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e- conservation theonlinemagazine No.13,February2010
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e-conservationthe online magazine No. 13, February 2010

Paradox of Choice

Conservation is, above all, about making decisions. In conservation, ideas, knowledge and decision-making are essential for good practice. After all, it is those decisions that have a deep implication in the future survival of a work of art. However, to make decisions requires not only experience but also information and time: time to imagine, time for reflection, time to find the most appropriate solution. The problem is that at the present current pace we no longer seem to have available that required time. Nowadays, information and time are deeply linked. Not long ago I was discussing with a friend about the difference between the newer and older generations of conservators. When we think more precisely about these differences, we find that before there was more time for reflection but limited access to information whilst today we virtually have access to any possible information source but quite limited time for its perusal. Bibliographic resources were once scarcer, as was also the access to scientific research. Today there are hundreds of books published in our field every year in both conservation and conservationscience areas. However, are we better conservators for this? Are we now able to make better decisions that will ensure the survival of works of art for future generations? The last decade and a half has been characterised by the boom of information technologies and the World Wide Web. In fact, today we have access to a potentially unfathomable amount of information like never before in the entire History of Man. Nevertheless, I believe we stay as ignorant as ever. Diderot once said that there would come a time when it will be almost as difficult to learn anything from books as from the direct study of the whole universe. Those times cant be very far away anymore. Right now the problem is no longer if there is information about a certain issue, but how to find it. Information access is a real problem, for example, the search for a technical sheet of a product is probably as difficult as it was 20 years ago. Furthermore, I would argue about the validity of the information sources we use nowadays but that would digress to a whole new topic. Returning to the present, today we can hardly let a day pass without checking our email or doing some search on the internet. However, no actual useful information is necessarily being found in these ways. In the end we spend our time dealing with a lot of worthless information and we can often end up making decisions based on incomplete data which may be useless out of context. Even I usually thrive on more information, such as when I find a new website or book, however these tend to be equally and easily forgotten as soon as I discover yet another website or book. This ends up being like the paradox of choice: the more we have, the more confused we get. And we must confess that indeed the access to more information does not necessarily make us better professionals. This is the situation of today. But I wonder, what does the future reserve for us? Will we perhaps be more organised? Or will we just get more confused? So wait and see.

Rui Bordalo Editor in Chiefe-conser vation

editorial

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INDEX

NEWS & VIEWS

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The Application of Myth in Contemporary Ethnographic ConservationBy Daniel Cull

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REVIEWS MATCONS 2009. Matter and Materials in/for Heritage ConservationSeptember 15-19, 2009, Craiova, Romania Review by Irina Crina Anca Sandu

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COST Training School: Indoor Air Quality in Museums, Galleries and ArchivesMay 5-9, 2009, Vienna, Austria Review by Oana Chachula

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The 15th International Heritage ShowNovember 5-8, 2009, Paris, France Review by Anca Nicolaescu

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ANNOUNCEMENTS UPCOMING EVENTSMarch 2009

EVENTS ARTICLES

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The restoration of the Turin Shroud: A Conservation and Scientific Disasterby William Meacham

43

The Critical RH for the Appearance of Bronze Disease in Chloride Contaminated Copper and Copper Alloy Artefactsby Alexios Papapelekanos

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Aspects of the Scientific Research of the Historical Monument from Heresti, Romaniaby Dragos Ene and Roxana Radvan

ARP PROCEEDINGS

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The Altar Frontal of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade De Santarmby Eva Armindo

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The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by Thoms Luisby Filipa Raposo Cordeiro

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news & view

THE APPLICATION OF MYTH IN CONTEMPORARY ETHNOGRAPHIC CONSERVATIONby Daniel Cull

Returning from the Canadian Conservation Institutes Symposium 2007 I wrote a review in which, quoting from the program, I noted: The symposium was organized using the traditional circle, described by Gilbert W. Whiteduck (Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeq First Nation) as allowing for 'reflection, open dialogue, and consensus'. [1]

We must give each other the benefit of the doubt for honesty and good intentions. Consensus is not the same as majority rule; its not a competition. We are all working together to figure out the right thing to do. [3] Returning to the organizational consultations for the Symposium, we can observe the same logic repeated, participants noted that the process created "a respectful environment [...] as well a common focus on the task at hand" [4], and that it was successful "despite the diverse backgrounds, pro-

However, it wasnt until recently that I began to consider as significant the connection between the idea of consensus, noted in my review, and contemporary ethnographic conservation praxis; which is built on such theories as intangible cultural heritage and stewardship, and the practice of consultation. The conservation literature despite widely discussing consultation affords scant details to the process itself. However, it is clear that consultations do not follow established hierarchical decision making processes [2], and it is my contention that a modified form of consensus best fits the logic of such meetings. Consensus is a remarkably common system found amongst indigenous groups, the Quakers (Religious Society of Friends), alter-global activists and the feminist movement. Although the formalities vary, the concept of consensus could be summarized thus:

From 'Anarchism in Action: Methods, Tactics, Skills, and Ideas'. Second Edition. Complied and Edited by Shawn Ewald. http://aia.mahost.org/

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fessions, and experiences of those in attendance" [5]. In other words, creating an environment in which participants assumed good faith, and worked toward deciding what was the right thing to do, the meeting was more successful than it would have been had everyone come to push their own pre-set agendas. Consultations then are more than handing over conservation decision making to others, the real story is far more complex and nuanced, and although consultations do not exhibit any of the formal systems of consensus (blocks, stand asides, hand signals, etc), their underlying logic appear to align. Intriguingly they also both rely on myth creation for their success. Within activist forms of consensus the conditions for moral transparency can only be maintained by a kind of make-believe [6] such as the necessity of never casting doubt on others intentions, where as, in the consultation process make belief additionally plays out in the concept of stewardship; a mutually sustained myth in which legal positions of ownership are ignored in order to produce an environment of equality; mythical as consultations ultimately have to mesh with hierarchical superstructures of museum boards, tribal councils, etc. Conservation realizing that cultural objects are the result of social relationships, has undergone a readjustment towards an emphasis less on cultural artefacts and more on concern for living cultures; an act the situationists defined as a search for lost unity [7], in an interesting parallel consensus has been suggested as a way of seeking commonality [8]. Contextually then in imagining consultation as a consensus process we can begin to (re)define conservation as facilitating the intense and ongoing (re)negotiation of social relationships surrounding material culture.

Notes:[1] D. Cull, "Preserving Aboriginal Heritage: Technical and Traditional Approaches: A Review", ICON News, Issue 13, November 2007, pp. 39 [2]'Robert's Rules of Order', www.rulesonline.com [3] Mark, during a spokescouncil meeting in Burlington, April 17th 2001. Quoted in: David Graeber, Direct Action: An Ethnography, AK Press, Edinburgh and Oakland, 2009, pp. 123 [4] Gilbert Whiteduck, in Preserving Aboriginal Heritage: Technical and Traditional Approaches, Proceedings of Symposium 2007, Ottawa, 24-28 September, 2007, Carole Dignard et al. (Eds.), Canadian Conservation Institute, 2008, pp. xv [5] J. Inch, in: Dignard et al., 2008, pp. vii [6] Graeber, 2009, pp. 331 [7] G. Debord, Society of the Spectacle, Black and Red, Detroit, 1980, pp. 180 [8] Chris at a DAN facilitation training, Spring 2000. Quoted in: Graeber, 2009, pp. 304

DANIEL CULLAssistant Conservator The Musical Instrument Museum Website: http://dancull.wordpress.com Contact: [email protected] Daniel Cull is an ethnographic objects conservator, collaborator with e-conservation magazine, and a conservation blogger. He holds a BSc in Archaeology, an MA and MSc in Conservation, was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian Institution, and currently works at the Musical Instrument Museum, Arizona.

