With the best intentions: Changed response to relative humidity in wax-resin lined early 19th century canvas paintings

Cecil Krarup Andersen, Mikkel Scharff, Jørgen Wadum, Marion Mecklenburg

    Publications: Contribution to conferencePaperResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Wax-resin lining treatments in the 20th century were chosen specifically for many of the 19th century Danish Golden Age paintings on canvas to counteract their suspected response to moisture. This is a study of the response of painting samples and mock-ups to changing relative humidity (RH) before and after wax-resin lining using tests of uniaxially restrained samples in cycled RH. Contrary to the usual assumptions, both new wax-resin lined samples and a 47-year-old lining showed markedly increased force levels at high levels of RH, suggesting that the effects of wax-resin linings have not been fully understood.
    Original languageEnglish
    Publication date15 Sept 2014
    Number of pages9
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2014
    EventICOM-CC 17th Triennial Conference: Building Strong Culture through Conservation - ICOM-CC, Melbourne, Australia
    Duration: 15 Sept 201419 Sept 2014

    Conference

    ConferenceICOM-CC 17th Triennial Conference
    LocationICOM-CC
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    CityMelbourne
    Period15/09/201419/09/2014

    Keywords

    • lining
    • painting
    • wax-resin
    • moisture response
    • canvas

    Artistic research

    • No

    Cite this