JAIC 1977, Volume 17, Number 1, Article 2 (pp. 09 to 16)
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Journal of the American Institute for Conservation
JAIC 1977, Volume 17, Number 1, Article 2 (pp. 09 to 16)

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE TO WORKS OF ART IN THE FRIULI REGION OF ITALY

Paul M. Schwartzbaum, Constance S. Silver, & Carol A. Grissom


ABSTRACT—In 1976, a series of powerful earthquakes devastated the region of Friuli, located in the northeast corner of Italy. The artistic patrimony of this area was seriously damaged, provoking major conservation problems of both emergency and long-term natures. In collaboration with Italian authorities, the Istituto Centrale del Restauro, Rome (ICR), and the International Centre for Conservation, Rome (ICCROM), American conservators have been active in a number of earthquake-related conservation projects. These include: surveys of and emergency first aid to damaged mural paintings; major treatments of damaged mural paintings; a survey of earthquake-displaced objects; and the creation and operation of a laboratory for the treatment of damaged polychromed sculpture. This paper outlines some of the special conservation problems created by earthquakes and describes a number of conservation efforts to date.

Article Sections:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. A SURVEY OF DAMAGED MURAL PAINTINGS
3. MURAL PAINTINGS, PRELIMINARY TREATMENT
4. SURVEY OF EARTHQUAKE-DISPLACED OBJECTS
5. FUTURE PLANS: A CONSERVATION LABORATORY IN CIVIDALE
a: References
Entire Article

Copyright � 1977 American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works