Karina Ewa Niedzielska

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INJECTION MORTARS FOR GLUING OF WALL PAINTINGS – COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND AUTHORIAL MIXTURES

Studies and Materials of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts, T.26, Wydawnictwo Akademii Sztuk Pięknych im. Jana Matejki w Krakowie

The Department of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and the publishing house – Wydawnictwo Akademii Sztuk Pięknych im. Jana Matejki w Krakowie together with the author, Dr Karina Ewa Niedzielska, have the pleasure of presenting the newest volume of the series entitled Studies and Materials of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts.

Volume 26 has been dedicated to the problematics of conserving detached wall paintings. This is a more comprehensive scientific study in both the Polish and English languages, containing a rich biography, a collection and summary of results from laboratory and field experiments analysing the parameters of historical plasterwork, contemporarily applied injection mortars, as well as authorial injection mixtures for gluing wall paintings.

The study focuses on mineral liquid mortars applied in the conservation of wall paintings for injections under the surface of detached plastering mortars, the aim of which is to fill in the empty spaces between layers of plaster while simultaneously restoring their adhesion characteristics. The publication also tackles issues surrounding the complex mechanism associated with undertaking decisions on applying a specific product for conservation work. Another aspect has been the attempt at bringing closer the scheme for action in the event of the necessity to carry out laboratory or field testing, verifying the properties of initially selected materials for injections.

A significant portion of the publication is comprised of the description of testing procedures. The preparation of samples for analysis has also been discussed, as well as guidelines during measurements in order to clarify the changes made to standard recommendations, as well as to bring closer the possibilities and limitations of the individual testing methods. The entire publication is supplemented by a summary of the hitherto experiments by specialists tackling the problematics of materials used in the gluing of wall paintings. The monograph contains a cross-section on the statistics concerning hitherto methods for gluing wall paintings, as well as the application of injection grouts in the wall painting conservation process. The study has been carried out on the basis of archival conservation documentation from the years of 1950 to 2010 from around Kraków, Torun and Warsaw (Poland).

On the basis of the laboratory tests carried out, characterisations have been made for commercial injection mortars applied most frequently by conservators in the years between 1990 and 2010, selected on the basis of statistical studies, as well as their availability on the Polish conservation market. Additionally, the properties of historical lime-sand plasters have been elaborated from selected wall paintings originating from the Lower Silesian region (on the basis of the analytical testing of samples collected from historical buildings). The key parameters have been specified within the scope of the published analyses, and materials for authorial injection mixtures compatible with historical plasterwork were subjected to selection. The publication also contains the most important results of laboratory and field analyses concerning authorial injection mortars created on the basis of hydraulic lime with the application of the appropriate fillers enabling the use of the grouts both for larger and smaller detachments, compatible with the historical lime-sand plastering mortars, taking into account additional modifications, safe for applying in historical plasterwork.

For more information on the topic, please contact:

The author: kniedzielska@asp.krakow.pl

As well as the publishing house – Wydawnictwo Akademii Sztuk Pięknych im. Jana Matejki w Krakowie: wydawnictwo@asp.krakow.pl

(Translation: Anna Meysztowicz)