... Francois LeBlanc lead the completion of the project while Chris Seki and Anna Zagorski provid... more ... Francois LeBlanc lead the completion of the project while Chris Seki and Anna Zagorski provided assistance with logistics. Rand Eppich coordinated graphic documentation; Irene Sen carried out in-situ graphic documentation. Cynthia Godlewski and Cristina Iamandi worked ...
The preparation and characterization of thin Cu/AI films is described. The single source evaporat... more The preparation and characterization of thin Cu/AI films is described. The single source evaporation process is treated theoretically and the calculated composition profile for a film prepared by evaporation of 5 wt% Al alloy is compared with the experimental data.
Since the development of 14C dating by W.F. Libby in the 1940s and 1950s, the method has proved t... more Since the development of 14C dating by W.F. Libby in the 1940s and 1950s, the method has proved to be the best absolute method for chronometric dating of organic and some carbon-containing inorganic materials. It has become an essential research tool for both archaeologists and geologists. Even broader application horizons have been opened to radiocarbon dating by use of the accelerator mass spectrometer, which allows routine analysis of submilligram samples. Art curatorship and art conservation directly benefit from this development.There are pronounced similarities between application of radiocarbon dating in archaeology and art research but there are also major differences which make it difficult to simply take a methodology developed for archaeological research and apply it directly to radiocarbon dating of art objects.In both fields the application of dating techniques focuses on dating an object of unknown age or cross-checking the age of an object previously dated by other methods.
The environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM) provides electron imaging at relatively hi... more The environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM) provides electron imaging at relatively high sample pressure, with imaging and analysis capabilities comparable to those of traditional high vacuum SEM. Several case studies demonstrate the advantages and research potential of this new technology as applied to conservation science: 1) dynamic study of wetting and drying of consolidated and unconsolidated adobe samples; 2) semi-dynamic study of lead corrosion as a result of exposure to formaldehyde; 3) electron imaging of outgassing samples-parchment; 4) study of uncoated, non-conductive samples-swabs from Sistine Chapel cleaning; 5) X-ray analysis of uncoated insulators-gold and garnet jewelry. The environmental scanning electron microscope offers unique capabilities for dynamic experiments, imaging of outgassing samples and insulators, which may be applied to the study of deterioration mechanisms, material treatments, and ancient materials and technologies.
Air pollution has been known to cause damage to museum objects for at least one hundred years. Ho... more Air pollution has been known to cause damage to museum objects for at least one hundred years. However, until recently, little was known about the indoor concentrations of photochemical oxidants in the museum environment or the potential risks they might pose to museum collections. For this reason we began, in the early 1980's, to measure the indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios of ozone in a selection of buildings which represented a range of ventilation, architectural and collection types. A computer model was developed which predicted indoor ozone concentrations based on a combination of building parameters, pollutant sources and loss mechanisms. In parallel, experiments were established that exposed natural and synthetic colorants, on various substrates, to ozone at concentrations found in Los Angeles photochemical air pollution.
International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Physics, Sep 1, 1983
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Summary Different facets of a broadly based environmental research program conducted at the Getty... more Summary Different facets of a broadly based environmental research program conducted at the Getty Conservation Institute are described and briefly discussed. Current research includes indoor and outdoor pollution studies of museum microenvironments and biodeterioration, and research on seismic isolation and mitigation. Future trends of the GCI's environmental research are also outlined and specified.
The morphological evolution of cones, developed on bombarded diamond microparticle contaminated s... more The morphological evolution of cones, developed on bombarded diamond microparticle contaminated silver surfaces, as a function of consecutive doses of Xe atoms from 3.4~ 1016 to 3.4~ IO" atoms cm-', was studied. Surface contamination was found to be more effective in initiating cone formation than the presence of irregularities or asperities in the bombarded surfaces. A process of cone fusion and cone transformation was observed for bombarding doses higher than 4.1 x 1 017 atoms cm-2. Under these conditions new Supercones' are formed which results in drastic reduction of the lateral density of the cones on bombarded surfaces.
Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a new technique which is able to give information about the... more Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a new technique which is able to give information about the composition, position, and size of individual layers in a multilayered sample. Multilayered facsimile samples as well as cross-sections taken from furniture were microtomed with and without the use of embedding media. Infrared spectral maps were systematically collected from areas of 20 x 400 µm across the sample in 20 µm steps. The resulting chemical profiles were used for identification of individual layers even when these layers were not distinguishable under an optical microscope. The technique provides means to analyze multilayered samples found in many furniture finishes and other surface coatings.
Students will work in small groups to print Platinum/Palladium prints from digital negatives. LEA... more Students will work in small groups to print Platinum/Palladium prints from digital negatives. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will learn the technique for printing Platinum/Palladium prints, the materials involved, common problems and solutions to these problems. CONTENT OUTLINE Students will work in small groups with digital negatives to print Platinum/Palladium prints using historic techniques via practical demonstrations and hands on work.
Abstract The potential of FAB-MS for characterization of Teflon® surface is investigated and the ... more Abstract The potential of FAB-MS for characterization of Teflon® surface is investigated and the character of the spectra compared with SIMS results from several different experiments. The change in the spectral peak pattern with increasing atom bombarding dose is examined in light of the radiation damage accumulation in the surface layer of the polymer and surface morphology development at higher atom bombarding doses. The correlation of the fragment ion yield with surface morphology shows that the overall change of the bombarding geometry plays an important role in the decrease of signal intensity with time. An irregular development of the relative ion fragment yields with increasing bombarding dose indicates that processes in the surface region are more complicated than a simple radiation damage accumulation of the polymer fragments created by a polymer chain scissoring mechanism.
... Paintings conservators Mark Leonard and Yvonne Szafran; Decorative Arts conservators Brian Co... more ... Paintings conservators Mark Leonard and Yvonne Szafran; Decorative Arts conservators Brian Considine and Arlen Heginbotham and former Museum ... coordinator; Nora Lavie, Tina Segler, and Stephanie Nunez, staff assistants; senior scientist Michael Schilling, who assisted ...
This article reports interdisciplinary research between conservators and engineers designed to en... more This article reports interdisciplinary research between conservators and engineers designed to enhance the long-term conservation of tapestries (tapestry-weave hangings) on long-term display. The aim is to monitor, measure and document the strain experienced by different areas of a tapestry while it is hanging on display. Initial research has established that damage can be identified in the early stages of its inception, i.e., before it is visible to the naked eye. The paper also reports initial results of strain data visualisation that allows curators and conservators to examine how strain develops, thereby facilitating predictions about the changes in the form or condition of the tapestry. Strain data visualisation also allows the strain process to be recorded, thereby facilitating the effective documentation of display methods and conservation interventions. The article reports the use of point measurements (using silica optical fibre sensors) and full-field monitoring (using 3-D photogrammetry with digital image correlation (DIC)).
English: silver gelatin French: gélatino d'argent (tirage au) German: Silbergelatineabzug HISTORI... more English: silver gelatin French: gélatino d'argent (tirage au) German: Silbergelatineabzug HISTORICAL BACKGROUND N o single figure can be credited with the invention of the silver gelatin photographic process, which gradually became the most important photographic printing process of the twentieth century. Several inventors, including Peter Mawdsley, Josef Marie Eder, Giuseppe Pizzighelli, and Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney, can be credited with the most important contributions to its development and research of several key types of silver halide gelatin emulsions. The development of the baryta layer, even when not directly related to silver gelatin photography, goes back to its introduction by José Martinez-Sanchez and Jean Laurent in 1866. A silver gelatin print by Henri Cartier-Bresson appears in figure 1. Figure 2 shows a historical timeline of the silver gelatin photographic process. Silver gelatin photographic papers were available both as POP (printing-out paper) and as DOP (developing-out paper). Even though the internal chemical structure of both types is very similar, the handling and processing of each was quite different, and it is best to describe them separately. POP SILVER GELATIN PROCESS A number of different recipes for preparing silver gelatin printing papers were published in the photographic literature during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The availability of commercially made silver gelatin photographic papers from photographic supply houses and catalog orders was responsible for the relatively limited preparation of photographic material by individual photographers. These photographers were still heavily involved in researching, testing, and providing recommendations for paper processing to achieve the best results or special effects for different tasks. This is well reflected in the lively discussions, idea exchanges, photographic literature, and number of photographic patents filed during that time for improvements in silver gelatin photography.
