- London, United Kingdom
Shayne Rivers
West Dean College, Conservation, Faculty Member
- Asian Lacquer, Asian Lacquer, Urushi, Furniture Engineering, European and Asian Lacquer, Export Lacquer, Lacquer Analyses, East Asian Lacquer, and 26 moreFurniture Conservation Restoration, 18th Century French Furniture, Furniture History, Nineteenth-Century Furniture, Art Conservation, Painting Conservation, Objects Conservation, Museums, Collections Management, Relative Humidity, Leakage of Enclosures, Heritage Conservation, Japanese Lacquer, Science for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Conservation, Restauration and Conservation, Conservation of Easel Paintings, Contemporary Art Conservation, Preventive conservation, Museum environment, Risk assessment, Risk Analysis, Conservation and Restoration, Cultural Heritage Management, and Museum Lightingedit
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Since the 1950s, siderophores have been acknowledged as nature’s chelating powerhouse and have been given considerable attention concerning their crucial roles in microorganisms and plants for capturing non-bioavailable iron from aquatic... more
Since the 1950s, siderophores have been acknowledged as nature’s chelating powerhouse and have been given considerable attention concerning their crucial roles in microorganisms and plants for capturing non-bioavailable iron from aquatic and terrestrial environments, as well as for their applications in agriculture, health, and materials science and environmental research. In recent years, the exceptional affinity and complexing efficacy, as well as the high selectivity of these potent chelators towards iron(III), have led to investigations by researchers aiming at understanding their capacity for removing potentially harmful and aesthetically unacceptable iron stains from organic substrates in cultural heritage objects. In the context of the conservation of cultural heritage objects, potent chelators have been proposed to remove iron from surfaces by transferring it to the more soluble complexed phase. In this review, the origins and the types of bio-environments of siderophores as...
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This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture. A review of the historical development of furniture introduces a wide range of structural types and materials... more
This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture. A review of the historical development of furniture introduces a wide range of structural types and materials that may be encountered, including wood, ivory, turtleshell, horn and metals, as well as decorative surfaces such as paint, japanning, lacquer and gilding. The nature and behaviour of these materials is explained and used as a basis from which to explore the mechanisms and consequences of deterioration caused by environment and use. Building on this foundation, the book shows how to develop and implement logical solutions to conservation problems.
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Moisture absorption and diffusion, dimensional response, as well as the related stress field in materials constituting lacquer furniture were investigated to support the conservation treatment of the Mazarin Chest, renowned as one of the... more
Moisture absorption and diffusion, dimensional response, as well as the related stress field in materials constituting lacquer furniture were investigated to support the conservation treatment of the Mazarin Chest, renowned as one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer from around 1640 preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The measurements demonstrated that both the wood support and the lacquer adsorb considerable amounts of moisture and undergo dimensional changes which, when restrained, lead to mechanical damage. The domains of tolerable fluctuations of relative humidity (RH) are quite considerable in the mid-RH region: variations in RH in the current display environment of the chest at V&A are much smaller. The domains become, however, narrower at high RH levels. The lacquer layer, though retarding the water vapour diffusion into the wood, cannot mitigate the stress development in the object if the variations in RH become significant.
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Introduction Around 60 pieces in the Asian lacquer collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK (V&A) have suffered in the past from exposure to an acidic microclimate during storage, leading to varying degrees of... more
Introduction Around 60 pieces in the Asian lacquer collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK (V&A) have suffered in the past from exposure to an acidic microclimate during storage, leading to varying degrees of corrosion on applied lead alloy decoration. Other museums have reported similar problems [1]. A study in the late 1980s identified the role of trace elements in the lead alloy in the inhibition (by tin) or acceleration (by iron) of corrosion [2]. Since that time, no further case studies of conservation treatments on corroded lead on lacquer objects have been published. This paper outlines the historical context of lead alloy decoration on Japanese lacquer, and reviews the principles for treating this combination of materials. Case studies are presented of conservation treatments of objects with moderate and severe lead corrosion, with the aim of establishing the degree to which such objects can be returned to a displayable condition. Problems associated with the electrolytic reduction of corroded lead on lacquer are addressed through the use of a rigid gel incorporating a conductive polymer.
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This paper reviews the scientific literature concerning urushi lacquers. Urushi has been used by skilled lacquer artists for thousands of years, predominantly in the East Asian countries of Japan, Korea and China, where there is an... more
This paper reviews the scientific literature concerning urushi lacquers. Urushi has been used by skilled lacquer artists for thousands of years, predominantly in the East Asian countries of Japan, Korea and China, where there is an abundance of urushi-producing trees. ...
