Preservation of Works of Art on Paper

1. Preservation of Works of Art on Paper & Examples of the Effects of Improper Standards

2. Basics for Preservation • Proper Care and Handling • Storage & Environment • Limiting Light Exposure • Limiting Exposure to Gaseous Pollution and Airborne Particulates • Controlling Temperature and Relative Humidity

3. Proper Care & Handling • Work in dedicated surface space twice the size of the largest object • Handle paper objects as little and as gently as possible with clean/dry hands • Support documents in folders, mats, and boxes • Avoid sliding documents around on top of each other

4. Storage • Store matted works horizontally in acid-free boxes or in shallow map drawers • Matted works should have acid-free tissues between the window mat and drawing • Oversized objects should be stored flat whenever possible, not rolled or folded • Isolate highly acidic materials by storing them separately

5. Limiting Light Exposure • Light damage is determined by wavelength of light, length of exposure, and intensity of illumination • Most paper items are susceptible to damage from ultraviolet (UV) and visible light • Damage is cumulative and irreversible • Fades watercolor and writing inks • Yellow, darken, and weaken paper

6. Limiting Exposure to Gaseous Pollution and Airborne Particulates • Pollutants from industrial gases, heating sources are absorbed by paper and can form compounds detrimental to the stability of the paper • Dust, soot, and soil are difficult to remove from porous surfaces • Indoor pollutants caused by computers and office machines, paints, installation, cleaning supplies can also degrade paper

7. Controlling Temperature and Relative Humidity • Keep objects in a cool, dry environment. Maintain a temperature below 70 degrees with relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. • Warm or moist conditions accelerate deterioration and encourage mold growth and insect activity. • Keep temp and rH within a narrow, constant range • Fluctuations in climate cause papers to expand and contract: structural weakening of paper, undermining attachments, and distortions such a buckling

8. Examples from The National Gallery of Denmark of unsuccessful or nonexistent preservation efforts

9. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’ Lithograph Portraits of Yvette Guilbert

10. After Before

11. Michael Ostendorfer’s, illustration of deer hunting in the Löss Forest, 1543, Woodcut 2 1 3 122 x 36 cm 3 blocks

14. Peder Als Pastel Portrait of Queen Juliane Marie Before After

19. Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-91), Landscape around the Drac River near Grenoble, 1880 Watercolor

20. Iron Gall Ink

22. Chalk & Pastel

23. Charcoal