Dynamic studies allow the observation of microscopical changes of materials over time as various ... more Dynamic studies allow the observation of microscopical changes of materials over time as various factors alter an object. Using this methodology, processes important in art conservation and archaeology such as the wetting and drying of consolidated and unconsolidated building materials or the corrosion of metals from air pollutants can be studied in situ and in tempora. The development of the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope has made it possible to videotape these dynamic processes at nearly the same resolution limits as traditional SEM technologies without elaborate sample preparation. Experiments examining salt crystallization, shrinkage in adobe, and lead corrosion illustrate the value and applicability of the new E-SEM technology.
Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 1994
Standard analytical equipment found in modern laboratories can answer most questions asked about ... more Standard analytical equipment found in modern laboratories can answer most questions asked about samples. New equipment designs or new approaches are sometimes needed, however, to answer very specific questions that arise. Examples of four techniques with potential applications and benefits to the field of art conservation are described.(1) Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a method used to provide a" picture" of the location of components in a small sample, such as a paint cross section, based on an array of ...
Cross-sections from medieval paintings by Cenni di Francesco and Dosso Dossi were analyzed for th... more Cross-sections from medieval paintings by Cenni di Francesco and Dosso Dossi were analyzed for the inorganic components as well as the binding media using an environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM). The advantages of this instrument compared to a normal SEM-EDX are illustrated and a number of optimization studies are reported. It was found that using a chamber gas pressure of 1.5 kPa and a tungsten source instead of the usual LaB6 source with the 38 kPa pressure normally used for imaging would significantly improve the x-ray analyses. Quantitative analyses for most of the common medieval pigments are also presented.
... Francois LeBlanc lead the completion of the project while Chris Seki and Anna Zagorski provid... more ... Francois LeBlanc lead the completion of the project while Chris Seki and Anna Zagorski provided assistance with logistics. Rand Eppich coordinated graphic documentation; Irene Sen carried out in-situ graphic documentation. Cynthia Godlewski and Cristina Iamandi worked ...
The preparation and characterization of thin Cu/AI films is described. The single source evaporat... more The preparation and characterization of thin Cu/AI films is described. The single source evaporation process is treated theoretically and the calculated composition profile for a film prepared by evaporation of 5 wt% Al alloy is compared with the experimental data.
Since the development of 14C dating by W.F. Libby in the 1940s and 1950s, the method has proved t... more Since the development of 14C dating by W.F. Libby in the 1940s and 1950s, the method has proved to be the best absolute method for chronometric dating of organic and some carbon-containing inorganic materials. It has become an essential research tool for both archaeologists and geologists. Even broader application horizons have been opened to radiocarbon dating by use of the accelerator mass spectrometer, which allows routine analysis of submilligram samples. Art curatorship and art conservation directly benefit from this development.There are pronounced similarities between application of radiocarbon dating in archaeology and art research but there are also major differences which make it difficult to simply take a methodology developed for archaeological research and apply it directly to radiocarbon dating of art objects.In both fields the application of dating techniques focuses on dating an object of unknown age or cross-checking the age of an object previously dated by other methods.
The environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM) provides electron imaging at relatively hi... more The environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM) provides electron imaging at relatively high sample pressure, with imaging and analysis capabilities comparable to those of traditional high vacuum SEM. Several case studies demonstrate the advantages and research potential of this new technology as applied to conservation science: 1) dynamic study of wetting and drying of consolidated and unconsolidated adobe samples; 2) semi-dynamic study of lead corrosion as a result of exposure to formaldehyde; 3) electron imaging of outgassing samples-parchment; 4) study of uncoated, non-conductive samples-swabs from Sistine Chapel cleaning; 5) X-ray analysis of uncoated insulators-gold and garnet jewelry. The environmental scanning electron microscope offers unique capabilities for dynamic experiments, imaging of outgassing samples and insulators, which may be applied to the study of deterioration mechanisms, material treatments, and ancient materials and technologies.