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Abstract Cleaning photodegraded East Asian lacquer is frequently unpredictable and problematic. Although aliphatic hydrocarbons can pick up greasy residues without damaging the surface, polar solvents or water may be required for some... more
Abstract Cleaning photodegraded East Asian lacquer is frequently unpredictable and problematic. Although aliphatic hydrocarbons can pick up greasy residues without damaging the surface, polar solvents or water may be required for some types of dirt. In some cases, aqueous cleaning can achieve results that are not possible with any other cleaning approach. However, while water is an effective solvent for polar dirt, it may also interact with photodegraded lacquer surfaces. Research has shown that pH plays a crucial role in such interactions. This article presents a case study of the cleaning of a photodegraded red lacquer surface that had suffered disfiguring water damage with associated salt accretions. Using aqueous solutions, dirt was removed and surface gloss slightly improved without the removal of lacquer degradation products. Cross section microscopy showed that the upper layer of lacquer remained intact after treatment.
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Cultural heritage (CH) wooden artifacts are often stained by iron oxides/hydroxy-oxides, which may have detrimental effects on wood. Their removal is a common conservation practice, and it is usually achieved with non-eco-friendly... more
Cultural heritage (CH) wooden artifacts are often stained by iron oxides/hydroxy-oxides, which may have detrimental effects on wood. Their removal is a common conservation practice, and it is usually achieved with non-eco-friendly chelators, such as ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA). Siderophores are green materials that have been recently explored as chelators, given the currently growing environmental concerns. This work investigated desferrioxamine B (DFO-B), a promising siderophore that has not been adequately studied for its potential in removing ferric oxides/hydroxy-oxides from dry CH wooden substrates. Mock-ups of maple (Acer platanoides L.) were artificially stained with akaganeite and maghemite, and DFO-B was employed via hydrogels (pH: 6.5 and 8.6) and ethanol gels. The chelator efficacy was assessed using Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Attenuated Total Reflection–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-...
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An unusual green pigment was found on a seventeenth-century kuan cai (Coromandel) lacquer screen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The particles are perfectly spherical and translucent, with the appearance of green fish roe.... more
An unusual green pigment was found on a seventeenth-century kuan cai (Coromandel) lacquer screen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The particles are perfectly spherical and translucent, with the appearance of green fish roe. Analysis revealed that the pigment is a copper resinate, produced by reacting a copper salt with a resin, probably one from a Pinus species. The binding medium for the pigment is proteinaceous. The unusual spherical morphology of the particles results from the method of manufacture. A pigment with the same microscopic appearance was also found on two other Coromandel objects from the same collection. In light or olive green areas, where the pigment is mixed with lead white, the paint is glossy and well preserved. In contrast, in the dark green areas where the pigment was used alone, the paint is matt and powdery and there is significant paint loss and abrasion. The problem of consolidation of the powdery paint, while still preserving the matt appearance of the surface, was resolved by the use of immiscible solvents and consolidant.
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The purpose of this paper is to present a versatile clamping system to apply controlled pressure during the consolidation of objects or when adhering parts into position. Known as shimbari in Japan, this technique uses flexible fiberglass... more
The purpose of this paper is to present a versatile clamping system to apply controlled pressure during the consolidation of objects or when adhering parts into position. Known as shimbari in Japan, this technique uses flexible fiberglass or bamboo sticks braced against a frame to provide clamping pressure. This paper describes readily available equipment that can be used and discusses how the principles can be adapted to solve a wide range of clamping problems. Additionally, the paper presents case studies to illustrate the use of the shimbari technique along with several variations. This method works well for objects that do not allow for conventional clamping and can be applied to a range of lacquered, japanned, painted, veneered, or inlaid surfaces.
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Exposure to light combined with fluctuations in relative humidity causes the formation of microcracks in the surface of Asian lacquer, which is associated with loss of gloss. Increasing severity of microcracks results in incremental loss... more
Exposure to light combined with fluctuations in relative humidity causes the formation of microcracks in the surface of Asian lacquer, which is associated with loss of gloss. Increasing severity of microcracks results in incremental loss of surface and decoration. This paper presents four case studies of the conservation of photodegraded Asian lacquer surfaces that required balancing ethical considerations, current knowledge of the objects, their condition, intended
use, and long-term preservation. These treatments encompassed the use of Paraloid B and the lacquer-based treatments urushi-gatame and suri urushi. In each case a unique set of challenges was resolved using a treatment plan customized for each object.
use, and long-term preservation. These treatments encompassed the use of Paraloid B and the lacquer-based treatments urushi-gatame and suri urushi. In each case a unique set of challenges was resolved using a treatment plan customized for each object.
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An unusual green pigment was found on a seventeenth-century kuan cai (Coromandel) lacquer screen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The particles are perfectly spherical and translucent, with the appearance of green fish roe.... more
An unusual green pigment was found on a seventeenth-century kuan cai (Coromandel) lacquer screen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The particles are perfectly spherical and translucent, with the appearance of green fish roe. Analysis revealed that the pigment is a copper resinate, produced by reacting a copper salt with a resin, probably one from a Pinus species. The binding medium for the pigment is proteinaceous. The unusual spherical morphology of the particles results from the method of manufacture. A pigment with the same microscopic appearance was also found on two other Coromandel objects from the same collection. In light or olive green areas, where the pigment is mixed with lead white, the paint is glossy and well preserved. In contrast, in the dark green areas where the pigment was used alone, the paint is matt and powdery and there is significant paint loss and abrasion. The problem of consolidation of the powdery paint, while still preserving the matt appearance of the surface, was
resolved by the use of immiscible solvents and consolidant.
resolved by the use of immiscible solvents and consolidant.
