Photographs are significant documents for visual recovery of past cultures and civilizations in contemporary history. Structural changes in historical photographs, influenced by various factors over time, lead to numerous damages that may result in aesthetic alterations. Accordingly, this report aims to present the conservation process undertaken on three photographs dating back to the Qajar era. The photographs suffered from damage such as dirt and water stains, degradation of the gelatin layer, tears, and high acidity. To address these issues, distilled water, alcohol, and acetone were used to clean the surface contaminants. Additionally, calcium hydroxide was applied in two forms: dry and in the distilled water, for deacidification of the cardboard substrate. Acid-free cardboard and specially treated tissue paper were also used to cover for the missing parts, along with Klucel-G polymer. Finally, to ensure better protection, all photographs, they were mounted in passe-partout boards.
Sayede Elahe Alavi Dehkordi, Volume 6, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
The "Illustrated Atlas of Pathology of Historical-Cultural Textiles" by Fatemeh Alimirzaei and Shahrzad Aminshirazi is specially designed for conservators,
restorers, students, museum curators, and collectors handling different categories of textiles. The book is divided into three chapters, addressing the pathology of historical textiles from three perspectives: physical-mechanical, chemical, and photochemical. However, the distinction of photochemical from chemical is rejected as unjustified since photochemical reactions are a subtype of chemical reactions induced by photons. A more suitable third type could be biological effects, which involve harm inflicted with the help of living organisms, including microbes, rodents, and insects.
