The Structural Conservation of Panel Paintings

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P A   S C  L P P 457

Figure 9a–d
Anton Raphael Mengs, Noli Me Tangere,1771.
Oil on walnut panel, 2915 31785 3 20 mm
thick. All Souls College, Oxford. A large panel
treated while lying on a side edge on a mobile
temporary support: (a) front, before treatment,
showing disjoins; (b) the front upper right of
the panel, seen in top-raking light; (c) back
during treatment, showing the last planks of
the previous balsa laminate reinforcement
(bottom) and the panel surface, damaged by
thinning. The exposed mortises, the two
remaining original tenons, and areas of insect
damage and plaster filler can also be seen.
Note the ratcheted polyester straps used to
apply pressure during rejoining, and the
vertical angle-sectioned beam used with
veneer hold-down clamps to apply alignment
pressure. A diagram of the panel construction
(d) shows the tapered planks joined in reverse
orientation and the irregular gaps (exagger-
ated) that developed after the panel disjoined.


a


bc

1785

2915

44

343

281

284

461

398

(^37630)
1785
16 39 842
33 9
45 1
386
598
258
21 1
35 4
38 224
Plaster fi ll
Ins ect -damag e
bou ndary
Origin al
tenon
Ori gi nal
mo rt ise
Join t ga p
(exagge ra ted)
Joint
Ho les
(Al l di me nsi on s mm)
221
476
d

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