Virus!

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....

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.


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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.........



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 !

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



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......!?!

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".