Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties - Publications
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Analysis of Colorants Used in The Western Kings of Horseback Screen
Get PDFThe Western Kings on Horseback Screens,designated as important cultural properties, are masterpieces of the early period western style paintings that were created in the Momoyama to early Edo periods. Today this pair of screens is split between the collections of Suntory Museum of Art and the Kobe City Museum. Previously,they were handed down over the centuries at the Aizu Wakamatsu Castle, and their depiction clearly reveals western style painting techniques. However, the actual history of how, where and when these screens were created remain steeped in mystery.
The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties,Tokyo investigated colorants and painting techniques of the screens from 2002 to 2003. Each section has been photographed using high resolution digital color photography, infrared photography and fluorescence photography. X-ray fluorescence analysis and X-ray radiography were also employed for investigating the colorants.
As a result, it was found that these works were all fundamentally painted with traditional Japanese mineral-based pigments on paper,and hence technically were not that far removed from traditional Japanese folding screen techniques. The most distinctive common feature of the colorants in the screens is that two types of white colorant, shell white and lead white, are employed as the situation demands. However, differences have been revealed in the purity and thickness of gold foil used for background between the screen of Suntory Museum and that of the Kobe City Museum. Red colorant located under the gold foil and green colorant were also different between the two screens.
These similarities and differences between the two screens may bring understanding of the mystery regarding The Western Kings on Horseback Screens.journal articl
Deterioration on the Wall and Indoor and Outdoor Environmental Conditions in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Get PDFIn Hagia Sophia, the deterioration of the lime plaster wall and side walls are considered to be caused by the condensation of water on the wall surface and water migration inside the side walls. On the ground level,deterioration of the wall surface is more severe in the north part than in the south part. In the second cornice,wall surface deterioration is more severe than on other floors.
As the first step in clarifying the causes of these damages and developing appropriate measures, the following topics were examined:
1) Measuring the precise temperature and humidity profile in Hagia Sophia;
2) Identifying the deteriorated parts inside and outside the walls;
3) Measuring the moisture content on the inside surface of the walls.
ain results obtained are as follows:
1. Relative humidity in the north aisle and the staircase on the ground level is the highest especially in summer when it reaches over 90%. Condensation might occur on the wall in these areas.
2. Moisture content of the northwest area is the highest and that of the southeast is second highest.
3. Significant deterioration of the second cornice is found on the northwest semi-dome where exfoliation of the repaired plaster is confirmed. The southeast semi-dome is also deteriorated but the southwest semi-dome is less deteriorated than elsewhere.
4. One of the major causes for the high moisture content in the walls is possibly rainwater penetration. Especially, sealing the gap between the walls and roof seems to be effective in preventing moisture penetration at the exterior walls. Condensation on the walls is also considered as another cause.journal articl
Deterioration of the Building Materials of Otaru Branch of Kyu Nihon Yusen Building and Its Protective Measures
Get PDFConstruction of Otaru Branch of Kyu Nihon Yusen building was started in 1904 and completed in October 1906. It is a two-storied building of stone in the style of French Renaissance with zinc-plated iron roof. After 70 years from its onstruction,various parts of the building had deteriorated due to frost damage. Otaru city carried out restoration work for 33 months from October 1984 to June 1987. After 20 years from its restoration, the building materials of Otaru tuff deteriorated under the roof on the north and south sides and cracks were found at the borders between places where water repellent material had penetrated and where it had not. Wall paper called kinkarakawakami had also deteriorated due to penetration of rain water through the roof. In addition,fungi were found on the wall surface and color changes were observed on the ceiling.
This paper reports on the observation of deterioration of building materials and measurement of temperature and humidity inside and outside the building as well as the water content measurement of the wall surface. From these observations,it was revealed that the main cause of deterioration was damaging and rusting of the roof and chimney which allowed rain water and snow-melt water to enter the rooms. The speed of deterioration is considered to be increasing these years. Especially, part of the outside stone wall made of Otaru tuff under the roof in the north,west and south sides have deteriorated;such a phenomenon was not observed at the time of restoration. Rain water had penetrated into the stone mainly through the deteriorated part of the roof and rain water gutters as well as through the deteriorated part of the outside wall. Part of the penetrated water was stored under the roof, on the borders previously mentioned and between the stone blocks. The freeze and thaw cycles of the water in these areas caused the deterioration of the building materials in winter.
