Subject: Reducing stains on linen using dry pigments
I am a paper conservator collaborating on the treatment of a Matisse serigraph on natural-coloured linen (L'Oceanie: la mer). We have not been able to determine if the linen has been dyed. We are in the process of reducing a nasty stain with sodium borohydride bleach, but a pale stain remains in the fabric after the treatment. I am aware that conservators of modern and contemporary paintings sometimes use dry pigments to soften tidelines and stains. Are good quality pastels acceptable for this purpose? Does anyone have experience with the reversibility of such an inpainting medium, and would the minimal amount of binder present in the pastel pose a problem? Anne Maheux Conservator of Prints and Drawings National Gallery of Canada 380 Sussex Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9N4 613-991-0009 Fax: 613-991-2680 *** Conservation DistList Instance 12:55 Distributed: Tuesday, December 22, 1998 Message Id: cdl-12-55-013 ***Received on Monday, 21 December, 1998