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MATCONS 2009 Matter and Materials in/for Heritage ConservationReview by Irina Crina Anca Sandu

September 15-19, 2009, Craiova, Romania http://www.forummuzeulolteniei.ro Organisers and financial support: Dolj county Council, Museum of Oltenia and ICOM Romania, with the Conservation Institute from Copenhagen, Turin University, Craiova University and ICPI Bucharest

MATCONS 2009 was an important conference organised in Romania in the fall of 2009, that brought together experts from different areas of the conservation of cultural heritage and conservation science, both from Romanian and foreign institutions. The arrival, registration and accommodation of the participants were done on Monday, 14th of September and a welcome dinner was offered by the organisers at the Park Hotel Restaurant in Craiova. The conference was structured in morning and afternoon sessions, complemented by parallel events. Key lectures1 were given by renowned experts and specialists invited from abroad, such as Jan Wouters and Annemnie Adriaens from Belgium, Luigi Campanella, Maria Perla Colombini, Piero Baglioni, Lorena Botti and Matteo Placido from Italy, Ren Larsen from Denmark, Marianne Odlyha from England, Manfred Schreiner from Austria,

Andras Morgos from Japan, Jana Subic Prislan from Slovenia, Leonor Loureiro, Patricia Monteiro, Milene Gil and Irina Sandu from Portugal, etc. The parallel sessions were held at the Oltenia Museum Lecture Hall on 15, 16 and 17 of September. After the opening session, an interesting National Exhibition of Movable Cultural Heritage Restoration was inaugurated in the newly restructured building of the Museum. The conference registered 125 participants, from Romania and other countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Ukraine, Slovenia and Japan. The Romanian participants came from all the regions of the country, being professionals from the national network of the Ministry of Culture and Cults, together with researchers and teachers performing activities related to the conservation of

1 Foreign specialists brought interesting contributions to

the conference, such as Dr. Jan Wouters ("Philosophies, instruments and networks aiming at a better understanding and conservation of cultural heritage"), Prof. Ren Larsen ("The IDAP Assessment Programme: Recent development and examples of its use in practice"), Dr. Annemie Adriaens ("The use of carboxylate coatings on lead as environmentally safe corrosion inhibition"), Prof. Piero Baglioni ("Conservation of cultural heritage: there is plenty of room for colloid sci-

ence"), Prof. Maria Perla Colombini ("Saving wall paintings: organic materials characterization and restoration processes"), Prof. Marianne Odyhla ("Understanding microclimates in museums and their impact on heritage materials"), Prof. Manfred Schreiner ("Non-destructive analysis for artifacts of parchment and paper"), Dr. Laura Botti et al. ("Photographic printing processes: studies and analysis"), Dr. Patricia Monteiro ("Portuguese treatises and their relevance to mural paintings"), etc.e-conser vation

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Romanian cultural heritage. Besides the personnel from the Museum of Oltenia in Craiova, that brought a fundamental contribution to the organization of the conference, many specialists participated from museums all around the country. Romanian research institutions and universities were also represented, such as the National Research Institute for Conservation and Restoration (INCCR), the National Research and Development Institute (ICPE-CA), the National Research and Development Institute of Leather and Textile - ICPI Division in Bucharest and the Art and Design University in Cluj Napoca. The first session of lectures was introduced by Dr. Virgil Nitulescu, President of ICOM-Romania. His intervention focused on the actual situation of cultural heritage in Romania and on the educational system established for training conservators-restorers and conservation scientists. In this respect, the first invited speaker, Dr. Jan Wouters, re-created a panoramic view on the research in Europe in the field of heritage science and on the utility of conservation science for a better understanding and conservation of the cultural heritage. Prof. Marianne Odlyha from Birkbeck College presented the results reported from several European Commission projects: Improved Damage Assessment of Parchment (IDAP), Monitoring of Damage of Historic Tapestries (MODHT), Improved Protection of Paintings during Exhibition, Storage and Transit (PROPAINT) and Sensor System to Detect Harmful Environments for Pipe Organs (SENSORGAN). Prof. Ren Larsen illustrated some projects on the damage assessment of parchment in which a methodology for assessing the phenomena of physical deterioration and chemical degradation of parchment and leather fibers at microscopic level was applied.e-conser vation

Dr. Elena Badea and Prof. Giuseppe della Gatta form the University of Turin (Italy) gave an interesting lecture on the physical chemistry for preservation and conservation of historical parchments, speaking of the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), IR, UVVis spectroscopies, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and atomic force microcopy (AFM) for the investigation of damages in archival parchments from the State archives of Turin, State Archives of Genova, State Archives of Florence, Historical Archives of Turin and National Archives of Stirling. Prof. Manfred Schreiner presented a transportable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer developed and assembled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in order to allow in situ examination of works of art in museums, libraries and in archaeological excavation sites. Few case studies in which this instrument was applied were also reported. Prof. Alessandro Vitale-Brovarone made a very interesting intervention about the history of the Turins university library and the attempt to restore parchments that were fire-damaged in 1904 during a project started at the end of the 90s and ended in 2004. Prof. Piero Baglioni underlined the importance and the role of Colloid Science in the conservation of cultural heritage, exemplifying with few case studies this kind of applications: nano-magnetic sponges and oil-in-water nano-containers for cleaning of works of art, nano-particles for wood and mural paintings conservation, nano-technologies for paper and canvas deacidification, etc. Prof. Maria Perla Colombini gave a very interesting lecture about the use of chromatographic mass spectrometric techniques (HPLC/MS, GC/MS, PyGC/MS, DEMS) for organic materials characteriza9

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Monuments visited during the conference trip: Curtea de Arges, Monastery, early 16th century (left) and Prejmer medieval fortified church, 13th - 14th century (right).

tion in wall paintings and for a better choice of the intervention system. The conservation project of the wall paintings in Camposanto monumentale of Pisa (Italy) was presented on this occasion. Patricia Monteiro from the Faculty of Arts and Literature, University of Lisbon, spoke about the Portuguese treatises and their relevance to mural painting materials and techniques, considering also the difficulty in interpreting the information they contain. Among the Romanian lecturers a special mention should be done for Dr. Nicoleta Zagura, UNESCO expert, who spoke about the efforts done in Romania through the cultural association she founded - Art and Heritage UNESCO Club - to increase the interest and education about the local and internationally recognized heritage, and for Dr. Ioan Opris, eminent art historian, who has drawn the attention to the emergency strategy to be adopted for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Modern Romania. An interesting workshop on Conservation and restoration of historical parchment and leather was organized in the evenings of 15th and 16th, the participation being open to a certain number of conference participants and to the Romanian10

specialists in conservation of archives and library materials. The organizers of this workshop were the University of Turin (Prof. Giuseppe della Gatta), the School of Conservation of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen (Dr. Ren Larsen) and the National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather in Bucharest (Dr. Luminita Albu). The workshop had the objective to provide and update the picture of the chemical and physical nature of parchment as well as its ageing and deterioration processes caused by the environment. On 16 of September a final round table on the topic Programs of research and training in the field of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage was organized at the University House in Craiova, and coordinated by Prof. Radu Constantinescu from Romania and Prof. Giuseppe della Gatta from Italy. The participants discussed the topics of interest for a potential network to be established at European level and about funding opportunities in Romania and abroad. Poster session were also organized between the main sessions, giving place to debates, exchange of opinions and contact among the participants. The next three days were dedicated to visiting places with cultural and historical significancee-conser vation

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from Romania, in a trip meant to illustrate the richness of the Romanian natural and cultural heritage in Transylvania region. After the closing of the conference, a short visit at the Monastery Curtea de Arges, famous historic monument part of the Romanian built heritage took place, and a traditional lunch in a Pilgrims guest house near the monastery was offered in the afternoon of 17 of September. Afterwards, a short visit was paid to the Ethnographic Museum in Campulung Muscel and in the evening the participants were housed at the Panicel guest house near Rasnov city, in the green heart of the Transylvanian Mountains. The day of 18 of September was dedicated to other visits to important monuments, such as the fortified church of Prejmer, Rasnov Fortress, Bran Castle and other museums and churches in Brasov county. The last day, the morning of 19 of September, was dedicated to the visit to Peles and Pelisor Palaces in Sinaia, former residences of the Royal family of Romania.

Last but not least we should mention the precious contribution given by the local organizing committee, formed by personnel from the Museum of Oltenia in Craiova (Tutu Barbulescu, SimonaVioleta Gheorghe, Rodica Florentina Opritescu, Alina Maria Garau, Anisoara Vatuiu, Leonard Ionescu, Cristina Stamate) whose dedication and hard work assured a fluent development of all the activities during the conference and the success of the wonderful trip to the important monuments in the Transylvanian Mountains, an emblematic region for the culture and history of Romania.

IRINA CRINA ANCA SANDUContact: [email protected] Irina Sandu (PhD) is an Assistant Researcher at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT) of the New University (UNL) in Lisbon, where she develops research for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage. She is the author / co-author of 12 monographs on conservation and more than 45 published papers, and was involved in 20 international research projects and scientific collaborations.

Participants to the conference hiking the hill to Rasnov fortress (13th - 14th century). Photo by Nicoleta Zagura.

