van Adrichem, F.

van Bommel, M.

English

In this article an alternative method for recolouring discoloured furniture is presented. The focus is on two discoloured pieces of furniture: an Amsterdam School buffet and a Rococo marquetry commode that both have lost their bright colours due to fading (figures 1, 2). The buffet was dyed with a mixture of synthetic dyes in a monochrome orange colour. The outside of this buffet has almost completely lost this bright colour, whilst the interior is still bright orange. The Rococo commode was composed of brightly coloured purpleheart and tulipwood veneers, and a dyed marquetry design of flowers in a vase. The commode has faded over time and is now characterised by hues of brown. It can be stated that both objects in their faded state no longer represent the original idea of their makers. At the same time, it is impossible to have completecertainty about the exact original colour hue of the dyes that were used; the concentrations of colourants that were used have so far been impossible to retrieve, and they have a significant effect on the overall colour. In general, a physical restoration is not considered a good option as it is thought to be too invasive, and reversibility is difficult to achieve. Such a restoration, in particular since the colours are not precisely known, is considered to be unethical.This study aims to determine whether it is possible to create the illusion of a brightly coloured buffet and commode by projecting coloured light on theobject. Standard presentation beamers in combination with projection mapping software were used. Because of its shape and monochrome colour thebuffet was an easier case study and therefore a good start of this study, while the multi-coloured, bombé commode was more of a challenge. Good and realistic results were achieved as light imitates the qualities of dyed wood well. This paper describes the different steps to arrive at an accurate ‘retouching’ of the objects using coloured light. This includes chemical analysis, physical reconstructions based on historical recipes, degradation research, botanical identification of the flowers on the commode, a careful mapping of both objects,and finally the projection. Not all steps have been undertaken for both objects, however, we believe that the research strategies described can form a base for further studies

International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications

Retouching without Touching:Creating the illusion of recoloured furniture through light projection

https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/20984156/Ebenist2016_def_paper.pdf

Retouching without Touching:Creating the illusion of recoloured furniture through light projection

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International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications