Lining, treating planar deformations 

 

Flexible heater was indispensable for the treatment of Kenneth Hudson, Allegory of State of Oregon and the University of Oregon(1928) (oil on canvas, 117 x 203 cm, Straub Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA). The mural was originally tacked directly onto the masonry wall, and was exposed to condensation that caused severe planar deformations of the canvas. The lunette was tensioned onto a provisional strainer with muslin strips adhered to the edge with BEVA-film, and the entire canvas verso was humidified for 1 hour. As the stiff, hardened canvas became supple, the tension of the canvas was adjusted to target and improve planarity in the most distorted areas. AMHwas applied to the recto, beginning at 22oC and incrementally raised to 40oC over a period of 15 minutes, then maintained at 40oC for 45 minutes until dry, with periodic substitution of blotters to absorb the introduced humidity. The use of low-temperature, introduced gradually, and maintained over an extended period allowed for the successful elimination of all surface distortions. The mural was housed in an architectural niche, located in the entrance foyer of a high traffic public building lacking stable ambient conditions. In the next step Dibond, an aluminum clad composite panel with polyethylene core was prepared, the painting was removed from the provisional strainer, positioned onto the panel, and nap bonded within a low-pressure envelope at the 65 C activation temperature using a flexible heater.