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www.prorestauro.com

REVIEWS

COST TRAINING SCHOOL: INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ARCHIVES Analytical Methods and Preventive Conservation StrategiesReview by Oana ChachulaMay 5-9, 2009, Vienna, Austria Organiser: COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) http://www.cost.esf.org/

Between 5 and 9 May 2009 a new COST-sponsored training course took place in Vienna, within the frame of the COST Action D42 "EnviArt: Chemical Interactions between Cultural Artefacts and Indoor Environment". The workshop was organized by Dr. Erwin Rosenberg from the Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Technisches Museum and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. The scope of this Training School was to address significant aspects of indoor air quality in relation to art objects exhibited or stored in museums, galleries and archives. The workshop gathered participants from diverse backgrounds and training, from both the academic and the conservation field, such as conservator-restorers, scientists, curators, chemists, physicists or biologists working in museums, collections or archives. The workshop brought together a total of 42 speakers and participants who came mostly from European countries but also from the USA. The training course was planned in such a way as to include both theoretical lectures and practical laboratory work, combined with site visits to some Viennese museums in order to demonstrate actuale-conser vation

problems, practices and possible solutions. A twoway approach to understanding these issues was adopted: on a theoretical level, analytical methods and preventive conservation strategies were discussed, and on a practical level, measurements of indoor air quality of museums or archives were undertaken. The programme was even more diverse, including visits to national and private museums and to laboratories and companies that provide services of conservation, exhibit or transport of art objects. The lectures proved to be extremely informative, speakers coming from various fields related to conservation of cultural heritage. Rene van Grieken, from Belgium, in his lecture Ashes to ashes, dust to dust: the fate of all things? On indoor air pollution through particles spoke about climate, humidity, temperature, light, air pollutants and gases from archives with a particular emphasis on how important preventive conservation is, namely by improving the environmental conditions (microclimate and chemical pollution) around the work of art. On the same line, discussions were continued by Dr. Dario Camuffo from Italy, who focused on the general interaction between environmental factors and works of art,13

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especially moisture, and the interaction of water molecules with the environment. Prof. Dr. Manfred Schreiner spoke about corrosion of glass and enamel artefacts and the influence that air quality has on this process. He focused on conservation problems and preventive conservation strategies of medieval stained glass, presenting six glass weathering theories. It appears that many museums around the world have similar problems related with indoor emissions, building materials, particle filtration or ventilation. For example, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art particles of Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) have been detected in galleries, showcases and storerooms. Among the many actual problems related with air quality in museums and galleries, particles interaction is the least studied. However, even when the answer to such problems is not always easy to find, one possible solution would be a better air filtering.

Helene Tello, from the Ethnological Museum, National Museums Berlin, brought another issue into discussion, namely which are the best strategies and analytical methods to adopt for the use of biocides in ethnographic collections: the organic or the inorganic ones. She discussed their impact on collections and the arguments pro and against the non-destructive analytical methods and available technology. It was also underlined that attention must be directed to the impact biocides have on collection objects, but mostly on the human health. From Norway, Terje Grntoft presented "Simple devices for monitoring and assessment of indoor air quality for museums, archives, and historic buildings" and did a demonstration of use of EWO dosimeters and monitoring concepts, dividing them into Continuous Monitoring (C), Online Monitoring (O), Active Measurements (A) and Passive Measurements (P). Next, the theoretical concepts were put into practice, participants being given the opportunity to test the equipment and learn how to interpret the results.

Group photo of TS participants at Artex company, Vienna. Photo by Valentina Ljubic from the Technisches Museum Wien.

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A similar aspect was also addressed by Marianne Odlyha and C.Theodorakopoulos from Birkbeck College in London, UK, with a focus on the impact of indoor environments corrosivity on complex organic materials. Several practical examples were offered from the condition survey projects in museums from Norway, from the National Archives of Finland (Istvn Kecskemeti, PhD), the State Archives of Genoa and Turin (Marianne Odlyha, PhD), the Technisches Museum Wien (Ing. Anita Preisler), or from churches (the Sistine Chapel in Rome and Santa Corona in Vicenza). On the protection of metal objects in storage, Martina Griesser-Stermscheg from the University of Applied Arts Vienna presented the conclusions of an experiment where several objects were kept in oxygen free packages and in packages with oxygen, and were compared with unpacked objects. After 5 years, the research showed that the oxygen-free packing is not recommended for metal objects, while packing with oxygen offers a good protection against oxidation and corrosion for objects of silver, gilded silver, copper, lead and steel. This application was put into practice at the research laboratories of University of Applied Arts Vienna in cooperation with the Scientific Laboratory of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. A very interesting intervention was done by Klaus Pokorny, who spoke about the lighting concept in museums and modern techniques used for lighting objects in the exhibition. He presented different approaches to lighting in three exhibition case studies from the National Portrait Gallery London, Museum Liaunig Carinthia and Technisches Museum Wien. The presentation was followed by a site visit to the Technisches Museum Wien where the integrated light, temperature and RH concept of the exhibition rooms were discussed.e-conser vation

Another interesting visit was made to the private company Artex Art Services from Vienna, where their current practice and modern technology to ensure optimal indoor air conditions for storage and transport of art objects was demonstrated. Other visits with practical applications were organized at the Michaelergruft, the Technisches Museum Wien and the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NHM, Natural History Museum). This last, founded in 1858 at the behest of Emperor Franz Joseph I, possesses very valuable showcases that represent by themselves a quality of the museum. The necessity of preserving these original showcases dating from the 19th century was discussed, but also the methods of conserving the objects and organic materials therein. These issues were

Historic showcases at Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Natural History Museum).

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presented by Silvia Kalabis and Hans Reschreiter in the paper "The adaptation of the historical showcases in the prehistoric collection of the NHM". The visit to the Michaelergruft focused on the tombs located in the basement, and aimed to discuss the conservation methods of the coffins in their environment by reducing the humidity and temperature to order to prevent the development of molds and the degradation of the wood, the constituent material of the coffin. Dr. Alexandra Rainer, scientific advisor of the Michaelgruft, spoke about the historic, restorative and technological aspects of this case. Peter Brimblecombe from the Univerity of East Anglia showed in his presentation "Air chemistry and exchange with rooms and cases in a changing climate" that in general, visitors are one of the reasons for the presence of dust in galleries and of the increased level of temperature and humidity. In order to minimize the impact on the collections, the visitors should keep away from objects that are not protected by showcases, limiting the exposure to pollutants. At the same time, he spoke about a new challenge in terms of climate change, and about what damages can occur if global temperatures increase and if summers become significantly drier. He showed that degradation is strictly

connected to physical, chemical and biological processes. The Training Course was ended by a visit to the first villa of Austrian Art Noveau architect Otto Wagner that was restored in early 1970s by the renowned painter Ernst Fuchs. The artist saved it from being demolished and inaugurated in 1988 the Ernst Fuchs private museum that gathers a large collection of his works. After this 5-day workshop, we can conclude that it is for us all to assume responsibility for the protection of both the environment and the cultural heritage. Although there are many conservationscientists, few turn their attention to pollutants, a process that acts both from the outside and the inside. Situations may differ from one geographic region to another, but collaboration among specialists in various fields can help to better understand the degradation causes, mechanisms and effects that objects in collections are subjected to. Last but not least, as Dr. Erwin Rosenberg noted, our methods, devices and materials need to be developed or further improved. Therefore, we need to employ the best preservation strategies and conservation management methods that will help us find adequate solutions for each individual case.

Outer view of Otto Wagner's villa, now housing the Ernst Fuchs Museum (left) and one of the rooms in the museum, with paintings by the artist and the original Art Noveau stained glass windows. Photos by Erwin Rosenberg from the Vienna University of Technology.

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Useful links: http://www.costd42.org http://www.technischesmuseum.at http://www.akbild.ac.at/.../restaurierung http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at http://www.khm.at http://www.iaq.dkTS participants having an interesting discussion with Dr. Alexandra Rainer in the courtyard of the Michaelerchurch. Photo by Valentina Ljubic of the Technisches Museum Wien.

OANA CHACHULAConservation Scientist Contact: [email protected] National Museum of Romanian History / Centre of Research and Scientific Investigation Calea Victoriei, nr.12, S 3, 030026, Bucharest, Romania Oana Chachula, conservation scientist expert in biological investigations, graduated from the Faculty of Biology Al. I. Cuza, in Iasi (Romania) in 2002. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Animal Taxonomy field at Biology Faculty, University of Bucharest. She has been working at INCCR as a biologist for 3 years, her current work responsibilities including the biological investigation of movable objects and historical buildings.

Group photo by Miriam Bazn Castaneda.

