Abstract:

This study aimed to design and establish effective methods of conserving and restoring a double-sided silk folding screen in the Golestan museum of Iran. We examined the structure, techniques, pigments, silk type and extent of degradation of the artifact. Investigations and analysis were used to identify the pigments using noninvasive methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM-EDX) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis were used for identifying the pigments and fibers. The first step was to estimate why the painted side did not have any noticeable degradation compared with the whole structure and dyed side, which had suffered substantial physical decay. The effectiveness of several combinations of fungicides in preventing the fungal deterioration of the silk artifact was tested and Dichlorophen was selected. The cleaning process was carried out with low powered vacuum suction, a soft brush and soft rubber. To restore the folding screen, the paper conservation based method was used. Therefore the remounting process was done using self-adhesive Japanese tissue paper to attach the support to the silk in order to avoid stitching through the painted surface. Consolidation was not deemed necessary because the paint surface was not actively flaking. Since the treatment method applied in this study could successfully conserve and restore the artifact with minimal destructive impact, it is worth replicating in similar conservation projects.