Science for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

15 maggio 2020
piattaforma Microsoft Teams
Seminario 
"Conservazione e miglioramento strutturale del patrimonio costruito in ambito archeologico: un binomio possibile".
Master Universitario di II livello
in Restauro e Progetto per l'Archeologia [RePArch]
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

The consequences of the coronavirus and the physical limitations it imposes on museums and their visitors force museums to rethink cultural identity and to approach the exhibition of material artworks differently. Only a limited number of people are allowed to visit the museum at one time, booking time slots is mandatory, making it difficult to welcome visitors. As most Dutch museums are largely self-funded, the lack of tourists, visitors, educational programmes that generate income, together with the insufficient financial support of the Dutch government, have greatly impacted their policies. This report analyses the coronavirus’ effects on the role of museums within the Dutch ‘anderhalvemetersamenleving’ (one and a half meter society). This report offers an overview of the changes that have taken place in Dutch society due to the limitations of physical interaction with artworks and the museum space as well as the way Dutch museums have reacted to these consequences. Lastly, this report offers an analysis of the success of these new developments and the challenges that still need to be overcome. Thus, ways will be proposed in which Dutch museums can learn from these actions in maintaining their critical function in society.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems are fast scanning infrared Michelson interferometers designed for the non-invasive examination of the interiors of the eye and subsurface structures of biological tissues. OCT has recently been applied to the non-invasive examinations of the stratigraphy of paintings and museum artefacts. So far this is the only technique capable of imaging non-invasively the subsurface structure of paintings and painted objects. Unlike the traditional method of paint cross-section examination where sampling is required, the non-invasive and non-contact nature of the technique enables the examination of the paint cross-section anywhere on a painting as there is no long an issue with conservation ethics regarding the taking of samples from historical artefacts. A range of applications of the technique including the imaging of stratigraphy of paintings and painted artefacts, the imaging of underdrawings to the analysis of the optical properties of paint and v...

The measurement of indoor climate in heritage buildings can provide valuable sources of data needed for an optimal use and management of the works of art exhibited inside. It is a fundamental technique to evaluate environmental damage and degradation processes, to support the protection, conservation and preservation of works of art, improving the quality of museum environments. This is particularly important when the old buildings have special architectural and historical value. In most cases, the buildings themselves are works of art ...

Abstract: The problem of joining together fractured marble architraves is studied numerically in the present paper using the Finite Element Method. The study was motivated by the needs of the conservation project in progress of the Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis of ...

Identifying appropriate restoration goals has long posed a challenge in ecological restoration. The task becomes even more difficult in settings with diverse land use histories. After two decades of remediation, a former chemical weapons facility near Denver, Colorado, has become a national wildlife refuge. Restoration efforts have isolated contaminants and restored bison and native prairie, but the site's complex history invites a deeper consideration of reference conditions. This article presents data from a visitor survey and interviews with land managers and citizen groups to examine conceptions of historical fidelity at this site. Results indicate that visitors and land managers orient toward restoration that features a traditional reference condition. Citizen groups point to restoration of cultural features as the highest priorities. This research highlights disparities between constituencies and suggests that restoration work itself may shape values that inform visitors a...