The Conservation of Wall Paintings

Book excerpt: This publication is the result of a symposium organized by the GCI and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 1987. Because the conservation of wall paintings requires an interdisciplinary approach, the purpose of the symposium was to facilitate the exchange of information among international conservators, scientists, and historians involved in major wall paintings conservation projects. The interdisciplinary nature of contemporary wall paintings conservation is reflected in this volume which contains the symposium's papers. The Sistine Chapel, the Brancacci Chapel, and the Tomb of Nefertari are among the well-known wall paintings discussed in this book by international experts in wall paintings conservation. The special problems associated with the protection of works such as these are explored from the perspective of diagnosis, documentation, treatment, and monitoring. A definitive paper on the effects of salts on wall paintings is also included.