wytapiania rud metali, w skład których wchodził ten metal. Metoda ta była jedynym praktycznie stosowanym sposobem sporządzania mosiądzów do końca XVIII w. Proces uważano za sposób uszlachetniania miedzi i nazywano cementacją. Jako tworzywo rzeźbiarskie mosiądze upowszechniły się w Europie dopiero w średniowieczu, a kluczową rolę w tym procesie odegrały wyrosłe z tradycji antycznej warsztaty nadmozańskie, między innymi w Dinant, Givet, Liège oraz w Kolonii. Pierwszy duży impuls do rozwoju tej produkcji przyszedł z nastaniem monarchii Franków. W XI wieku w Saksonii zaczął się tworzyć drugi ważny region produkcji mosiądzu i rzemiosła mosiężnego. Obok tak znaczących ośrodków zaczęła się kształtować produkcja na miarę potrzeb lokalnych, na przykład z połowy XI wieku pochodzą ślady wytwarzania wyrobów mosiężnych w Kruszwicy. Źródłem wiedzy na temat technologii i przeróbki mosiądzów w okresie średniowiecza jest traktat Mnicha Teofila „Diversarum Artium Schedula”, gdzie opisane zostały dwa typy stopów: aes (mosiądz ołowiany) oraz auricalcum. Ich właściwości dobierane były w sposób świadomy w zależności od przeznaczenia

Konsolidacja zniszczonej mechanicznie dekoracji emalierskiej na miedzi i jej stopach za pomocą żywic termoplastycznych

The objects of study were metal artefacts decorated with enamel. It wasestablished that the main reason of destruction was mechanical damage thatcaused cracking and loosening of the enamel, and – in extreme cases – shapedeformation and losses in the decoration layer. The main problem to be solvedwas the choice of methods and means for the consolidation of the exfoliatedenamel as well as for setting it on the metal. Moreover, a method had to beestablished for dealing with shape deformation. A typology of damages wasdeveloped, so that criteria might be established by which to choose means ofconsolidation for mechanically destroyed enamel. On the basis of the research,a methodology of further proceedings was proposed, involving preparationsfulfilling the main postulates.The object of study was a group of 60 objects made of copper and its alloysand decorated with enamel. These were Chinese and Japanese artefacts from theRegional Museum in Toruń and the National Museum in Poznań, dated fromthe 17th century to the early 20th century. The decorative techniques includedcloisonné, champlevé and painted enamel.The following typology of mechanical damages was developed, based onthe state of the enamelled objects:1. with the metal ground exposed:– exfoliation;2. with the metal ground unexposed:– delamination: blistering, with partial exfoliation,– cracking: longitudinal, radial, circular, reticular.The main causes of damage were use, shape deformation, technologicalfaults and corrosion of the metal surface.The following criteria were taken into account for selecting a means ofconsolidation for mechanically damaged enamel:– transparency and colourlessness,– good adhesiveness to metal surfaces and enamel,– elasticity (especially if an enamel layer is to be strengthened whileremoving shape deformation),– water-resistance,– lack of corrosive influence,– easy applicability: viscosity, easy excess removal, room temperatureapplicability.The preparations selected for further study by the above criteria includedacrylic resins popular in conservation (Paraloid A-10S, A-101, A-21, B-44,B-48N, B-67, B-72, B-99N, F-10, NAD-10V) and other thermoplastic resinsused for paint layer consolidation on metal surfaces (Beva 371, Plexisol P550).Preliminary assessments of such factors as the preparations’ viscosity,elasticity, relative hardness, and water-resistance, made it possible to select threethermoplastic resins for further tests: Paraloid B-44 and Paraloid F-10.Further experiments were conducted on sheet copper samples decoratedwith enamel. The samples were mechanically damaged, and the cracks,delaminations and exfoliations of the enamel layer were treated with thepreparations in question. Luminophores were admixed to the preparations tomonitor their penetration and distribution in the layer under UV light. Furthertests examined the preparations’ adhesiveness to the ground and the enamelunder prolonged exposure to water; the anti-corrosive protection they offered tothe metal; and their influence on shape deformation removal processes.On the basis of the research, preparations were selected for the treatmentof mechanically damaged enamel, their choice dependent on the type of damage.A methodology was proposed for excess preparation removal. Safe methodsof object preparation for shape distortion removal were established, as well asmethods of proceeding in cases where the original shape cannot be restored.Several badly damaged items then underwent conservation

Przegląd metod i środków stosowanych historycznie oraz współcześnie w praktyce uzupełniania ubytków w metalach na przykładzie zabytków wykonanych ze stopów mosiężnych.

W artykule podjęto próbę klasyfikacji technik uzupełniania ubytków w zabytkach wykonanych ze stopów metali. Przedstawiono zarówno metody stosowane w dawniejszych czasach, jak i inne, które rozwinęły się współcześnie wraz z zaawansowaniem technik spawalniczych, w tym plazmowych, i pozwalają na bardzo precyzyjne działanie. Niektóre z opisanych metod mogą być z powodzeniem stosowane w konserwacji zabytków z metalu. O ich wyborze decyduje cel przeprowadzanych prac

Emalie limuzyjskie z kolekcji Pałacu Muzeum w Wilanowie – zastosowanie metod analitycznych w badaniu techniki wykonania

Enamel is a glass alloy modified by the addition of flux and coloring metal compounds. The ratio of these components is suitable for its properties to coating the metal base. Labeled elements in the analyzed samples are not only the basis of mineral filler used in the manufacture of enamel or flux component, but they also helps to obtain specific mechanical and/or physicochemical properties. There are several methods decorating items in this technique. Among them special attention due to artistic and technical aspect are enamels from Limoges, which were initiated by enamellers from Limoges. The new technique was an opportunity to naturalistic rendering of the world. Dishes were being coated with images about functional features. Copper base in this technique is covered with the monochromatic, dark enamel. It constituted the background of the picturesque in the technique en grisaille, made with characteristic white gloss paint ( blanc de Limoges ) applied with a brush and the removed by a needle. In the XIX-th century, the fashion for renaissance enamels from Limoges returned. Many collections was created in this time for example August’s Poniatowski, later it was called as Wilanów collections. XVI and XVII eternal enamels from Limoges have been subjected to instrumental analysis with the application of scaning electron microscopy and the X-ray fluorescence. This set belongs to the collection of the Museum- Palace in Wilanów. The results of stratigraphy and composition of individual colourful enamel layers provided valuable information about the technique of implementation of historical objects, essential while performing conservation works

Emalie limuzyjskie z kolekcji Muzeum Pałacu Króla Jana III w Wilanowie – zastosowanie metod analitycznych w pracach konserwatorskich

Limousin Enamels from the Collection of Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów Part II Application of Analytical Methods in the Restoration Work Enamel is a material made by fusing powdered glass, used to metal protective coatings. Enamel offer properties not available in comparison to traditional materials, such as good chemical resistance increased thermal and color stability.But enamel is also very fragile material, small mechanical strain or other accident caused damage like cracks or exfoliation. Today many synthetic resins are used as consolidation material. Apart from resins without the addition of filers for that purpose polymer composites are more and more often applied. Composite materials consist of two or more distinct physical phases, one of which, the filer is dispersed in a continuous matrix phase. Composites having the domains with dimension from micro to nanometers are especially attractive to material science and technology because such systems have new, unique physical and chemical properties. Composites offer a combination of properties not available in traditional materials, such as enhanced mechanical properties, increased thermal and or photochemical stability, etc. One of the most popular group of filer used to obtain ncomposites is silica. This work presents the results obtained during the conservation of historic enamels from Limoges. Objects subjected to the conservation came from the collection of the Museum of the Palace in Wilanów and their origins date back to the XVI-th and XVII-th century. The scanning electron microscopy and infrared analysis served for determining the state of keeping objects; providing information about secondary interferences in historic substance and showed the kind, the extent of the damage of metal base. Analyses allowed also for trace consolidations weakened and exfoliated parts of the enamel, by displaying distribution (abilities of the penetration) of used materials

Szylkret, bioorganiczny materiał w rzemiośle artystycznym – zagadnienia z zakresu materiałoznawstwa, technologii i stosowanych technik dekoracyjnych oraz niszczenie

Tortoiseshell was one of the earliest materials which has been used to the ornamental purposes. It is obtained from the outer layer of dermal bone of three species of sea turtles: tortoiseshell, green and loggerhead. Dermal bone is formed by scutes, strongly interconnected with each other, with characteristic layered structure. Chemically has a similar composition to the horn and mainly consists of keratin – hydrophilic, fibrous protein, insoluble in water with good resistance to physical and chemical agents. Dermal bone has a two-phase structure, in which keratin fibers are embedded in the amorphous matrix with a high content of sulfur. Tortoiseshell properties shall be described with accordance by the standards adopted for decorative stone. Carapace was used for making ornaments since antiquity in many cultures. In 1973 introduced global ban on trade of tortoiseshell on the basis of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Processing of dermal bone based on its forming at high temperature, of around 100°C and cooling to room temperature with a given form. Surfaces of objects made from tortoiseshell were carved, inlay decorated and piqué technique. It was also used in marquetry. The finished product is susceptible to mechanical damage, loses its shine, it darkens, delaminate, and may be biodegradable

