Conserving the Chester Beatty hand scrolls│Restorient

Painting by numbers....?

2012-01-17T10:22:00.011Z

Previously we have mentioned how closely our work shadows that of the original artists' and calligraphers' and recently we discovered another fascinating insight into how the scrolls were produced.

The Princess stares wistfully at the moon

When we first examined the hand scrolls we were intrigued to see minute characters (3mm high) written in an archaic Japanese script on the kimono sleeve of the Bamboo Cutter. It was found where there had been loss to an area of brown pigment.

This was the only place on any of the paintings where any such calligraphy was visible.

A detail of the inscription seen from the front of the painting

However, during the removal of lining papers from the back of the paintings, on a light table, we noticed another tiny inscription! Even though it was impossible to translate, it was still clear enough to see that it was reversed and had originally been written on the front of the painting prior to any colour being applied. As old paper linings were removed from the paintings many more tiny notations gradually became apparent.

These images have been flipped so we can see how the characters were written beneath the current paint layer

The top character on image 1 reads as 'small' which is pronounced 'shou' which might be an abbreviated from ryokusho (malachite green). The lower character though is a Chinese character for the figure '6' - this also appears elsewhere on its own - (image 2). To confuse matters further, images 3 and 4 seem to have had different instructions but have had the same colour applied.

It seems likely that these were instructions to a team of artists on what colour to apply? With such a commission it would not be unusual that an artist sketches out the painting first and is then assisted by others to apply colour and further decoration.

We will continue to research their possible relevance and hopefully confirm our supposition.

Privilege !

2011-12-02T13:59:00.002Z

Front view of painting before treatment

Painting viewed through transmitted light

We thought it might be interesting to show just how different the same painting can look during the conservation process. The painting at the top is photograped from the front prior to treatment.  The second photograph shows the same painting after being been dampened and turned face down on support papers ready for the removal of the old lining papers.

Viewed through transmitted light we are then presented with a very different image.

For example, the tiling on the rooftops and intricate patterns on the drapery are no longer visible, we can see only  the body colour which was applied prior to the details.The darker oxidised silver is also more evident. This information provides a very privileged insight into how these these extraordinary paintings were made,  usually only seen by conservators.

The Sumitomo Foundation

2011-11-05T11:46:00.000Z

We were very pleased recently to welcome to the Restorient Studio, Dr Sumitomo and Mr Niiyama from The Sumitomo Foundation in Tokyo. Joining us from Dublin were Fionnuala Croke the Director of the Chester Beatty Library, Jessica Baldwin, Conservation Manager at the CBL and her colleague Rachel Sawicki.

We very much appreciated this opportunity to explain the progress made to date and the various stages of conservation involved. There is still some way to go but work is on schedule for completion in Spring 2012.

Kusaki-zome

2011-10-17T11:29:00.004+01:00

Firm even strokes in the same direction as the grain of the paper

Kusaki-zome is the long established tradition in Japan of using dyes from plants and other natural sources. The dye color can be affected by such factors as the plant variety, the timing of the plant cutting, the dyeing season, and the dyeing technique.

Those especially useful in scroll mounting range from peach bark, gardenia pods, kihada bark for yellows. The latter was also a recognised deterrent for insects and so often important documents would be treated with the yellow kihada dye. The dye which is the most commonly used in scroll mounting is made from boiling Alder cones (yasha) in water. This produces wonderfully warm shades of brown and is especially suitable for dyeing papers which will harmonise with older antique papers when used for repair or linings. The paper which was prepared using the alder cone dye for the first linings of the hand scrolls was a fine mulberry fibered paper called Mino-gami.

The sheets were dried on felts after dyeing. They were then washed in cold water before being rinsed in a weak lye solution to fix the colour. One further rinse, dried again and then they were ready for use.

Order...

2011-08-25T11:18:00.019+01:00

The 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' is a very convoluted story and in part details the obscure and difficult tasks set by the Princess Kaguya-hime for her five suitors to prove their worth. Pictured is the retainer Ono no Fusamori who has supplied a fake robe of Fire Rat fur to the The Minster of the Right, Abe no Miushi, the third suitor, (unfortunately when tested the robe burned when it should have been fire-resistant !).

However a number of sources have indicated that there were sections of text and paintings which were incorrectly placed in the last restoration of the handscrolls. The task of the second suitor was to find the stone begging-bowl of the Buddha. This image had been placed prior to the scene of the five suitors of the Princess Kagua- hime when they were allocated their individual tasks.

