Basics of

Conservation -

Museum Textiles
CONCEPT OF CONSERVATION
• protection from any agent (be it environmental or human)
that threatens to destroy heritage
• minimize decay
• treatment to arrest decay and to stabilize against further
deterioration
• interdisciplinary field as conservators have backgrounds in
fine arts, sciences and related disciplines, such as art history,
archaeology, studio art, and anthropology. They also have
design, fabrication, artistic, and other special skills necessary
for the practical application of that knowledge
Special circumstances in different
parts of the world have meant that
some textiles have been preserved
over extraordinarily long periods of
time!
 Sterile sands of desert
 Egyptian burial grounds
 Swiss lake civilization
 Excavations in Mohenjadaro, Mesopotamia,
Egypt etc
WHY PROTECT & EXHIBIT
WORKS OF ART?
- textiles have played a major role in the social, economic
and religious life
- in hierarchical societies textiles denoted social rank of the
wearer
- in south-east Asian textiles pattern layout indicated family
lineage and clan identity
- textile designs reflect trading history
- visual education & iconography
 MUSEUMS
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) defines
a museum as:
‘A non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of
society and of its development, and open to the public,
which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates
and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and
enjoyment, material evidence of people and their
environment’.

∞ a term originating from Greek mythology

∞ about 47000 museums from all over the world
∞ about 700 museums in India
Conservation types
Curative Preventive
Practical science, accomplished Accomplished by everyone
by experts only
Needs elaborate laboratory No such requirement for
facilities, spl. conservation preventive conservation
material and tools
Each and every object to be
Aimed towards the whole
dealt individually collection
Costly affair
Cost effective in long run
The rule that nothing should be
Such things do not happen here
removed from or added to the
object is violated
Curative conservation
 Undertaken when decay sets in
 Aims at stabilising the object
 Reducing the rate of decay
 Involves examination, investigation,
equipment / tools, laboratory space,
chemicals and trained manpower
Preventive conservation
 Condition or risk assessment for preventive conservation
plan
 Environmental specifications
 Environmental control strategies
 Storage system design and material
 Assess museum security and fire protection
 Integrated pest management assessment and
recommendations
 Prevention issues of exhibit design
 Collection packing and shipping
 Emergency preparedness and response
Curative
Ideal materials for use in
curative conservation yet to
be developed
One time process. Does
not guarantee that the
object will not deteriorate in
future
Need for curative
conservation is reduced with
good practices of preventive
conservation
Preventive
Nothing introduced in the
objects
Preventive conservation is
a continued process and
further deterioration is
minimised
Preventive conservation is
needed even after curative
treatment
 Decay the law of Nature

Textiles are no exception

On the contrary, more vulnerable

because of complex composite
composition
Textiles are combinations of
fibers, dyes, and finishes
Fibre
Fibre can be defined as a unit of matter
with length at least 100 times its diameter.

Classification of fibres

• Natural
• Regenerated
• Synthetic
Natural Fibres

Fibres derived from natural sources

Animal origin : Wool, Silk

Vegetable origin : Cotton, jute, flax,

hemp etc.

Mineral origin : Metals, glass,

asbestos etc.
 Regenerated Fibres

Fibres made from natural

materials, mainly cellulose or
proteins –dissolved- extended as
filament - spun – fibre e.g. rayon
 Synthetic Fibres
Prepared synthetically

Common synthetic fibres are

• Nylon
• Acrylic
• Polyester
 Textiles in a museum

• Cotton - 90% cellulose , a long chain polymer

• Silk - has proteins fibroin, sericin (silk gum),

coating on bundles of fibroin fibres

• Wool - contains sulphur containing protein

keratin, wool yolk and wool fat
(lanolin)
Some textiles include metal threads
or yarns that are metal and fiber
combinations.

These can include any combination

of metals and alloys, and
backings or support materials.
Textiles in a museum may be

•Dyed

•Printed

•Painted

All of them are prone to decay

 Factors that promote decay of
textiles can be categorized into
three groups
ORGANIC

PHYSICAL CHEMICAL
Customary factors affecting the
longevity of textiles

LIGHT

WEAVE TEMPERA..