As a protective measure,it is necessary to prevent water penetration into the building materials so as to avoid frost damage in winter. It is also necessary to restore the roof, chimney and rain water gutters immediately to prevent further damaging of building materials.journal articl
Study on the Effect of Protective Shelter for the Conservation of Stone pagodas
Get PDFNobuaki KUCHITSUThere are not a few historic stone pagodas which have been continuously located in shelter buildings for more than hundreds of years since their construction. The present conditions of such pagodas were investigated at seven tomb groups of the early-modern age of Japan (17-19 C). The amount of erosion and present hardness of the inside pagodas were measured in order to quantify the state of weathering. In addition, surface color was measured to quantify the growth of microorganisms on them. Then, comparable pagodas which have been continuously located outside were also surveyed and measured. These were selected based on their age, stone type, style and location. As a result, it was found that all the inside pagodas show smaller amount of erosion and larger hardness than the comparable outside pagodas, under the condition that they are of similar age, stone type, style and location as the outside ones. The difference between the conditions of the outside
ones and the inside ones is large when they are made of tuffaceous rocks, not so much in case of welded tuff,and small in case of andesite and granitic rocks. The effect of a stone shelter is similar to that of a wooden shelter. The growth of microorganisms is smaller on the inside pagodas than on comparable outside ones uninfluenced by stone types. However, a shelter without side walls is less effective in reducing microorganisms than an airtight shelter.Nobuaki KUCHITSUjournal articl
Problems in Disaster Response of Seawater-soaked Objects : Evaluation of a Risk on Generation of Chlorohydrin and Glycol by Ethylene Oxide or Propylene Oxide Fumigation in Tsunami-soaked Paper Objects and Books
Get PDFIn disaster response of water-soaked objects,microbial contamination by bacteria and fungi is a serious problem, especially with objects that are left for a long time before recovery. Early response is the best way for the rescue of affected objects,but in the severe tsunami damage over extremely vast areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011,many paper-based objects including paintings had been left for a month or occasionally for months before they were rescued. In some cases, there was much fungal damage on such objects, although, as a whole, seawater-soaked paper objects seemed to have less fungal damage than those soaked in fresh (rain or river)water. But there were cases in which severe fungal infestation was seen on paintings that had been left for months. As such objects were occasionally contaminated by wastes, treatments with germicides (which also have fungicidal effects) such as EO (ethylene oxide) or PO (propylene oxide)were considered.
However, it was expected that such fumigants might react with water or chloride which is included in seawater to generate highly toxic ethylene chlorohydrin (ECH) or glycols which can attract water. Therefore the risk of generation of such chemical residues in seawater-soaked paper objects and books was investigated, partly with those actually affected by tsunami in Iwate prefecture.
Some samples were dried before fumigation while others were kept wet.Consequently, ethylene chlorohydrin (ECH)and propylene chlorohydrin (PCH)were under detection level in most of the dried paper samples. But 20-50ppm of ECH was detected in books which were EO-fumigated in wet condition, and 10-20ppm of PCH was detected after POfumigation in wet condition. About 40-70ppm of glycols (ethylene glycol (EG)or propylene glycol (PG))were detected even in samples fumigated in dried condition, and much more glycols (100-400ppm of EG or 250-600ppm of PG)were detected in books fumigated in wet condition. As a whole,generation of chlorohydrin and glycols was less in samples fumigated in dried condition and the residual levels of the chemicals did not seem to be highly risky compared to the recommended residual limits set by FDA, US (1978). Therefore, it is recommended to fumigate objects in well-dried condition if such sterilization is necessary.journal articl
Pillow Stand, Restoration Report: Pillow with Birds and Flowers Design (Museum Volkenkunde)
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Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Crossroads
Get PDFIn“ Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage-Now in its Implementation Phase” (2010), the present author clarified the condition surrounding the Convention just after its implementation phase. Since the publication of that paper, the Convention has been discussed and studied on several occasions, including at the 3rd Ordinary Session of the General Assembly of the States Parties and the 5th/6th Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Convention has been pressed to change its operation. In particular, subjects in connection with the evaluation of nominations for inscription on 2 lists, the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, have been changed compared with those of 4 or 5 years ago. In addition, domestically, several problems have also arisen.
In this paper, the author reports on some important sessions in 2010 and 2011, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the General Assembly of the States Parties, among them, and attempts to analyze the issues that are anticipated to arise in the process of such discussions.departmental bulletin pape