Page 34 - 2020 March JOA

by Kary Pardy

Using Technology to Keep your Antiques Safe

n 2014, Harvard University unveiled What to do about Light
newly “restored” Mark Rothko murals. You love your art and you want to see it
IThe paintings had been locked away displayed, but you don’t want it to end up
after previously hanging on the sunny wall like Harvard’s Rothkos. You’ll need to pay
of the dining hall from 1962-1979 and had attention to your light source. Direct heat
been considerably faded. Many thought along with ultraviolet and infrared beams
they would remain so because Rothko’s will cause fading and damage. Keep your
special paint formulations were too weak prized pieces out of direct sunlight and be
to withstand traditional conservation thoughtful about your artificial lighting
techniques. If curators tried to repair them, sources. To minimize light damage, first,
they would alter them irreversibly, a big red make sure no light source is so close that
flag for conservationists. The fix? New you can feel heat on your hand as it hovers
technology developed by Harvard, MIT, over the surface of your painting. Second,
and the University of Basel that used choose the right lighting source. LED
custom software to evaluate any faded areas The restored Rothko murals were installed for the lights give off low UV and heat levels and
on the paintings against any remaining November 16, 2014 opening of the Harvard Arts Museums. are long-lasting. Halogen and incandescent
original color and digitally create a corrected Note the projectors hanging from the ceiling. bulbs are too cool and too warm,
image. They then projected the revised
Photo: Peter Vanderwarker © President and Fellows of Harvard College respectively and will distort the colors of
image onto the original canvas using the work. Halogens also give off too much
low-intensity, non-damaging light. While the physical paintings heat. If you’d like to do more, consider UV-filtering glass in your
remained unaltered, the public could once again view the colors in their frames or filters on your light bulbs.
purest form.
This is a grand example of the ways that technology is helping
us to continue to enjoy our treasured collections. While digital Archival vs Acid-Free
projection or museum-level storage are not realistic for most of us, that When it comes to storing your paper goods, it helps to have a little
doesn’t mean we can’t benefit from some science-based solutions. Here science on your side. Archival options are great, but always make sure
are some ideas you may want to incorporate into your collection to whatever you choose is acid-free. Acids are naturally found in wood
combat the usual suspects: acidity, light, temperature, and humidity. (lignin is an important example) and you can expect them in paper
from the mid-19th century onward when we began to use pressed
Don’t break out the air conditioning wood over shredded cloth paper. They are a reason that paper yellows
and the humidifier just yet over time and are a great
predictor
life
its
of
While most of us know that extremes expectancy. Lignin and
of temperature and humidity are bad for other residual acids are
our collections, the prevailing science in activated by temperature,
collections management was that 50% humidity, and light, and
relative humidity and 70 degrees the paper begins to destroy
Fahrenheit are ideal for storing your itself from within. Enter
sensitive objects. The Getty Conservation acid-free paper, with a pH
Institute went into the field in 2013 for a of 7 or higher. This paper
multi-year study to look at real collections has a much longer life and
and to test the standard. They found that will not transfer any
one size does not fit all, and instead, GCI harmful acids to your
Senior Scientist Michal Lukomski noted collection, which already
that the optimal environment may be “the has its own internal
historical climate average to which a Light damage can seriously chemicals to deal with. Some offerings are also buffered with calcium
certain collection and buildings have been change the look of cloth, as these carbonate to neutralize the acid in the atmosphere or acid formed
acclimatized – with broad limits to avoid images from History Nebraska through natural aging.
universal problems like mold.” It might demonstrate. We’ve mentioned
be more damaging to kick your appliances painting, but it’s important Desiccants to the Rescue!
into gear to obtain the idealized storage to know that documents
environment. Instead, keep striving to and photographs are You’ve been good and kept your heirloom out of direct sunlight and
keep your objects mold-free and stable. also not immune. safe from dirt and chemicals by storing it in an acid-free box, but
Stability might be more important in the humidity still haunts you. Since most of us can’t seal off a room to store
long run than any magic numbers. our antiques and keep them stable, they will likely experience the highs
and lows of humidity that comes with the changing seasons. To combat
continued on page 35
32 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles