Abstract
Historically, conservation of maps included the application of silk facings, heavy cloth backings and use of inappropriate adhesives. This combination of papers, linings and adhesives often causes undulations, tenting and stiffness, hindering their use. Furthermore, silk yellows over time, which compromises the visual interpretation. The National Archives UK faced these problems when preparing Samuel Holland’s 1765 3×4 m map of St John’s Island for display. This paper outlines the complex conservation treatment of a large scale paper object, the creative and innovative techniques developed and the challenges of preparing such an object for display. All products from previous repairs in 1973 were removed using aqueous treatments, the distorted map was mended and realigned and in a major undertaking this large scale object was lined, using up to date techniques. This required building a bridge and a platform and forming a team of 12 colleagues to accomplish the complex and challenging multi-layered lining. A better understanding of treatments and materials available today enabled a successful conservation treatment, which left the map more accessible, visually engaging and flexible for the future, whilst changing protocols of future treatment of maps at The National Archives with application for the wider conservation community.
Zusammenfassung
Die Restaurierung von Samuel Hollands großformatiger Karte von St John’s Island aus dem Jahre 1765
Die Restaurierung von Karten wurde jahrzehntelang mit Seidenchiffonierung, Hinterkleben mit Leinwand und unter Verwendung ungeeigneter Klebstoffe durchgeführt. Die Materialkombination von Papier, Leinwand und Klebstoffen führt häufig zu Welligkeit, Verzerrung und Steifigkeit, wodurch die Handhabung und Ausstellung erschwert oder unmöglich werden. Zudem behindert die häufig vergilbende Seide die visuelle Interpretation. Das Nationalarchiv UK begegnete dieser Problemstellung bei der Vorbereitung von Samuel Hollands 3×4 m messender Karte von St. John’s Island aus dem Jahr 1765 für eine Ausstellung.
Dieser Artikel behandelt die komplexe Restaurierung eines großformatigen Papierobjekts, die kreativen und innovativen Techniken, die während des Projekts entwickelt wurden und die besonderen Herausforderungen bei der Vorbereitung zur Ausstellung. Während der Restaurierung wurden alle Materialien vorangegangener Reparaturen entfernt und eine Nassbehandlung durchgeführt. Das Objekt wurde mit weiterentwickelten Methoden restauriert und die verzogene Karte neu ausgerichtet. Von besonderer Herausforderung war die überaus komplexe Kaschierung der Karte, wofür eine speziell angefertigte Plattform und ein Team von 12 MitarbeiterInnen notwendig waren.
Die erfolgreiche, auf dem Verständnis geeigneter Methoden beruhende Restaurierung, wodurch die Karte physisch und visuell wieder zugänglich und ihr erneute Flexibilität verliehen wurde, beeinflusste die Behandlungsprotokolle für ähnliche Großobjekte des Nationalarchivs UK fundamental und ist von Bedeutung für den gesamten Sektor der Archivgutrestaurierung.
Résumé
Restauration de la carte de l’île de Saint John de Samuel Holland, 1765
Historiquement, la conservation-restauration des cartes a inclus l’application de cartonnages en soie, l’ajout de lourds dos protecteurs en tissu et l’utilisation d’adhésifs inappropriés. Cette combinaison de papiers, doublages et adhésifs cause souvent des ondulations, des soulèvements en tente et la rigidification des objets, empêchant leur utilisation. De plus, la soie jaunit avec le temps, compromettant de ce fait leur interprétation visuelle. Les Archives nationales du Royaume-Uni ont fait face à ces problèmes lors de la préparation de la carte de l’île de St John de Samuel Holland (3×4 mètres) en vue d’une exposition. Cet article décrit la restauration complexe d’un objet de grand format en papier, les techniques créatives et innovantes développées et les défis relevés lors de la préparation d’un tel objet dans la perspective d’une exposition. Toutes les anciennes réparations réalisées en 1973 ont été enlevées en utilisant des traitements aqueux, la carte déformée a été réparée et réalignée et cet objet de grand format a été doublé en utilisant les techniques les plus récentes. Cette entreprise majeure a nécessité la construction d’un pont et d’une plateforme, ainsi que la formation d’une équipe de douze personnes, afin d’effectuer un doublage complexe à plusieurs couches.
Une meilleure compréhension des traitements et matériaux disponibles aujourd’hui a permis au traitement de conservation-restauration d’être couronné de succès, rendant la carte plus accessible, visuellement plus attractive et plus flexible pour le futur, tout en changeant les protocoles de futurs traitements des cartes aux Archives nationales du Royaume-Uni et ouvrant leur mise en application à un contexte plus large dans le domaine de la conservation-restauration.
About the authors
Lucy Sarah Angus trained at Northumbria University specialising in Works of Art on Paper, graduating in 2012. Following an internship at The National Archives UK in 2012 she went on to become a Paper Conservator at The National Archives UK. From March 2014 – July 2015 she led on the conservation of The Holland Map. She has presented her work at the ARA conference 2015 and the ICOM-CC graphic documents interim meeting 2016. She is the sole conservator at the Library of Birmingham UK since May 2016.
Jürgen Vervoorst ACR is Interim Head of Collection Care at The National Archives UK since 2016 and Head of Conservation since 2006. He took his MA in conservation of fine art, books and archival material at the Academy of Arts and Design Stuttgart in 2000. Since 2002 he is a regular visiting lecturer at several universities, including the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Academy of Arts and Design Stuttgart, University of the Arts London – Camberwell College and Sussex University – West Dean College for various book and archive conservation and management related topics. During his six year tenure on the Board of Icon – Institute of Conservation UK, he has amongst others chaired the Professional Standards & Development Committee, furthering the professional standards across the whole sector in the UK, and from 2012 to 2014 he was Chair of the Board of Trustees. Jürgen has presented his work at numerous international conferences, including those of major conservation bodies such as IADA, Icon, IIC and AIC and has published widely.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to express their thanks to Keisuke Sugiyama from the British Museum and Robert Minte from the Bodleian Libraries – University of Oxford for sharing their knowledge on lining large paper-based objects, Shiho Sasaki from the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco for sharing her knowledge on mounting techniques using magnets, Kevin Rice and the staff from The Confederation Centre for allowing this project to happen, to everyone who helped during the editing process of writing this article, it has made for a much better read, to John Abbott, Helen Mayor, Kate Narewska and Alison Archibald for all of their work throughout the project and last but in no way least, to all the people involved in the lining process, which required a great deal of hard work, patience and good spirits to do this more physically and time demanding aspect of the conservation treatment, without everyone pulling together and working as a united team, the lining could not have happened, so a big thank you to you all!
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Supplemental Material
The online version of this article (DOI: 10.1515/res-2016-0001) offers supplementary material, available to authorized users.
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