Anti-ageing laser helps restore historic chair
An anti-ageing laser which treats skin conditions has been used to restore an historic 17th century Italian-style chair from Petworth House.
There had been a number of attempts in the past to redecorate the highly ornate chairs but various shades of paintshadbeenusedandallhad suffered dirt and wear.
The Erbium YAG laser is moretypicallyusedtotreatskin conditions such as blemishes, scars, wrinkles and damage caused by the sun.
But National Trust conservators saw its ability to work on historic objects with painted and gilded surfaces.
The conservators at the Trust’s Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio in Kent have been developing techniques for removing stubborn layers of non-original overpaint or dirt with the laser, torevealtheoriginalfinishofthe object underneath.
The usual technique used by the conservators to remove overpaint on objects is with carefully chosen solvents applied to very small areas at a time. Emma Schmuecker, the head of the conservation studio in Knole, Kent, said: “One of the chairshadlayersofagedbronze paint over the original gilding.
“Our usual approach wasn’t removing it effectively, so we turned to the laser which, combined with appropriate solvents, lifted it away cleanly.
“The laser is a very new tool forconservatorsandhereinthe studiowehavebeenexploringits benefits for removing this type ofpaintfromoilgildedsurfaces. In the right circumstances it is proving a very useful addition.
“Theaimhasbeentostabilise and improve the appearance of the chairs.
“Followingcleaning,wehave been able to achieve that as well as painting in small losses from wear.”
The chairs will be shown in the North Gallery as part of Petworth’s 125 Treasures, which will be highlighted until November.
The 125 Treasures from the CollectionsoftheNationalTrust is a new National Trust book.