We wanted to take this opportunity during the conservation to correct these anomalies and are fortunate in being directed by Dr Masako Watanabe, Senior Researcher at the Metropolitan Museum, New York. We are very grateful for her guidance and are looking forward to being able to place the story in the correct sequence .

Scoop !

2011-07-21T14:38:00.001+01:00

There will be a number of different Japanese handmade papers used in the conservation of "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter". The first linings are a handmade Mino type paper. This term used to mean a paper made in the province of Mino, Gifu Prefecture but it has now become more of a general term for a high quality, thin, mulbery fibred paper. The best papers are made in winter when the pure cold water keeps the fibres tight and compact during sheet formation. It is labour intensive, hard physical work.

We thought we should include this video link as it seemed a concise way of explaining how this remarkable paper is made. In future blogs we will explain why an understanding of how this paper is made relates to its use in conservation.

Truss

2011-06-17T16:16:00.001+01:00

Increasingly scholars are turning to pictorial evidence which often quite literally illustrates a wide variety of subjects. A couple of years ago we were approached by a scholar of envelope and letterfolds who was trying to identify from Japanese paintings and prints some of the traditional folds used for letters in Japan. Fortunatley courtesans clearly received a lot of mail so there are many different examples especially in Japanese woodblock prints.

The Bamboo Cutter delivers a folded message to Kaguyahime

A recent visitor to the studio was Dr Mari Akazawa from the National Institute of Japanese Literature. Her interest in the 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' was not confined to pure art history, it was also the architecture of the various buildings within the scrolls. She is studying a wide variety of sources to see what information can be gathered from the historic depiction of buildings. These are often incredibly detailed and can lend fascinating insights into the construction of buildings over the centuries.

So, whilst we continue the conservation, every beam, joint and roof truss in the scrolls will be closely examined to see if they can offer any further insights into the construction of Japanese buildings.

Virus!

2011-05-10T15:24:00.003+01:00

As the removal of previous lining papers continues on the hand scrolls we should mention what is happening all around the area. Leiden is on the edge of the famous Dutch bulb fields and this time of year the fields are crammed with tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. The roads are also packed with visitors...........

The Semper Augustus tulip

The popularity of tulips in the early 17th century caught the attention of the entire nation "even to its lowest dregs". By 1635, a sale of 40 bulbs for 100,000 florins (also known as Dutch guilders) was recorded. By way of comparison, a ton of butter cost around 100 florins, a skilled laborer might earn 150 florins a year, and "eight fat swine" cost 240 florins. People were selling or trading their other possessions in order to speculate in the tulip market, such as an offer of 12 acres (49,000 metres square) of land for one of two existing Semper Augustus bulbs. Unfortunately the extraordinary beauty of Semper Augustus is the result of a viral infection which 'breaks' the single block of colour normally displayed on tulips, adding a stunning striation of white or yellow coloured strips. The virus would make it difficult to propagate. Eventually the bulb would lose its strength and eventually wither to nothing - ending the genetic line. Consequently the famous, colour broken Semper August bulb no longer exists.

As is the nature of all bubbles this one did indeed burst leaving a badly bruised economy and some very overpriced tulip bulbs.

Paper thin....

2011-04-06T09:10:00.116+01:00

As we mentioned previously the papers made from the gampi fibre have a wonderful lustre and a smooth shiny surface. The papers are quite rightly highly respected by artists and calligraphers, however the scroll mounting studios are extremely cautious of it. Unlike those made from mulberry, papers made from gampi fibre are very prone to shrinkage and distortion. Worse still they have a tendency to delaminate during conservation; this seems to relate to the long fibre length and the method of manufacture.

viewed against transmitted light the areas of thinning are all too clear

As the linings were being removed from the reverse of the hand scrolls they being continually checked on the light table. This was to give advanced warning of any areas of skinning to the paper which might have happened during previous conservation. We started to see signs of exactly this problem once the thick, coated maniai-shi lining had been removed.

Unusually there were two more layers of a mino-gami type paper present rather than the more usual misu-gami and as these were removed the extent of the previous damage was revealed. Although this damage does look rather dramatic against transmitted light it is not visible under normal lighting conditions. Prior to any new linings being applied each area of damage will be given additional paper to compensate for the loss.

______________________

We would like to add that following the recent terrible events our thoughts and sympathy go out to everyone in Japan at this difficult time, and we wish them strength and resolve in coming to terms with this tragedy.

Creases.........

