W.B. Walker Reverse Glass Mezzotint
University of Lincoln
Condition
The Infant St John reverse glass print is attributed to the publisher W.B. Walker c.1804. It is a black and white mezzotint adhered face down onto a sheet of crown glass with mastic varnish and subsequently painted with oils on the verso.
It was in an unstable condition, fractured into twenty three pieces with a large area of glass and print loss in the top left hand corner. The paper/paint surface is brittle and fragile, delaminating from the glass surface and extremely vulnerable where it overlapped the glass break edge. Paint and glass surface shows an accumulate layer of dust, particulates and numerous crushed insect remains, as well as a hazy tacky residue.
Treatment Aim
The consolidation and restoration of the reverse glass print for redisplay in a frame.
Treatment
Support
Construction of a sink mat to hold pieces safely.
Surface Cleaning
The surfaces were initially dry cleaned with a soft bristle brush. Built up areas of residue were mechanically removed using a fine tipped thorn. Swab cleaning of the surfaces was carried out under microscopy with distilled water and Synperonic® A7 (20:1), before swab cleaning with distilled water.
Consolidation
Testing of numerous consolidants was carried out to find one that could fulfill the particular needs of delaminated mediums on glass. A 10% solution of Aquazol® 500 in distilled water was selected because of its low-viscosity and matching refractive index to crown glass. Areas of delaminated and detached fragments were both consolidated using this solution.
Incomplete : Glass Repair
Overlapping print/paint layers will be coated with barrier layer of consolidant as above. Glass fragments will be assembled vertically against a silicone coated Melinex® 90° glass support before dot application of Araldite® 2020 to be drawn into joins by capillary action. Splinter glass fills will be direct cast using Araldite® 2020. Large area of loss will be filled with crown glass shaped to fit and adhered in place using Paraloid® B72 at 45% in xylene.
Incomplete : Retouching
Goldens® acrylic will be used on acid-free paper to match areas of loss and placed behind print in frame.
