Notice catalographique « Gatorfoam to improve the structural integrity of paintings : prevention of damage from in-house handling »
- Titre
- Gatorfoam to improve the structural integrity of paintings : prevention of damage from in-house handling
- Auteur ou éditeur
- Mikelait, Bethany Jo
- Queen's University
- Lieu de publication
- Kingston, Ontario
- Maison d'édition
- Queen's University
- Date de publication
- 2015
- Collation
- vii, 49p; ill. (chiefly colour)
- Résumé
- Gatorfoam is a board of polystyrene foam laminated between two panels of proprietary resin-coated wood fibre veneer. A study was conducted to investigate the function and effectiveness of Gatorfoam in paintings conservation as a rigid, direct-contact support placed between the stretcher and the canvas. This material in theory would provide a stable physical support for a fragile painting by dampening vibrations due to handling, reducing the effects of shock, and minimizing the effects of varying humidity and temperature. This research evaluated the physical stability Gatorfoam imparts to a painting exposed to shock, due to accidental dropping during in-house handling, using mechanical testing. Surrogate paintings with brittle gesso coatings were subjected to corner, edge, and flat drops following ASTM D-3332 drop test standards, using an affixed accelerometer at the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa. Fragility ratings were assigned to facilitate the comparison of these very uniform samples with and without Gatorfoam supports, which allowed a measure of quantification of the degree of improvement the Gatorfoam treatment provided. While this rating cannot specifically be applied to paintings universally due to their inherent uniqueness based on the materials used to create them, the artist’s technique, and their state of degradation, it does provide a useful reference point, and a platform of comparison. Additional surrogates were prepared with a Coroplast backing board, and these were drop-tested to assess whether the more invasive Gatorfoam treatment provided sufficiently better protection to warrant the higher risk involved in removing the painting from its stretcher. The Gatorfoam treatment under investigation provided substantial structural improvement to the paintings, and significantly protected the paintings against drop damage. The Gatorfoam provided 2.2 - 2.7 times (123% - 172%) improvement in its ability to withstand impact (measured in G-force) and 4.6 times (360%) higher drop height when dropped on its corner. The Gatorfoam provided 1.8 – 2.1 times (83% - 106%) improvement in ability to withstand impact, and 1.2 – 1.6 times (22% - 62%) higher drop height when dropped on its edge. Additionally, the results established that the Gatorfoam treatment is indeed more effective than a Coroplast backing board in defense against shock. Conservators can use the information obtained in this study to make a better informed decision when weighing the risks related to removing a painting from its stretcher for the purposes of structural and mechanical stabilization.
- Notes
- Research project submitted to the Department of Art in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Master of Art Conservation
- Langue
- English = Anglais
- Sujet
- Art - Conservation and restoration
- Art - Conservation et restauration
- Pays
- Canada
- Type de document
- Monograph = Monographie
- Localisation
- N 8560 M55 2015
- Clé
- 17452
- Collection
- Catalogue