2011-02-23T10:55:00.003Z

the 'gampi' bush

Native to mountainous areas of Japan and resisting attempts to cultivate it, the 'gampi' bush is called the 'king of washi'; it remains the rarest and most expensive provider of 'washi' (traditional handmade paper) fiber. It was paper made from gampi fibre which was often used for handscrolls and the 'Tale of the Bamboo cutter' scrolls proved no exception.

In removing the smooth, ivory coloured outer paper linings of the handscrolls we found it was indeed a clay loaded maniai-shi paper made from gampi fibre from Najio, Hyogo Prefecture.

rolling creases at the end of scroll A

The choice of paper used for the last lining of the handscrolls seems to have been rather thick and inflexible. This has meant that towards the roller end of each scroll there have been more and more rolling creases which developed as it followed the narrow roller. Not only will the new linings be thinner, we will also be using a roller clamp to increase the diameter of the scroll to ease the stress on the paper and pigment.

Deer !

2011-01-12T16:35:00.010Z

We have blogged previously about separating joints in the scrolls using special spatulas made of bamboo (hera). Sometimes the joints can be too firmly attached and therefore it is necessary to soften the starch adhesive first using water.

For this we would use a traditional Japanese water brush called a mizubake. The handle is made of split Japanese cypress which traps the tightly packed hair. This is secured at the edges with cherry bark and sewn into the handle with oiled silk cord . The hair is from the summer coat of deer.

The profile of the brush hair is fan-shaped and can hold a considerable quantity of water. The flow of water is controlled by the angle of use with more water being released when the brush is used vertically. The flow of water can effectively be 'switched off' by lowering the brush so that it lies horizontally. The use of a mizubake allows a great deal of precision over the application of moisture.

Sinterklaas

2010-11-29T09:19:00.003Z

Sinterklaas arrives by boat in Leiden

Whilst the work on the handscrolls continues it is against the colorful backdrop of the Festival of Sinterklaas which is celebrated throughout Belgium and Holland.

Although originally from Turkey and dating from 280-342 AD, St Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and children. The modern tradition of Sinterklaas as a children's feast dates from a childrens storybook written in 1850 by the teacher Jan Schenkman. He introduced the images of Sinterklaas delivering presents down the chimney, riding over the roofs of houses on a gray horse, and arriving from Spain by steamboat, then an exciting modern invention.

Sinterklaas is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colourful Moorish dresses. These helpers are called 'Zwarte Pieten' (Black Petes). During the Middle-ages Zwarte Piet was a name for the devil.. Today however, the more politically correct explanation that Pete's face is "black from soot" (as Pete has to climb down chimneys to deliver his gifts) is used. In medieval times, the feast was both an occasion to help the poor, by putting money in their shoes (which evolved into putting presents in children's shoes). Whilst good children are rewarded with presents, naughty children are threatened with being kidnapped and carried back to Spain.


Two especially dubious 'Black Piet's'

joints......!?!

2010-10-30T12:04:00.077+01:00

The hand scrolls measuring just over 29.0 metres, had a number of different types of paper joints within their structure. Whilst the original sheet sizes of the papers used had a bearing on where joints occurred, there are also different types of joints used between the various lining papers. A straight knife cut edge for example would provide a strong but less smooth joint, whereas a water torn paper edge would be smoother (and as a consequence roll better). So, as part of the examination of the hand scrolls we had carefully noted the position and the types of all the joins in the scrolls.

Fine bamboo spatulas (hera) which are used for dry separation of paper linings

We then had to decide the least disruptive way of separating these. The most effective is often, where possible, to separate the sections without moisture using a very thin spatula made for this purpose out of a special type of bamboo. Traditionally the best for spatulas (hera) is soot bamboo (susu dake) which is very hard.

Dr Michael Ryan discussing progress

We were very pleased to welcome Dr Michael Ryan, Director of the Chester Beatty Library who visited the Restorient studio last week. We talked through progress to date and outlined our schedule for the coming months.

It was very interesting for us to hear more of the history of this extraordinary collection formed by Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. He was an American, who made his fortune mining in the Rocky Mountain district of Denver, Colorado. He was often called "The King of Copper".

Measuring up ........

2010-09-28T12:55:00.003+01:00

尺 shaku 寸 sun 分 bu

A part of the documentation of the hand scrolls involved not only recording the position of all of the twenty-one paintings and the twenty-six calligraphy's but also their dimensions. For this we use a traditional Japanese bamboo ruler (monosashi) marked in shaku (1 shaku = 30.3 cm).

Originally Chinese and dating back to the Zhou Dynasty in the 13th century BC, the shaku was once the distance from the thumb to the middle finger (about 18.0 cm). However, like the taxes it was once linked to, it has increased over the centuries. In Japan there are several shaku measures still in use today, with the clothing industry and carpenters using completely different shaku measures.

The dimensions of scrolls and their various mountings are always in these units of measure, as are most of our tools, materials and equipment. So... mo, rin, bu, sun and shaku are the standard measures in scroll mounting studios. For the record 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' scrolls are 9 sun high and an impressive 95 shaku, 3 sun, 6 bu long - give or take a mo (the width of a human hair!)

A Japanese shaku ruler

Lucky ?

2010-08-31T08:52:00.000+01:00

Cubes of nikawa and Japanese pigment sticks enogu

The traditional binder for the Japanese pigments used on the hand scrolls was a deer glue size known as nikawa. This was not only used as a binder for the pigment sticks enogu - but also helped the pigment adhere to the painting support. As the binder within the pigments weakens over time either through abrasion, poor storage or just plain old age the pigment can begin to crack or flake. It has long been the practice for conservators to re-introduce a weak solution of the same deer glue size to help consolidate and strengthen the pigment layer prior to embarking on the more complex conservation processes.

Interestingly, although we will be using a solution of nikawa, for a few years now a number of conservators in Japan have been experimenting with rabbit skin glue from Europe. As an alternative to Japanese nikawa they feel it is a slightly softer more flexible option.

While discussing rabbits and rabbit skin glue in Kyoto, I was asked about the tradition of the ‘lucky rabbits foot’. This, the rabbit who had ideally been shot with a silver bullet in a graveyard on a full moon only to have its left hind foot removed to provide good luck? I replied that the only thing lucky as far as I was concerned was that the idea did not extend to Elephants.

Calm......

2010-07-28T09:26:00.002+01:00

After the excitement of The Netherlands coming second in the World Cup we can at last get back to work. I do though still wonder about the dog who had his tail dyed Dutch Orange for the competition ?

Of recent visitors we were delighted that Keisuke Sugiyama, a fellow conservator from the British Museum came to visit the project. It was really interesting for us to compare notes and talk turned as it will to the critical issue of fibre direction. Briefly, when hand made paper is being formed the fibres tend to align more along a vertical axis rather than horizontally. It is important that this feature is thoroughly appreciated and used to best advantage. Generally fibre directions are crossed to balance the flexibilities of different layers of linings but in the lining of handscrolls especially, various mounting studios have different preferences. The common aim though remains to keep the scrolls soft and flexible.

The discussions could easily go on until the next World Cup and beyond.......

Beyond the lens...........

2010-07-01T11:11:00.035+01:00

macro photo detail

Although many photographs have been taken, it is the information the camera cannot detect which we also have to collect. A great deal of time must be spent poring over every detail as we cannot miss any information which will later help to inform the conservation process.

We knew that the hand scrolls had heavy paper linings with a high clay content which had contributed to the severe creasing. The backing had also been coated with a dusting of mica, a lustrous powdered silicate. (The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word micare, meaning "to glitter"). This technique is no longer favoured by Japanese scroll-mounters, it was a traditional decorative coating which also helped the scrolls to roll smoothly. It was unfortunately very prone to off-setting and under microscopic examination we found a number of areas where the mica from the backing had transferred to the surface of the paintings.

We must also consider "historic repairs" and the ethics behind their possible retention. These can pose real conundrums. A skillful repair hundreds of years old can be a thing of real beauty. However an area of hasty retouching using an inappropriate pigment, although historic, might be considered less integral.

The hand scrolls arrive in Leiden

2010-06-01T10:16:00.003+01:00

After a lot of planning and patiently waiting for the Icelandic ash cloud to clear, the 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' hand scrolls have finally arrived in the Restorient studio in Leiden, The Netherlands. Kristine Rose, senior conservator from the Chester Beatty Library delivered them safely over from Dublin.

The first task will be to record the current position of all the paintings and the calligraphic panels, (there has been the suggestion from Japanese scholars that the order in some places is not correct so further investigation will be necessary before we finally re-assemble the scrolls) followed by writing an appraisal of the condition of the two hand scrolls, noting all previous damage and repairs before our work begins. This invariably means taking far too many photographs under a range of lighting conditions such as transmitted and raking light as well as UV.

Its going to be a long journey (28.88 meters to be exact!) over the next two years and we will keep you posted as we progress.

Coming soon ...........

2010-05-03T14:18:00.013+01:00

Detail from "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter"

The conservation is scheduled to start June 2010.