Created in the late 19th century in Shiraz, Iran, this object is one of four large panels from a dec

Created in the late 19th century in Shiraz, Iran, this object is one of four large panels from a decorative architectural interior, several elements of which became part of the Brooklyn Museum’s collection in 1970. These painted wooden panels would have comprised part of the ceiling of the biruni, or public audience hall, in the Narinjistan, or Orange Garden, Mansion. Foliate scrollwork in metallic leaf swirls around flowers and stylized birds in polychrome oil paints, and embellished medallions surround inset architectural scenes. The lustrous sheen and bright colors of this painted ceiling would have contributed to the opulence associated with the mansion.  Previously treated by conservators in the 1980’s, the ceiling arrived at the Conservation Lab stable but dirty. Combining expertise from two specialties within Art Conservation, Brooklyn Museum’s Paintings and Objects Conservators are working together to clean this large painted surface using a water-based cleaning system that will reduce grime without affecting the artwork’s original materials. The solution is applied sparingly on small cotton swabs, allowing conservators to vary the extent of cleaning. To protect the edges of the wooden boards, conservators will also stabilize and fill small structural losses using balsa wood, which is lightweight and easy to carve, and Asian paper mulberry tissue papers. Fine papers made from paper mulberry fibers are extremely versatile repair materials often used in conservation. These papers are available in large sheets in a range of thicknesses, finishes, and colors. Some are nearly translucent, others shiny, or soft and dense, and many are handmade. The paper mulberry fibers themselves are very long compared to other fibers (like wood pulp or cotton) from which papers are made, making even thin sheets of mulberry paper surprisingly strong.These panels are being treated in preparation for the upcoming reinstallation of the Brooklyn Museum’s Asian and Middle East galleries. The panels will be installed as a ceiling in the new galleries, intimating the object’s original architectural context. Posted by Victoria Schussler  -- source link

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