AIC's 47th Annual Meeting

The cleaning of gilded surfaces presents the conservator with a unique set of technical challenges: characterizing the layered structure and the probable materials used to prepare and modulate the surface, understanding the condition of the original surface and the nature of the material to be removed, and devising a way to enact the cleaning. Gilded surfaces are often abraded either through mishandling or through prior attempts at treatment, as such, minimizing mechanical action on the surface is often a goal in cleaning. In recent years, Evolon CR has been proposed as a viable option for solvent delivery in the removal of coatings and overpaint on painted surfaces. The fabric, a non woven blend of microfilament polyester and polyamide, delivers solvent and removes surface material through capillary action. In this presentation, the feasibility of using Evolon CR to clean gilded surfaces with minimal mechanical action will be evaluated using visual examination, photomicrography, and cross-section fluorescence microscopy. Case studies of soiled and overpainted surfaces, both water-gilded and oil-gilded, will be considered, as will model surfaces that are artificially soiled.