Materiały do zabezpieczania i regeneracji szylkretu

Tortoiseshell has always been widely used in crafts. Its preparation and handling during the artistic process is a unique procedure, characteristic only of this material. The conservation of tortoiseshell has never been approached as an individual subject, being usually grouped with other materials - similar in structure (horn) or visually (amber). The most pressing conservation problem of tortoiseshell is its proneness to deformation and destruction of the surface. The main goal of the undertaken research is to establish the best way of preservation of the surface. The studies have been conducted on fragments of tortoiseshell and aquatic turtle scutes. The following materials have been used: sweet almond oil, argan oil, castor oil, amber oil, hydrolysed keratin, urea, Olaplex, acrylic resin Paraloid B-72. In order to determine the resistance of those substances to aging process, prepared samples were exposed to rapid changes of humidity in climatic chamber. All changes on the surface were observed and recorded using organoleptic examination, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy. The best protection coating were characterized: almond oil, argan oil and castor oil.Szylkret był materiałem szeroko wykorzystywanym w rzemiośle artystycznym. Jego przygotowanie i obróbkę określa specyficzny, indywidualny proces technologiczny. Jednak pod względem konserwatorskim, szylkret do tej pory nie był traktowany odrębnie, lecz grupowany z materiałami zbliżonymi pod względem budowy (róg) lub wizualnym (bursztyn). Głównym zagadnieniem konserwatorskim dla tego materiału jest walka ze zmianami powierzchniowymi i deformacją, które są najczęściej spotykaną formą zniszczeń na obiektach szylkretowych. Celem badań jest wytypowanie środków do zabezpieczania powierzchniowego szylkretu. Analizy przeprowadzono na fragmentach szylkretu oraz na łuskach żółwia wodnego. Sprawdzono skuteczność działania następujących preparatów: oleju migdałowego, a także arganowego, rycynowego, bursztynowego, hydrolizowanej keratyny, mocznika oraz handlowych środków Olaplex i Paraloid B-72. Nasycone próbki poddano działaniu zmiennych warunków wilgotnościowych. Ocenę zmian przeprowadzono poprzez badanie organoleptyczne, a także analizę pod mikroskopem optycznym, skaningowym mikroskopem elektronowym oraz mikroskopem sił atomowych. Najlepszym działaniem zabezpieczającym wykazały się naturalne oleje roślinne: migdałowy, arganowy i rycynowy

Zastosowanie metod analitycznych w badaniu dawnych technik złoceń na podłożu metalowym

Application of Analytical Methods in the Study of Historical Techniques of Gilding Metals Historic material was examined using following analytical techniques: scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X – ray spectrometer, X – Ray florescence and laser – induced breakdown spectroscopy. All methods are characterized by the relatively high selectivity and detectability of elements; they allow an easily and quickly identify the elements and determine they concentrations In the sample. Studies have confimed the usefulness of techniques XRF, SEM/EDS, supplemented by the analysis of LIBS to determine elemental composition of gold layers and the metal substrates. The presence of mercury, is characteristic for amalgam of gold, specifis the implementation of gilding technique. Although those studies have provided valuable information about the analysed samples, they do not cover all areas of the research

Znaki pielgrzymie. Przyczynek z zakresu kultury materialnej i konserwacji

The subject of the study are pilgrim signs obtained during archaeological excavations in the year 2008, on the Granary Island, Pszenna Street in Gdańsk. Extracted signs required conservation-restoration intervention leading to the restitution of aesthetic value and protection against corrosion processes. These inconspicuous findings are related to fundamental for human life matters. They are the sign of faith and the proof that the pilgrimage was an important part of life for people in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. Relatively cheap and available materials (tin or lead alloys) as well as simple and quick method of their production (casting) indicate that pilgrim signs were being made for large quantity of pilgrims. There were many types of pilgrim signs, among them also the ones destined for wealthier people, like the figurine made of high tin alloy. An effective method of restoring the aesthetic value of this kind of objects is to use chemical method of a sodium hydroxide bath. Sometimes the process should be supported by mechanical operations. Metal should be also preventively protected from corrosion. Using of acryl resin Paraloid B-44 and microcrystalline wax Cosmolloid 80H is suggested.