Air pollution has been known to cause damage to museum objects for at least one hundred years. Ho... more Air pollution has been known to cause damage to museum objects for at least one hundred years. However, until recently, little was known about the indoor concentrations of photochemical oxidants in the museum environment or the potential risks they might pose to museum collections. For this reason we began, in the early 1980's, to measure the indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios of ozone in a selection of buildings which represented a range of ventilation, architectural and collection types. A computer model was developed which predicted indoor ozone concentrations based on a combination of building parameters, pollutant sources and loss mechanisms. In parallel, experiments were established that exposed natural and synthetic colorants, on various substrates, to ozone at concentrations found in Los Angeles photochemical air pollution.
International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Physics, Sep 1, 1983
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Summary Different facets of a broadly based environmental research program conducted at the Getty... more Summary Different facets of a broadly based environmental research program conducted at the Getty Conservation Institute are described and briefly discussed. Current research includes indoor and outdoor pollution studies of museum microenvironments and biodeterioration, and research on seismic isolation and mitigation. Future trends of the GCI's environmental research are also outlined and specified.
The morphological evolution of cones, developed on bombarded diamond microparticle contaminated s... more The morphological evolution of cones, developed on bombarded diamond microparticle contaminated silver surfaces, as a function of consecutive doses of Xe atoms from 3.4~ 1016 to 3.4~ IO" atoms cm-', was studied. Surface contamination was found to be more effective in initiating cone formation than the presence of irregularities or asperities in the bombarded surfaces. A process of cone fusion and cone transformation was observed for bombarding doses higher than 4.1 x 1 017 atoms cm-2. Under these conditions new Supercones' are formed which results in drastic reduction of the lateral density of the cones on bombarded surfaces.
Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a new technique which is able to give information about the... more Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a new technique which is able to give information about the composition, position, and size of individual layers in a multilayered sample. Multilayered facsimile samples as well as cross-sections taken from furniture were microtomed with and without the use of embedding media. Infrared spectral maps were systematically collected from areas of 20 x 400 µm across the sample in 20 µm steps. The resulting chemical profiles were used for identification of individual layers even when these layers were not distinguishable under an optical microscope. The technique provides means to analyze multilayered samples found in many furniture finishes and other surface coatings.
Students will work in small groups to print Platinum/Palladium prints from digital negatives. LEA... more Students will work in small groups to print Platinum/Palladium prints from digital negatives. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will learn the technique for printing Platinum/Palladium prints, the materials involved, common problems and solutions to these problems. CONTENT OUTLINE Students will work in small groups with digital negatives to print Platinum/Palladium prints using historic techniques via practical demonstrations and hands on work.
Abstract The potential of FAB-MS for characterization of Teflon® surface is investigated and the ... more Abstract The potential of FAB-MS for characterization of Teflon® surface is investigated and the character of the spectra compared with SIMS results from several different experiments. The change in the spectral peak pattern with increasing atom bombarding dose is examined in light of the radiation damage accumulation in the surface layer of the polymer and surface morphology development at higher atom bombarding doses. The correlation of the fragment ion yield with surface morphology shows that the overall change of the bombarding geometry plays an important role in the decrease of signal intensity with time. An irregular development of the relative ion fragment yields with increasing bombarding dose indicates that processes in the surface region are more complicated than a simple radiation damage accumulation of the polymer fragments created by a polymer chain scissoring mechanism.
... Paintings conservators Mark Leonard and Yvonne Szafran; Decorative Arts conservators Brian Co... more ... Paintings conservators Mark Leonard and Yvonne Szafran; Decorative Arts conservators Brian Considine and Arlen Heginbotham and former Museum ... coordinator; Nora Lavie, Tina Segler, and Stephanie Nunez, staff assistants; senior scientist Michael Schilling, who assisted ...
