Page - 269 - in The Vienna Genesis - Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
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Sophie Rabitsch, Christa Hofmann, Junko Sonderegger 269
Gelatine-Klucel G 5 %, isinglass-Klucel G 5 %, rice starch paste, rice starch paste-Klucel
G and wheat starch paste-Klucel G showed the best results regarding adhesion and optical
features like matt and smooth surfaces. Depending on the surface of the support, Klucel
G 5 % (in water) is suitable as well. When isinglass is mixed with Klucel G, it forms better
films, as the viscosity is higher. Klucel G prepared with water can be brushed on a Japanese
tissue more evenly than when being prepared with ethanol, so it was decided to only use
Klucel G prepared with water for further tests. Rice and wheat starch and their mixtures
resulted in cockling of the parchment on some samples. As no stress should be introduced
to the fragile parchment, these adhesives were excluded from the screening. After the ac-
celerated ageing, all proteinous adhesives and their mixtures yellowed at least a bit, with
parchment glue changing the most.
The first tests showed that the Japanese tissues KR4C and Berlin Tissue are more suit-
able for the mending than RK0. The rougher the surface that has to be mended, the better
the bonding of most of the adhesives. The majority of the adhesives showed better ad-
hesion on Whatman paper and on the rougher side of the parchments. The material that
has to be stabilised has a great influence on the bonding. Therefore, a smaller choice of
adhesives was tested on the fragment of the purple manuscript Cod. Ser. n. 2804 and on
folio 7 of the Vienna Genesis.
A selection of adhesives and adhesive mixtures were applied on KR4C. Thin strips of
tissues were activated and applied on the fragment of Cod. Ser. n. 2804. The adhesives,
their reactivation and the results are listed in Table 5. The small strips of tissue were subse-
quently mechanically removed.
Table 5: Listing of the adhesives, their reactivation and the results; tested on Cod. Ser. n. 2804
Adhesive Reactivation Pros Cons
Isinglass 5 % Ethanol-water 1:1 v/v Sufficient adhesion, but can
be removed Fibrous surface, fibres re-
main on the surface of the
parchment when peeled off.
Gelatine 5 % Ethanol-water 1:1 v/v Adhesion is not sufficient
Gelatine 5 %-Klucel G 5 %
(in water), 1:1 v/v Ethanol-water 1:1 v/v Adhesion is not sufficient
Isinglass 5 %-Klucel G 5 %
(in water), 1:1 v/v Ethanol-water 1:1 v/v Sufficient adhesion, closed
surface, adheres better
than Klucel G alone
Klucel G 5 % (in water) Ethanol-water 1:1 v/v Sufficient adhesion, closed
surface
Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0
The Vienna Genesis
Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Title
- The Vienna Genesis
- Subtitle
- Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Editor
- Christa Hofmann
- Publisher
- Böhlau Verlag
- Location
- Wien
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-205-21058-0
- Size
- 17.3 x 24.5 cm
- Pages
- 348