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THE 15th INTERNATIONAL HERITAGE SHOWReview by Anca NicolaescuNovember 5-8, 2009 Paris, France Organiser: Ateliers dArt de France http://www.patrimoineculturel.com

The 15th International Heritage Show took place at the beginning of November 2009 in the prestigious setting of the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. The event brought together 250 international exhibitors (from France, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherland, Portugal, Russia and Spain) and around 20 000 visitors. This year, the International Show was for the first time organized by Ateliers dArt de France1, which acquired the event in the spring of 2009. Each year, the show is focused on a new theme involving thus new exhibitors and visitors, new media and promotional input. This years topic was The Heritage of Religions. Embracing the topic, the exhibitors displayed their achievements in this area and offered their knowhow demonstrations to the visitors. Beside conservator-restorers, artists or craftsmen, the salon also hosted: suppliers of materials and products for movable or immovable assets or museum materials

and equipment; decision-makers and project managers (architects, entrepreneurs, trade organisations), training and education centres, universities or institutes; players in the New Technologies and suppliers of advanced materials (scientists, research centres, laboratories); publishers; local authorities, institutions and associations. The participants were gathered under the same goals in order to promote quality craftsmanship and expertise, to set up and develop meetings between conservators, craftsmen or artists and potential clients, and to present the various strategies regarding the spiritual and cultural heritage preservation and management. To have a real perception of the complexity of the salon, only the fields covered by exhibitors displaying a conservation-restoration activity, were varying from stained-glass windows, iron joinery, organs, old clock and bell mechanisms to ceramic and glass objects, furniture, textiles, leather, sculpture, frames, wall paintings and decorations and easel paintings. Almost anything one can connect with Religious Heritage in general!e-conser vation

1 Atelier dArt de France is a French trade organization for

Crafts. Founded in 1868, it unites today 2,800 craft workers whether they are craftsmen, artists or craft workshops to lend them support and assistance towards their promotion and development.

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For the orientation of the public throughout the salon spaces, depending on interest and also to ease the contacts exchange, the organizers provided a useful catalog with the participants profile and contact details. Walking into the fair, the visitors were first received by informational stands of institutions, associations or local authorities showing their past or current projects throughout images, movies or short presentations on this years theme. That was the perfect place for visitors or participants to make contacts for future partnerships in all kind of cultural related areas, or to get updated with the new strategies of cultural interest. Further on, the visitors were arriving in the section dedicated to publishers on art and culture, from printed magazines and online publications to specialized bookshops. Nearby, Art Schools, Institutes or Universities were presenting their offers and giving all the demanded details to students interested in courses and degrees in art and heritage conservation. Deeper in the Carrousel du Louvre was the meltingpot of the art and craft, conservation-restoration materials and equipment suppliers, where the exhibitors were giving demonstrations ore-conser vation

presenting samples of their work in stands resembling corners of studios. It was a very interesting set up of workshops and objects animated by artists or restorers ready to introduce you to their work or to answer your questions. Visitors were able to see component fragments of organ-pipes or even big brass bells, beautiful trompe loeil of marble and wood patterns, mosaic and frescoes fragments, religious furniture, jewels and so on, done with extraordinary craftsmanship. The religious heritage preservation is, actually, the best example where knowledge of old traditional techniques is very important for best conservation and restoration achievements. Therefore, this mixture of arts, old crafts and restoration presented at the fair was a good opportunity for meeting masters who keep the tradition alive and are willing to share details of their work with those interested.

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Another interesting aspect of the event was the organization of discussion panels and seminars with the participation of international experts and specialists who informed the fair-going public about topical subjects related to the theme of the year, and debated heritage problems.The issues brought into discussion covered a wide thematic range such as: causes and consequences of the religious heritage destruction and degradation in history; the future of Europes religious heritage; religious patrimony and contemporary art or subjects regarding the advanced technologies in heritage conservation, to mention only few of them. It is difficult to encompass in a short review the complexity of this event with an immense area of interest and exhibitors. For five days I constantly went to Louvres Carrousel, willing to see and discuss with as many exhibitors as possible, but at the end I still had the feeling that I might have overlooked some stands. It was a huge concentration of interesting aspects of everything connected

with the fairs subject the Religious Heritage. The next edition, the 16th International Heritage Show, is already announced for 4-7 November 2010, focusing this time on The Mediterranean Heritage. I'm certain that it is definitely worth visiting it.

ANCA NICOLAESCUConservator-Restorer Contact: [email protected] Anca Nicolaescu (BA, MA) is a conservator of wall paintings, having coordinated various on-site conservation projects from Romania. Her work experience also includes international participation at conservation projects and seminars in UK, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Japan and India. She is one of the co-founders of Restauro Art Grup conservation company and of e-conservation magazine, where she presently works as an editor.

Photo by Serban Bonciocat

Photo by Mihaela Dumitru

Photo by Serban Bonciocat

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NEWS

SUPPORT THE ISTITUTO CENTRALE PER IL RESTAURO!The Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (ICR, Central Institute for Restoration) was founded in 1939 in Rome and is one of the oldest institutions dedicated to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. ICR was recently renamed Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro (ISCR, the Higher Institute for the Conservation and Restoration) and in the end of the month (February 2010) will be forced to leave the historical premises of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome which it occupied since is foundation. According to Professor Mario Micheli, the precipitous transferral of the Institute could compromise the forthcoming and opportune reopening of the Restoration School, and weaken the efficiency of the Institute's technical-scientific structures, leading to its inevitable closure. In order to avoid this, an Open Letter to the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano was made available online in Italian and English at: http://www.gopetition.com/online/33441.html. e-conservation supports this appeal and asks its readers to consider signing this worthy action before the end of the month.

RESEARCH IN BOOK AND PAPER CONSERVATION IN EUROPE - a State of the Art -

Editor: Patricia Engel Publisher: Verlag Berger Publication date: November 2009 Pages: 328 (Paperback) ISBN: 978-3850284905 Language: English This recently published book makes a timely review of the research in the field of book and paper conservation in Europe. An overview of the state-of-the-art will assist paper conservatorrestorers in their practical work, providing upto-date information and results of conservationrestoration in books, prints, drawings and other artistic works on paper. The book aims to help in the decision making process not only the conservator-restorer, but also other key players in the field, such as authorities, politicians and collectors. Three main aspects of research are covered: basic research, applied research and experimental development in preservation and conservationrestoration of books and works on paper. The book is written in English because it aims to reach a pan-European audience, the problems and needs in conservation-restoration being basically the same, regardless of the geographic location.21

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NEWS

NEW OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATIONS: A NEW DIRECTION IN CONSERVATION?Two new open access journals dedicated to conservation of cultural heritage were launched at the end of 2009: ecr estudos de conservao e restauro and Ge-Conservacin. Not very long time ago there was a big void in our field concerning online publications. In 2007, when e-conservation magazine came online, we made a survey that showed that very few professionals heard of open access concept. Since then, we count at least 3 new publications, namely from Belgium, Spain and Portugal. It is with great pleasure that we welcome their advent on the internet, and witness perhaps the emergence of a new direction in the publication tary topics such as historic and artistic studies or of conservation resources: in electronic format production technologies and materials. and with free distribution. The first issue of the journal has been published Ecr estudos de conservao e restauro (studies online in December 2009 and can be consulted in conservation and restoration) is a new Portu- at http://citar.artes.ucp.pt/ecr/. guese journal published annually in open access by CITAR (Research Center for Science and Techno- Ge-Conservacin, Revista digital hispano-lusa de logy in Art) from the Portuguese Catholic Univer- conservacin y restauracin ("Hispano-Portuguese sity. The journal publishes peer reviewed articles, Digital Magazine of Conservation-Restoration"), news and reviews in Portuguese, Spanish and En- is the new publication of GEIIC (Grupo Espaol de glish. The journal is distributed under a Creative Conservacin/Spanish Conservation Group of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic Commons license. Ecr defines itself as a publication wishing to become and Artistic Works), published in association with a reference not only on the Portuguese academic the Duques de Soria Foundation. The journal, also published once a year, is addressed scene but on international level as well through mainly to Spanish and Portuguese-speaking the dissemination of scientific research done in the field of conservation of cultural heritage. Ac- countries. Its aim is to contribute to the scientific cording to its director, Ana Calvo, the publication development, dissemination and exchange of knowwas born following the establishment in 2002 of ledge in the field of cultural heritage conservation a course in conservation-restoration at the School and restoration. The publishing areas include original academic research, significant case studies and of Arts from the Catholic University and aims to opinion articles. serve as an evaluation platform for the research developed therein. The journal will publish studies The 2009 issue of this journal was published in on material and technologic aspects of conserva- pdf format and is available to download from tion-restoration treatments, including complemen- http://ge-iic.com/revista/index.php?lang=en.22e-conser vation