This article reports interdisciplinary research between conservators and engineers designed to en... more This article reports interdisciplinary research between conservators and engineers designed to enhance the long-term conservation of tapestries (tapestry-weave hangings) on long-term display. The aim is to monitor, measure and document the strain experienced by different areas of a tapestry while it is hanging on display. Initial research has established that damage can be identified in the early stages of its inception, i.e., before it is visible to the naked eye. The paper also reports initial results of strain data visualisation that allows curators and conservators to examine how strain develops, thereby facilitating predictions about the changes in the form or condition of the tapestry. Strain data visualisation also allows the strain process to be recorded, thereby facilitating the effective documentation of display methods and conservation interventions. The article reports the use of point measurements (using silica optical fibre sensors) and full-field monitoring (using 3-D photogrammetry with digital image correlation (DIC)).
English: silver gelatin French: gélatino d'argent (tirage au) German: Silbergelatineabzug HISTORI... more English: silver gelatin French: gélatino d'argent (tirage au) German: Silbergelatineabzug HISTORICAL BACKGROUND N o single figure can be credited with the invention of the silver gelatin photographic process, which gradually became the most important photographic printing process of the twentieth century. Several inventors, including Peter Mawdsley, Josef Marie Eder, Giuseppe Pizzighelli, and Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney, can be credited with the most important contributions to its development and research of several key types of silver halide gelatin emulsions. The development of the baryta layer, even when not directly related to silver gelatin photography, goes back to its introduction by José Martinez-Sanchez and Jean Laurent in 1866. A silver gelatin print by Henri Cartier-Bresson appears in figure 1. Figure 2 shows a historical timeline of the silver gelatin photographic process. Silver gelatin photographic papers were available both as POP (printing-out paper) and as DOP (developing-out paper). Even though the internal chemical structure of both types is very similar, the handling and processing of each was quite different, and it is best to describe them separately. POP SILVER GELATIN PROCESS A number of different recipes for preparing silver gelatin printing papers were published in the photographic literature during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The availability of commercially made silver gelatin photographic papers from photographic supply houses and catalog orders was responsible for the relatively limited preparation of photographic material by individual photographers. These photographers were still heavily involved in researching, testing, and providing recommendations for paper processing to achieve the best results or special effects for different tasks. This is well reflected in the lively discussions, idea exchanges, photographic literature, and number of photographic patents filed during that time for improvements in silver gelatin photography.
Dynamic studies allow the observation of microscopical changes of materials over time as various ... more Dynamic studies allow the observation of microscopical changes of materials over time as various factors alter an object. Using this methodology, processes important in art conservation and archaeology such as the wetting and drying of consolidated and unconsolidated building materials or the corrosion of metals from air pollutants can be studied in situ and in tempora. The development of the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope has made it possible to videotape these dynamic processes at nearly the same resolution limits as traditional SEM technologies without elaborate sample preparation. Experiments examining salt crystallization, shrinkage in adobe, and lead corrosion illustrate the value and applicability of the new E-SEM technology.
Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 1994
Standard analytical equipment found in modern laboratories can answer most questions asked about ... more Standard analytical equipment found in modern laboratories can answer most questions asked about samples. New equipment designs or new approaches are sometimes needed, however, to answer very specific questions that arise. Examples of four techniques with potential applications and benefits to the field of art conservation are described.(1) Infrared mapping microspectroscopy is a method used to provide a" picture" of the location of components in a small sample, such as a paint cross section, based on an array of ...
Cross-sections from medieval paintings by Cenni di Francesco and Dosso Dossi were analyzed for th... more Cross-sections from medieval paintings by Cenni di Francesco and Dosso Dossi were analyzed for the inorganic components as well as the binding media using an environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM). The advantages of this instrument compared to a normal SEM-EDX are illustrated and a number of optimization studies are reported. It was found that using a chamber gas pressure of 1.5 kPa and a tungsten source instead of the usual LaB6 source with the 38 kPa pressure normally used for imaging would significantly improve the x-ray analyses. Quantitative analyses for most of the common medieval pigments are also presented.
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