STORAGE/
HUMIDITY
DISPLAY

TEXTILES

HANDLING PESTS

CLEANING POLLUTION
INHERENT
INSTABILITY
Nature of light

Light is a form of energy

Travels approximately in the

form of transversal waves
 Nature of light

K.K.Gupta
 UV and damage
Smaller the wave length more the energy

So UV is more damaging than visible light

and IR radiation

Textiles are sensitive to light . Silk is more

so.
Damages caused by light
Discolouration

Yellowing

Fading
Weakening
Brittleness
Light damage depends upon:

• Nature of light (Shorter the wavelength,

more the damage)

• Nature of material –quality of

paper
• Intensity of light

• Time of exposure
Effects of Humidity and temperature
on textiles
• Expansion/ contraction
• Corrosion of metals present
• Water stains
• Yellowing
• Biological growth
• Dissolution/Spreading of dyes and paint
• Desication
• Distortion
Water stains
 Pollution

Presence of
impurities
in air is what is
called
environmental
pollution
 Pollutants
Particulate pollutants
Dust, dirt, soot, ash,
mold and fibres

Gaseous pollutants
- Sulphur dioxide
- Hydrogen sulphide
- Oxides of nitrogen
- Ozone
- Formic acid
- Acetic acid
 Effects of pollution

 Tarnishing of metals in textiles

  Weakening
  Soiling
  Acidity- brittleness
Tarnishing of zari work

Ornamental textile
Bio-deterioration

Deterioration caused
by biological growth
Biological growth

Growth of living organisms

 
  Insects
 Fungi
  Rodents
 Insects
• Silver fish
• Cockroach
• Carpet beetles
•Clothes Moths
• Termites

•it’s the babies (larvae) that do the damage

•Insects choose which textiles to infest based on what the material
is.
 Silverfish

Silverfish are attracted to starch

found in textiles
 Cockroach

The cockroach is attracted to perspiration and

body fluid stains, food and drink spills and
laundry starch. Eats away at these stains and
cut holes in the fibres
 Carpet beetle

feed on both animal and plant origin (wool, silk,

cotton)
Damage due to carpet beetle
 Clothes Moths

Feed only on proteinaceous materials (wool, silk,

leather, feathers) and blends of synthetic and
proteinaceous fibers
 Termites

Termites are known to feed on cellulose and thus

attack the textile and destroy it. They commonly
damage clothes they contact in storage but the
holes are usually small
 Fungus
•Organic acids

•Enzymes

•Pigments
Rodents
Bio-deterioration

• Weakening

• Holes

• Discolouration
 Internal Causes

Materials and techniques

used in making
Wear and
tear
 Handling/ wear and tear

•Prolonged folding
• Iron nails or pins used for fixing
•Hanging heavy textiles from a few points
•Stretching beyond elastic limits
• Lifting wet textiles without support
• Rolling with ornamental side in
Break
due to fold
Physical damage due to wear and tear
 Wrong Conservation

• Cotton can survive in moderate alkaline

conditions but is adversely affected by acids.

•Using too rigid an adhesive for repair/lining

•Using too strong a thread for stitching

•Silk and wool are adversely affected by stronger

alkalis

•Using strong oxidizing bleaches

• Cotton can survive in moderate alkaline
conditions but is adversely affected by acids.

•Using too rigid an adhesive for repair/lining

•Using too strong a thread for stitching

•Silk and wool are adversely affected by stronger

alkalis

•
 Consequences of Deterioration

•Tears and holes, when stretched beyond elastic limits or

by bumps and pull

• Brittleness of black or dark printed areas because of the

dyes containing iron sulphate as mordant

• Blackening of silver / base gold threads

•Insect damage, almost exclusively to high MW protein

fibres of animal origin ie silk, wool, fur and skin, while
moulds and bacteria prefer cellulose fibres of veg. origin ie
cotton , linen , jute etc.
Dust and dirt disfigures, dulls and stains

Sharp silica edges can cut and abrade

due to movement of the textile and that of dirt. As
the natural fibres age, there is gradual loss of its
inherent moisture resulting in some loss of
elasticity

Iron mordents, oils and lubricants used to

facilitate the weaving process and bleaches used
can contribute to deterioration
Addition of metallic compounds to add weight
to silk cause eventual splitting and powdering

Wool tarnish metallic threads in textiles, which

cause stains in wool
 Conclusion

Museum textiles are among the most

sensitive of the museum materials.

They are prone to fast decay due

to environmental factors, mishandling,
wear & tear and inherent
weakness in their structure