NEWS

HAITI EARTHQUAKE DAMAGEThe recent earthquake that stroke Haiti on January 12, as immediately echoed all around the world, was truly devastating by any standards. Haitis cultural heritage was also deeply affected and requires urgent attention, but even now it is still difficult to assess the damages due to the collapse of the communication structure in Haiti. Continuous efforts are being made by ICOM through its Disaster Relief for Museums Task Force (DRFM), its Secretariat and its national committees to gather more data and to decide on the most appropriate actions to be taken. ICOMs latest damage assessment report was made available on February 9. According to the limited information made public so far, several monuments and historic buildings have suffered severe damages and libraries and schools have collapsed or are in precarious condition. Fortunately, museum collections seem to have been less affected by the earthquake. Many institutions and organizations reacted immediately, helping the victims or contributing in any way possible to the relief activities. Any help is precious in the present condition, and the loss also depends on our efforts to salvage as soon as possible what is left from Haitis cultural heritage. The Association of National Committees of the Blue Shield (ANCBS) has launched on online call for conservator-restorers and other experts in the cultural heritage field to register as volunteers.Haitian women amidst rubble in Port-au-Prince, January 20, 2010.

The News section is publishing diverse information on cultural heritage topics, such as on-site conservation projects reports, conferences, lectures, talks or workshops reviews, but also course reviews and any other kind of appropriate announcements. If you are involved in interesting projects and you want to share your experience with everybody else, please send us your news or announcements. For more details, such as deadlines and publication guidelines, please visit www.e-conservationline.com

Photo by U.S. Air Force

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Are you reading this?So is everybody else...

For advertising and other information on publicity, please contact [email protected] and request a copy of our mediakit.

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The events in this section are linked to the original homepage of the organisers or to the calendar of events at www.conservationevents.com. Click on "Read more..." to find out more details about each event.

IRUG9: 9th Biennial Conference of the Infrared and Raman Users GroupDate: 3-6 March Place: Buenos Aires, Argentina The IRUG biennial conferences offer an excellent opporRead more...

International Symposium on the future of Museum Climate March 2010In the context of Global Climate Change and Energy Priority Date: 1 March Place: Copenhagen, Denmark How can we create exhibitions and expose our common cultural heritage in a sustainable way which is also acceptable for future generations? How can museums be run in a more CO2 neutral way while simultaneously guaranteeing an adequate indoor climate? These, and other crucial questions and issues, will be discussed and scrutinized during this one day symposium. Read more...

tunity for the exchange of scientific results and new developments in the application of infrared and Raman spectroscopy to the conservation and study of the cultural heritage. Attendees to these conferences are scientists, conservators, restorers, as well as curators within the art conservation and historic preservation fields interested in the application of IR and Raman spectroscopy to the study of materials used in art and archaeology.

The Fifth DOCAM SummitDate: 3-5 March Place: Montreal, Canada The DOCAM (Documentation and Conservation of the Media Arts Heritage) Research Alliance invites submissions of abstracts for the presentation of papers at the 2010 DOCAM Summit, which will mark the end of five years of research. DOCAM is an international research alliance initiated by the Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science, and Technology. Its main objective is to develop new methodologies and tools to address the issues of preserving and documenting digital, technological, and electronic artworks. Read more...

Tcnicas orientales aplicadas a la restauracin del papelDate: 2-5 March Place: Valencia, Spain Las tcnicas orientales de manipulacin y tratamiento del papel ofrecen al restaurador occidental una gama de alternativas tcnicas extraordinariamente enriquecedoras, porque ofrecen respuestas diferentes a problemas comunes. En este curso, la restauradora Katarzyna Zych Zmuda, experta en este tipo de tcnicas internacionalmente reconocida, ensear a un grupo reducido de alumnos las tcnicas ms interesantes para el restaurador mediante demostraciones y prcticas guiadas desarrolladas en un laboratorio de restauracin. Read more...

'Picasso, Materials, and Antibes' - Icon Paintings Group TalkDate: 3 March Place: London, UK The ICON Paintings Group invite you to a talk given by Dr. Marilyn McCully, American art historian and exhibition organiser. She has a particular interest in Picasso's use of non-traditional materials, and in the ways in which art historians, conservators and scientists might most fruitfully collaborate on research. Read more...

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event

EVENTS

Preserving the Memory of the World March 2010Date: 12 March Place: Vancouver, Canada Read more...

Multidisciplinary Conservation: a Holistic View for Historic InteriorsInterim Meeting of Five ICOM-CC Working Groups Date: 23-26 March Read more...

Inspired by UNESCO's Memory of the World Program, the Association of Canadian Archivists UBC Student Chapter (ACA@UBC) is organizing a seminar and conference aimed to opening an interdisciplinary dialogue among the custodians of the world documentary heritage - librarians, archivists, documentalists and museum curators - and the users of such heritage.

Place: Rome, Italy The meeting will consist in three days of presentations. Sessions will be dedicated to the main theme of the event that highlights specific projects focussing on interdisciplinary approaches, historical and methodological aspects, environmental issues, conservation techniques, and guidelines for preventive conservation and maintenance. Each working group will also have the opportunity to present and discuss contributions and on-going research programmes related to its specific area of interest.

28th Annual Visual Resources Association ConferenceDate: 17-20 March Place: Atlanta, USA General areas of this conference interest include, but are not limited to: digital photography; digital imaging and presentation technologies; strategic planning; cataloging and metadata (including non-western, non-art, and special topics cataloging); trend forecasting for the visual resources profession; copyright and fair use; user instruction; and professional status issues. Read more...

Course: Working with PlasticsDate: 23-25 March Place: Porto, Portugal Instructors: Thea van Oosten and Anna Lagan The main subject of this course is to acquaint you with the current state of knowledge regarding identification, degradation and conservation of plastics as used in cultural heritage. Read more...

Glass and Glazing in the 21st century Conservation in Focus 2010Design & Preservation of Contemporary & Historic Architecture Date: 20-21 March Place: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA The 2 days intensive conference will focus on developments in architectural glasses for structural, energy saving, and decorative uses in new building facades/building envelopes and monuments, as well as their application in the restoration and upgrading of existing structures. Read more... Date: 24-26 March Place: Cardiff, Wales, UK The conference aims to advance and share knowledge about conservation issues in and beyond Icon's members and to have an enjoyable conference where people have time to talk and network. The first day will focus on the two themes 'evidence based decision making in conservation' and 'a sustainable future for UK conservation'. The second day will provide the opportunity for the Icon groups to host specialist half day seminars. Read more...

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March 2010

AREAS OF PUBLISHING Conservation TreatmentMural Painting Painting Stone Sculpture Textiles Paper / Documents Photography Metals Tile / Ceramic / Glass Furniture Music instruments Ethnographic assets Archeological objects

Conservation ScienceScientific research Material studies and characterisation Analytical techniques Technology development Biodeterioration State-of-the-art Reviews

Preventive ConservationTheoretic principles Art History, Iconography, Iconology, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Photography, Cultural Management, Museology, Computer Science, Legislation and Juridical Processes, Conservation Policies and any other field applied to Conservation and Restoration of works of art. Find out more:e-conser vation

Case studies

Documentation in ConservationStandardisation Documentation methods Data management

Conservation TheoryEthics Conservation History www.e-conservationline.com

article

THE RESTORATION OF THE TURIN SHROUD: A CONSERVATION AND SCIENTIFIC DISASTERby William Meacham

THE RESTORATION OF THE TURIN SHROUD

In 2002 the Shroud of Turin was subjected to a radical intervention aimed at ridding the relic of carbon dust and charred material said to pose a serious threat to the image. Patches that were applied in 1534 to cover holes from fire damage were removed. Vacuuming was done of portions of both sides, and other remedial measures were taken to optimise the appearance of the relic. This aggressive operation was in stark contrast with modern precepts of conservation, and resulted in important scientific data and heritage features being lost, along with great opportunities for sophisticated testing and sampling. The long-term negative impact of the intervention is feared to be substantial; the underlying premise, that the image was threatened, has been shown to be false.