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The Mazarin chest is one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer (urushi) to have survived from the first half of the seventeenth century. Much of the value of this piece lies in the decoration, which is finely executed using a... more
The Mazarin chest is one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer
(urushi) to have survived from the first half of the seventeenth century.
Much of the value of this piece lies in the decoration, which is finely
executed using a wide range of techniques. To date, the conservation of
Japanese lacquer has been characterized by distinctly different approaches
in Japan and the West. In an effort to reconcile these differences, a unique
collaborative Anglo-Japanese approach has been adopted for the conservation
of this object. In 2005, 12 Japanese and western consolidants for
metal foil were compared, ranging from synthetic resins to collagens and
urushi-based adhesives. In the absence of urushi-gatame treatment of the
photo-degraded surface, Paraloid B-48N was selected for consolidation
of metal foil (hyomon, kanagai and kirikane) decoration on the Mazarin
chest.
(urushi) to have survived from the first half of the seventeenth century.
Much of the value of this piece lies in the decoration, which is finely
executed using a wide range of techniques. To date, the conservation of
Japanese lacquer has been characterized by distinctly different approaches
in Japan and the West. In an effort to reconcile these differences, a unique
collaborative Anglo-Japanese approach has been adopted for the conservation
of this object. In 2005, 12 Japanese and western consolidants for
metal foil were compared, ranging from synthetic resins to collagens and
urushi-based adhesives. In the absence of urushi-gatame treatment of the
photo-degraded surface, Paraloid B-48N was selected for consolidation
of metal foil (hyomon, kanagai and kirikane) decoration on the Mazarin
chest.
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Conservation has two aspects: the physical and the metaphysical, which are reflected in practice and ethics. Whereas outstanding examples of Japanese lacquer are highly valued in both Japan and the West, the cultural values ascribed... more
Conservation has two aspects: the
physical and the metaphysical, which
are reflected in practice and ethics.
Whereas outstanding examples of
Japanese lacquer are highly valued in
both Japan and the West, the cultural
values ascribed to these artifacts differ.
It is essential to understand the cultural
beliefs that impart value because they
determine the aim of conservation and
the materials that are used. The
development of a cross-cultural
discipline of urushi conservation that is
relevant and applicable in both Japan
and the West would help ensure that
the full meaning of Japanese lacquer in
Western collections was conserved.
physical and the metaphysical, which
are reflected in practice and ethics.
Whereas outstanding examples of
Japanese lacquer are highly valued in
both Japan and the West, the cultural
values ascribed to these artifacts differ.
It is essential to understand the cultural
beliefs that impart value because they
determine the aim of conservation and
the materials that are used. The
development of a cross-cultural
discipline of urushi conservation that is
relevant and applicable in both Japan
and the West would help ensure that
the full meaning of Japanese lacquer in
Western collections was conserved.
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Research Interests: Conservation, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Heritage Conservation, Art Conservation, Material Science, and 8 moreScience for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Restauration and Conservation, Conservation and Restoration, Urushi, Asian Lacquer, Urushi, Furniture Engineering, Furniture Conservation Restoration, Techniques of restoration and conservation, and East Asian Lacquer
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A key consequence of the western discovery of sixteenth-century Japan was the emergence of workshops producing lacquerware for the European market. As with East Asian porcelain, Japanese lacquer quickly became an absolute must-have, its... more
A key consequence of the western discovery of sixteenth-century Japan was the emergence of workshops producing lacquerware for the European market. As with East Asian porcelain, Japanese lacquer quickly became an absolute must-have, its gold-on-black pictorial schemes enriching the sumptuous interiors of the aristocratic and wealthy. The Mazarin Chest, which was made in Kyoto in the late 1630s to early 1640s and has belonged to the Victoria and Albert Museum since 1882, is the largest and most spectacular survivor of this specialist industry. It was the focus of a major research and conservation project involving curators, conservators and scientists in the UK, Germany, Japan and Poland between 2003-2008. The main outcomes of this and related research, initially presented at an international conference held in 2009, are published in this discipline-defining compilation of twenty-one papers.
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This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture. A review of the historical development of furniture introduces a wide range of structural types and materials... more
This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture. A review of the historical development of furniture introduces a wide range of structural types and materials that may be encountered, including wood, ivory, turtleshell, horn and metals, as well as decorative surfaces such as paint, japanning, lacquer and gilding. The nature and behaviour of these materials is explained and used as a basis from which to explore the mechanisms and consequences of deterioration caused by environment and use. Building on this foundation, the book shows how to develop and implement logical solutions to conservation problems.