Introduction Whether ancient or medieval, the Shroud of Turin poses one of the truly abiding mysteries of all archaeological and art historical artefacts. It is the worlds most famous textile, and probably also the most intensively studied object in existence, but how the image was formed on the cloth remains unclear. Crucial evidence however may have been destroyed in a restoration conducted in the summer of 2002. Unlike the restoration of the Sistine Chapel, over which there were sharply opposing views on the composition of the original work, the Shroud as an historical textile was well defined and the parameters of its on-going study quite clear. This unfortunate event dramatically illustrates the need for close collaboration between scientists, conservators/restorers and curators/ owners before initiating aggressive interventions on important archaeological objects. It may also become a classic illustration of things that should not be done. How It Happened For the millions who believed the Shroud of Turin might really be the burial cloth of Christ, October 13, 1988 was the turning point. The results of carbon dating a tiny sample from the edge of the linen sheet were released, and they seemed definitive: the date fell between 1260 and 1390 AD. For the academic world and the public at large, the relice-conser vation

Figure 1. The Shroud image. The frontal image on the Shroud as first photographed in 1898. All rights reserved.

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was deemed to be a fake from the Middle Ages, albeit a very strange one. Despite thousands of hours of scientific study, its image remained unexplained and was the subject of continuing controversy. In Italy, the general reaction was quite different; most people questioned the carbon dating method rather than the relic. Doubts were widely expressed about its reliability for this particular object. Many felt that its constant handling and exposure in churches would invalidate a carbon measurement; others felt the resurrection might have altered the Shroud's chemistry. Some even proposed a bizarre conspiracy theory, that a British Museum official had switched samples in order to discredit the Shroud [1]. The then archbishop of Turin, Cardinal Anastasio Ballestrero, and his science adviser were crucified in the media for officially accepting the date, while maintaining at a press conference announcing the test results that the Shroud was still a mystery and a precious icon that should inspire reverence. Their uncritical acceptance of the date made it appear that the Church now believed that its Holy Shroud was a medieval forgery. The furor in Italy led Ballestrero to take early retirement the next year. His successor, Cardinal Giovanni Saldarini, declared that conservation would be the priority. He asked researchers to be patient, a term readily understood to mean that no new scientific studies would be approved for the foreseeable future. Indeed, none have been authorized up to the present. Saldarini brought together a group of five textile experts to advise on conservation, and this group was later formalized as the Conservation Commission. It began to address issues related to the optimum preservation of the cloth, one of the most important being how to protect it from Turin's air pollution. A few positive changes were made to the storage conditions, notably that the cloth would be kept30

Figure 2. Shroud Face. Negative of the facial image. All rights reserved.

flat instead of rolled on a spool, and it would be kept at constant temperature and humidity in an atmosphere of inert gas, with less than 1% oxygen. A long flat case was specially constructed for this purpose. However, the Commission was quietly evolving into something very different, and was heading towards calamity. By 2000 only one of the five textile experts remained, and its membership now included several Turinese dignitaries and was chaired by a senior priest in the archdiocese, Mons. Ghiberti. An admixture of good intentions, opportunism and machiavellian scheming would soon lead the Commission down a very different path from that of passive preservation favoured by most modern conservators for very important objects. In a high and deeply regrettable irony, this Conservation Commission would wreak havoc on the Shroud.e-conser vation

THE RESTORATION OF THE TURIN SHROUD

A new archbishop of Turin was appointed in 1999. Cardinal Severino Poletto is an outgoing and affable man, with mediocre educational background. I first met him at a conference of world experts sponsored by the Turin archdiocese in March, 2000, at a villa outside the city. I came away with the strong feeling that Poletto was dynamic and we would soon see further testing of the cloth, particularly a second round of carbon dating. Never in a million years could I or anyone else involved with the Shroud have imagined what was to come. The truly memorable moment during this conference was a visit to the Turin Cathedral. Poletto met us in the nave and ushered us into a sideroom. It was a heart-stopping moment. There, mounted on a long board at eye level was the famous relic, free of its usual glass display case, and naturally lit from windows high up in the room. A red velvet cordon about three feet away was all that separated us from the relic. My attention shifted back and forth between the bloodstains and the fainter body image, as archaeological and historical curiosity about this intriguing object intermingled with feelings of awe. This contemplation was interrupted after a while when Poletto and a gaggle of people around him moved up to the cordon. Suddenly, a flash bulb went off and I turned around to see a fellow in a baggy suit holding an old-fashioned press camera with large flash attachment. Horrified, I went over to Prof. Alan Adler, the only American member of the Conservation Commission, and asked him how in the world they could be using flash photography. He shrugged his shoulders, saying it was the official archdiocese photographer. I asked him to try to stop it, but he replied there was no way he was going to interfere, as this viewing was very special. It was surprising that this simple issue had not been considered beforehand and did note-conser vation

seem to bother anyone else. A tripod-mounted camera and fast film would have given perfectly good photographs without the use of a flash, and would have spared the cloth that extra unnecessary exposure to light. Worse was to come. A delegate was energetically pointing out some feature on the Shroud to Poletto, and they both stepped over the cordon to get a closer view. The delegate suddenly pulled out his ballpoint pen and pointed at the feature. The tip of the pen was less than an inch away from the surface of the cloth. Aghast, I started to intervene, when he lowered the pen. Several other people were watching the proceedings, and no one seemed bothered by the fact that a possible ink stain had been a slight tremble away. When it is recalled that many archives do not even allow ink pens of any kind to be brought inside, one can only shudder at how poor the state of conservation awareness was in Turin. Yet another conservation issue was raised by American scientist John Jackson after the visit. He had a particular interest in the old creases and foldmark patterns (as he calls them) preserved on the Shroud, and he was very upset over how the cloth was stretched on the board. It was so taut that hardly any of the creases could be seen. He raised the issue at the final plenary session of the congress, saying: I can state that storing the Shroud in this condition for a long period of time will destroy forever the precious fold mark pattern, if it has not already done so. The response from Commission members was that the mounting on the board was only a temporary arrangement. This apparently was not true. In an article published later by the same individuals it was stated that, unlike in the past the Shroud was [now] stretched and fixed in a practically definitive position [2]. In retrospect, these conservation issues were very bad omens.31

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The Shroud has been restored Indeed, a major catastrophe was about to befall the Shroud. Totally unbeknownst to anyone outside a small circle in Turin, an aggressive, invasive operation officially termed a restoration was being planned. The work was finally carried out in secret during June and July of 2002. But word leaked out, and in August a Rome newspaper ran a story by its Vatican reporter that the Shroud had undergone a radical intervention [3]. As details emerged from the Turin archdiocese, it was confirmed that patches covering the 1532 fire damage and a backing cloth added at that time had been removed, and dusts and residues had been cleared away. People were shocked, unable to believe that such an invasive procedure could have been allowed to take place, since there had been so much emphasis in recent decades on the need for non-intrusive, non-destructive testing. While very little of this news was carried by international agencies, the press in Italy was buzzing with stories, speculation and debate about what had been done to the Shroud. A very senior political and academic figure, Francesco Sisinni, wrote an important piece asking: Did this important object, on whose material and historical authenticity scholars from every part of the world have worked tirelessly, and, above all, in front of which millions of faithful from all over the world have kneeled, really need to have undergone such a massive intervention? [4]. Turin was clearly on the defensive, and announced that all would be explained at a press conference in mid-September, at which time photographs of the restored Shroud would be available. Jackson circulated an email with very powerful criticisms, pointing out that it is essential that scientific information resident on the Shroud be preserved. The only people qualified to know what32

that information is are people who have spent years, if not their lifetimes, thinking about the Shroud in a scientific sense. It was increasingly clear that there had been no outside consultation or peer review of this intervention. An American textile chemist and original member of the Conservation Commission, Jan Cardamone, was surprised and shocked at the news. Textile conservator Sheila Landi of England, also an original member of the Commission, had the same reaction. Even two textile specialists resident in Turin and well acquainted with the Shroud were not consulted. It transpired that the one textile expert left on the Commission was the person who had carried out the work. Rumor had it that she and Ghiberti had become the dominant force within the Commission. According to Landi, who attended several meetings in the 1990s, the atmosphere was characterized increasingly by manipulation: All they wanted was people who said what they wanted to hear [5]. This led to Landi's decision to withdraw in 1997. Jan Cardamone remained available but was not invited to attend further meetings. It is not clear what happened to the two Italian textile conservators, but by 1999 the Swiss Mechthild Flury-Lemberg was the only textile expert left in the group. This may have been as in the Chinese saying, one mountain can only have one tiger. Other individuals with close links to the inner circle around Poletto were recruited onto the Commission, from fields totally unrelated to textiles or conservation. Flury-Lemberg is a soft spoken woman, and an oldstyle restorer with a Teutonic inclination for neatness. It is unclear to what degree she persuaded others of the need for restoration, but one observer remarked that it was a good thing that there was no articulate dry cleaner on the Commission. She believed in her methods, of course, and a large portion of responsibility lies with the other meme-conser vation

THE RESTORATION OF THE TURIN SHROUD

Figure 3. Madame Flury-Lemberg at work on the restoration of the Shroud (photo courtesy of Telesubalpina TV, all rights reserved).

bers of the Commission and those in the Vatican who did not seek any outside advice. Poletto was clearly disturbed by the raging controversy, and invited the delegates from the 2000 Turin conference for a private viewing of the restored Shroud, followed by a press conference the next day. Both events followed the same script: opening remarks by Poletto and Ghiberti preceded the main presentation by the scientific adviser, Prof. Savarino. His case was most unconvincing, especially his casual summation: The Shroud was filthy. I certainly wouldn't sleep in a sheet in that condition. At this there was a smattering of nervous laughter, but most did not know whether to laugh or cry. To the layman, and obviously to the aggressive restorer as well, cleaning must seem a goode-conser vation

and necessary thing. Some conservators have said that dirt is not the problem, cleaning is the problem. Often it is not even attempted. Another remark by Savarino was equally shocking. He said that an effort was made to smooth out the creases, but unfortunately it was not entirely successful. I repeated his Italian word purtroppo (unfortunately) out loud with the inflection of a question, and he nodded. He apparently was unaware of their possible historical value. The restoration of the Shroud was diametrically opposed to modern textile conservation practices, as for example described by Orlofsky and Trupin [6]. The cloth was handled every day for a month without gloves; no gowns, lab coats or hair nets were worn; no clean room controls were instituted;33

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visitors, photographers, teams of technicians and TV crews trooped through; the cloth was illuminated by lamps without filters, shining for long periods directly on the cloth at close range; the relic was subjected to considerable stresses in the removal of patches and backing cloth, and addition of a new backing cloth. Furthermore, the operation was not a true restoration back to original either, but a series of radical, invasive alterations and cleaning operations for cosmetic and misinformed conservation purposes. Even if the cloth were a proven medieval relic, with no image at all, the 1534 repairs should have been retained. Flury-Lemberg commented on this issue in very strange terms: The conservation [work] of the poor Clare sisters from 1534 is certainly of historical interest and therefore needs to be analysed and noted for future research, but it does not present a value in its own right. The same is true for the conservation measures of 2002. [7] It is very surprising to have repairs nearly five hundred years old equated with those done a few years ago. The patches and backing cloth were visible elements of a rich heritage that had intrinsic value as part of the history and commonly recognized identity of the relic. It was recorded that the nuns carried out the mending of the precious relic after the fire of 1532 with great reverence and care, praying as they worked. Old additions to or repairs of an object become part of the object to be preserved unless 1) they pose a definite threat to it, or 2) they seriously detract from the appreciation of the original. There would be little disagreement among conservators on this point. It would be a very foolish conservator who would erase medieval graffiti from a Roman temple in the name of return to the original. Even on cosmetic criteria, retention of the patches would have been sensible; FluryLemberg herself wrote that the patches covered big ugly holes left by the fire. [7]34

The argument has been made before that even with a backing cloth on the Shroud it was hazardous to mount the relic in a vertical position for display. As the Shroud is now stored laid out flat in a glass case, this would also be the best manner to exhibit it according to Cardamone, i.e. with observers moving around it in small groups, or on a walkway above it. To remove the existing backing cloth only to replace it with another seems to be the height of folly, and no real advance on the repair work of 1534. Further, the whiteness of this new lining detracts from the image. The eye is struck by the stark contrast of white spots (lining visible through the holes) on straw coloured ground (the Shroud) that makes the sepia body image seem even more faint. To compare the Shroud before and after, see www.shroud.com/examine.htm. In the months following the unveiling, a consensus of critique took shape. The main points were: 1) that the patches had been piously sewn on 450 years ago (according to legend the nuns who sewed them used golden needles and maintained constant prayer during the work) and thus constituted part of the Shroud's heritage; 2) that scientific data had been lost due to poor planning and/or ignorance; 3) that opportunities for sophisticated scientific research were squandered; and 4) that great stresses were put on the cloth during the month-long handling, unstitching and restitching, and exposure to lights. In 2003, comments from prominent Shroud researchers began to be posted on www.shroud.com/ restored.htm, and most were scathing. Ray Rogers, a nationally prominent chemist formerly with Los Alamos National Laboratory, declared as a result of the restoration... a large amount of potentially critical information has been lost forever. Paul Maloney, archaeologist, stated his virtual certainty that the restoration was unnecessary. Dr. Fredericke-conser vation

THE RESTORATION OF THE TURIN SHROUD

Zugibe, former Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland County NY, expressed chagrin that the restorers did not wear gloves and dust-free clothing. In an email Rogers stated he believed that the action would go down in history as Polettos desecration. Flury-Lemberg [7] published a coffee table book about the work in which a spirited defence was mounted, claiming that the Shroud was threatened by a process of progressive weakening and loss around the charred areas, and by oxidation due to the carbon dust particles spreading through the cloth. The problem for these claims was that the chemical processes she feared were unknown to science [8]. And the extensive photographic record since 1898 did not reveal one iota of evidence for any loss of fabric around the char. Such claims would not have survived the standard procedure of evaluation by peer review, but this was not done since the plan to conduct radical surgery on the relic had been kept a jealously guarded secret.

Data Lost Ever since the first scientific examination of the Shroud in 1933, there has been a great and entirely proper emphasis on non-invasive techniques. Modern conservation shares this emphasis, as noted above, and for important archaeological objects there would be extreme reluctance to employ invasive methods, e.g. for cleaning, that would put information at risk. Ideally, there should be close collaboration between the archaeologist or museum curator and the conservator. In the case of the Shroud, this should have meant direct consultation with the experts from various fields who have studied the cloth and know the types of data it contains, and most importantly, how this data needs to be collected, extracted or preserved. Savarino stated at the unveiling in Turin that nothing was lost or thrown away, everything was kept. I tried in the space of about two minutes to ex-

Figure 4. Vacuuming. Vacuuming of dirt and carbon dust. (photo courtesy of Telesubalpina TV, all rights reserved).

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plain to him why it is not simply retaining every particle of debris and dust that is important, but it is above all the structure of the evidence that must not be lost, and that the manner in which samples are collected is vital. It would be useless for example to present an archaeologist with all the objects from a site in a giant bag, with all stratigraphic and contextual information lost. During this restoration of the Shroud we are told that the debris and dust was collected and saved in more than 30 glass containers. This makes it clear that a tremendous amount of information has been lost, since all 25 burn holes under the patches plus the four sets of poker holes were scraped and vacuumed, front and back. There should have been several hundred divisions of this material for rigorous study. To cite an example, pollen from the Middle East has been identified from the Shroud, apparently in small clusters, but previous collection techniques have been faulty. Other particulate material plant and insect debris, traces of natron, aloes, etc. has also been identified as important for study. And yet, the vacuuming was done all around the edges of the burn holes, with no microscopic search of the areas carried out beforehand. Micro-remains

that could have been identified and extracted by micromanipulator with precise provenance were instead aspirated into the container along with all the other debris from that general area. Worse still is the destruction of the charred edges of the burn holes. Here the structure of evidence is crucial, and it was deliberately reduced to fluff. The Commission was said to have decided that no cutting would take place, and this would have moderated somewhat the loss of data if that decision had been strictly adhered to, and only loose particles were aspirated away. It was thus shocking to discover that intact segments between small holes or around the edges of larger holes had gone. Ghiberti wrote: Cutting away the charred parts to get back to the undamaged cloth would have produced an unnatural and devastating effect. It was decided to use tweezers to remove material which tended to give way when pulled and to reach the brownish borders ... [9] This is a new method for preserving ancient textiles material which tends to give way when pulled is removed! A photograph in Flury-Lembergs book shows a scraping tool lying beside a pile of tiny bits of charred fibre in front of the brownish border

Figure 5 a, b and c. Before and After. On the left are X-rays taken in 1978, showing the burnholes under three of the patches. On the right are the shapes of the holes after 'restoration' (X-rays courtesy of William Mottern, all rights reserved).

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Figure 6. Pokerholes in 1978. The uppermost set of pokerholes as photographed in 1978 (copyright Barrie Schwortz, all rights reserved). Figure 7. The uppermost set of 'pokerholes' being scraped. The edges of the pokerholes being scraped clean of char in 2002 (photo courtesy of Telesubalpina TV, all rights reserved).

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which had become the new man-made edge of the burn hole. When this slide was shown at the unveiling its effect was devastating. Unfortunately, instead of cutting, the restorers chose to scrape away several dozen square centimetres of charred cloth around the edges of the burn holes. Since they wanted the frayed look, it would have been better for science if they had cut the small segment first, and then done the scraping. The invasive (some would say brutal) nature of this operation was seen painfully clearly in a programme on Italian television which shows a few seconds of scraping around one of the so-called poker holes small burns which pre-date the 1532 fire. This clip can be seen at www.hku.hk/ hkprehis/shrdvid2.htm along with other clips showing the unnecessary exposure to light and constant touching of the cloth during the restoration. These small so-called poker holes for example are often thought to have been the result of burning pitch or some acidic substance being dropped onto the folded cloth and eating through four layers. Any residues that might have remained on the inner edges of the holes is now dust residing in a container, the structure of their original in situ deposit destroyed. There is another category of evidence that might have existed in situ in the charred material at the edges of the burn holes that was scraped away and pulverized. The intersection of the body image and bloodstains with the charred area was, in the view of several scientists, crucial for the future study of those phenomena, especially if any paint, pigment or other substance was used to create or touchup the body image or bloodstain. The physical and chemical changes that the deposits would have undergone in the thermal gradient from light scorch to char is most important, and diagnostic pyrolysis products might have remained in trace amounts. Whatever evidence there was38

is now jumbled together with the carbon dust and bits of fibre. Rogers termed this a terrible, discouraging loss. To make matters worse, Savarino relates without comment that certain scientific measurements were made on the underside reflectance, fluorescence and Raman spectra but after the carbonized deposits and brittle brown fibres around the edges of the holes had been scraped away. There are several other types of data that have been lost. One is the particulate evidence on narrow ledges of cloth beneath the patches that were effectively sealed since 1534. There was general vacuuming and mixing of material from the sealed and adjacent open areas. The ultrasonic vaporizer (mentioned by Ghiberti) may have disturbed and dispersed particulate deposits. Sophisticated measurements should have been made to compare the degree of oxidation of the linen in and outside the sealed areas, and on the underside of the cloth, to quantify how much the exposed area has degraded due to exposure to light during the last 468 years. Finally, there are old fold marks and creases, important for studying how the Shroud was stored in earlier times. One prominent crease below the neck area is believed by some to date to the 7th century, from similar lines in an image thought to have been copied from the Shroud. As noted above, during the restoration an attempt was made to smooth these creases by applying weights onto the cloth; the creases were said only to have been eased and remain visible. But new sewing on each of the burn holes puts different tensions on the cloth, as does its new flat storage, and many of the old weaker creases may not be visible for much longer. Shockingly, an important point where an old crease ran under a patch and into a brittle charred area, indicating that the crease pre-dated the 1532 fire, was scraped away.e-conser vation

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Damage to the Relic? Of infinitely greater danger to the Shroud than its carbon dust, the invasive restoration put enormous stresses on the cloth, even with all the care in the world in handling it. It has often been remarked that ancient objects will last for centuries to come if we can just keep our hands off them. Through all of its known history prior to 2002, the Shroud has benefited from the conservative nature of the church hierarchy towards relics; it was seldom exhibited in public, the cloth was stored in a container in the dark, and handling has been minimal. These are very good historical conditions for the preservation of a textile. Alas, the temptation to improve or set things right

is difficult to resist. The director of the Vatican Museum reportedly remarked in relation to the Sistine Chapel restoration: We could not resist the temptation to go ahead with it [cited in 10]. The lighting has been mentioned above. Apparently, ordinary desk lamps without filters were used at very close range, ca 30 to 40 cm. Instead of being bounced off walls or ceiling, the lighting was aimed directly at the cloth. Close flash photography may also have been done. Light is of course a great danger to the preservation of any historic textile, and especially for the Shroud whose image consists of advanced yellowing and degradation similar to that produced by aging. One can only wonder to what degree the non-image surface fibres have

Figure 8. Ghiberti. Mons. Ghiberti, chairman of the Conservation Commission, speaking on Italian television with the Shroud laid out in the background (photo courtesy of Telesubalpina TV, all rights reserved).

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been further aged by this month-long illumination. It was thus extremely painful to watch Ghiberti, as chairman of the Conservation Commission, giving a television interview in front of the Shroud, while a lamp shines on the cloth unattended. He was speaking about the measures then being taken to conserve the Shroud. Another danger may be posed by the new backing cloth. It was said to have been washed to de-size and soften, and tested for chemical residues by Savarino, but no other information is given. How sensitive were the tests, and for what chemicals? Flury-Lemberg writes that the cloth had not been bleached, but Cardamone believed that the new backing cloth could be a bleached cotton, as there were small black specks or neps present (a nep is a small knot of entangled fibres). Introduction of a new material of whatever type, whether free of bleach and sizing or not, introduces new impurities and constitutes a radical change that may have an unforeseen impact on the relic over time. The greatest damage may come from handling without gloves. From the video clips that are available, it appears that the cloth was touched thousands upon thousands of times during the course of the restoration. Flury-Lemberg responded to criticism of this fact thus: Anyone who has held these fine silk organzine threads and the corresponding needles in their hands will understand immediately that we could not wear gloves for the needlework. [] If the restorer cannot feel what he is doing with his fingertips he cannot do a good job. [7] While this could be a strong argument for keeping restorers well away from any historic textile, one can only wonder if sewing really does require more sense of touch than brain surgery. Dr. Frederick Zugibe, medical examiner for 30 years in New York, wrote: I stressed the fact that there was no excuse for not wearing fine surgical gloves because40

even eye surgeons and micro surgeons wear them during extremely delicate surgical operations [11]. The argument for sensitivity does not explain why the cloth was touched innumerable times simply to provide pressure, and during the vacuuming. Several close-up photographs and video clips reveal fingers constantly being placed on the cloth to hold it steady. If bare hands were truly required for stitching, one wonders if any consideration (impact assessment) was given to the risk that this might pose in the long term. Most of the sewing was for mounting the new backing cloth, which as we have seen was not urgently required and could have been dispensed with altogether. Textile experts advise that gloves should be worn when handling any important or historic textile. The Institute of Conservation (ICON) recommends: Wear fine cotton or thin vinyl gloves when handling or touching the textile and remove jewellery that may snag [12]. In a factsheet published in 2001, the Scottish Museums Council warned: Damage from touching however is usually gradual over time. Textiles absorb salts and fatty substances from skin and eventually they discolour, stiffen and weaken fibres. [13]. In 1978, the scientists involved in the study of the cloth were required to wear cotton gloves.The 2002 restoration would thus represent a regression in this regard. It is certainly true that the Shroud has often been handled throughout its history, but that fact cannot justify continued barehanded touching today when the contamination effects are known. It is quite possible that the Shroud was touched more times by bare hands, and exposed to more light, in one month of 2002 than in its entire history as a relic. The devout nuns in 1534 were careful to preserve every part of the precious cloth, even blackened remnants protruding into ugly holes. The 2002 restoration was, alas, a regression in this regard as well.e-conser vation

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Conclusions Nothing can insure that any object or the information it contains will survive, but conservation parameters are well known. Many of these were violated in the ill-considered restoration of the Shroud. The image on the Shroud presents a unique and very complicated conservation challenge, and it can only be met by the highest standard of scientific collaboration. This needs to be addressed in a methodical, scientific manner, subject to rigorous peer-review at an international level. Deep concerns over the restoration led a group of 52 Shroud researchers to petition the Vatican in 2006. They requested that an international commission of respected scientists and other knowledgeable persons be appointed, to advise on all matters relevant to the Shrouds conservation, scientific testing and long-term preservation as an object of study. It was suggested that representatives of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Vatican Museum be included. There was no response to the petition. Seeking to justify the aggressive restoration, FluryLemberg cited the words of the late Prof. Adler: If we are remiss in undertaking conservation/ preservation studies and measures on the Shroud of Turin, future generations will have every right to castigate us for failing to meet our responsibilities. History will not be kind to us [14]. Sadly, his words were not heeded, the studies were not undertaken, and history will indeed not be kind to those responsible. Acknowledgments Aldo Guerreschi for Figure 1; Telesubalpina TV for Figures 3, 4, 7 and 8: Barrie Schwortz for Figure 6; William Mottern for the x-ray photographs in Figure 5.

References [1] B. Bonnet-Eymard, "The Holy Shroud Of Turin, Silent Witness In Preparation For A Centenary (1898 - 1998)", The Catholic Counter-Reformation in th