conservation work
Before
After
Zoffany’s “The Last Supper” at St. John’s Church, Kolkata
ICI, Kolkata in collaboration with Max Mueller Bhavan restored renowned German painter Johann Zoffany’s masterpiece oil painting titled “The Last Supper”, measuring 10 ft. X 12 ft at St. John’s Church in Kolkata in 2010. The conservation project was headed by Ms. Renate Kant, well-known German art restorer based in Singapore. In nearly 6 months the project was completed and the painting was unveiled before a large gathering in St. John’s Church on July 4, 2010. The masterpiece was gifted by Zoffany in 1787 to the St. John’s Church – the first British built Anglican Church in Kolkata, at the time of its consecration. The painter’s signature, thumb impression and date are given at the right-lower corner of the painting.
Before
After
Fibreglass painting by Anjolie Ela Menon
ICI, Kolkata restored Anjolie Ela Menon’s painting done on fibreglass sheets spread over 10 panels (five nos. of size 48” X 64” and five nos. of size 48” X 32”). The painting depicts a typical railway platform scene, was gifted to the Metro Railways Authority, Kolkata and is prominently installed at the Esplanade Metro Station.
Before
After
Bamboo Craft (size: 204.5 cm x 140 cm)
A typical Tripura bamboo craft item gifted by the Maharaja of Tripura to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. It occupies pride of place in the drawing room at Acharya Bhavan. The damaged cane items were carefully repaired and restored at ICI, Kolkata. The extremely painstaking procedure involving minute corrective actions was completed satisfactorily.
Before
After
Oil Paintings
ICI, Kolkata received 10 oil paintings – portraits of freedom fighters from Mahajati Sadan for restoration. The paintings were extremely fragile in condition, with flaking, cracks, loss of support, loss of paint layer, warping, stains, dust and dirt etc. Conservation treatment method involved application of a suitable consolidant on flaked paint layer; surface cleaning; mending of lost portion and lining given for strengthening the painting; re-stretched on a clean stretcher, reintegration was done whenever required and a protective coat applied finally.
Before
After
Leather Shields
ICI, Kolkata restored two pieces of shields made of leather with brass and copper studs, which were displayed in a permanent exhibition at the Danish Governor’s House in Serampore. The Danish East India Company had set up its trading establishment in Serampore (during the Raj era). A zamindari ruled by the Goswami family, maintained a small militia which was armed with muskets and swords.
Before
After
Terracotta Object (size 15-inch x 7 inch)
ICI, Kolkata received this terracotta object from a private collector. The object was broken in several pieces (approx. 26 nos.) and required restoration.
All the broken pieces were aligned in sequence and joined with suitable adhesive, finally a retouch and protective coating was applied.
Before
After
Diary
A private collector’s vintage diary of 1889 period was received by ICI, Kolkata for restoration. It was in an extremely fragile condition. The diary was fumigated, dry brushed then its folios digitised and decalcified, it was given a full lining with conservation tissue paper and finally rebinding.
Before
After
Pattachitra (fabric) Painting:
A pattachitra of size 38 cm x 45.7 cm, depicting the images of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra,Subhadra and other gods and goddesses was received by ICI, Kolkata from a private art collector. The paintings had fungus, stains, flaking of paint layer, loss of paint layer, warping, darken varnish, dust and dirt etc. The treatment method for conservation involved: fumigation, application of suitable consolidant, cleaning the surface, removal of darkened varnish and flatting; given new lining on new canvas, reintegration of colour where required, application of a layer of protective coat and finally the painting was reframed with old cleaned frame.
Before
After
Conservation Documentation and Digitization of Meeting Proceedings Volumes of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata
Numerous volumes of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port’s Meeting Proceedings, Indentures and Plans of The Port Commissioners, Calcutta from 1967 and 1968 were received for conservation by the ICI Kolkata centre.
General Condition: The volumes were extremely fragile and fungal infected. Folios were stuck to each other and had tears, stains, fold marks, previously torn pages were fixed with cello-tapes and dust and dirt was also present.
Treatment: The volumes were first fumigated and dry brushed. After that, all folios were decalcified and full lining with tissue paper was completed by re-binding of the volumes. Digitization work of all the folios is in process.
Before
After
Indentures and Plans of The Port Commissioners at Calcutta
Kolkata conservation centre received The Port Commissioners’ folios dating 1876, containing 31 Plans and 37 Indenture Sheets for restoration.
The size of Plans: 219cmx46 cm, 155cmx76.5cm and 110cmx65cm.
General Condition: The Plans were fragile and folded; the Indentures were torn and tattered. While some parts were lost some were fixed with cello-tape.
Treatment: These plans are first fumigated, dry brushed and stabilized with tissue strips. After that all maps are decalcified and fixed with a full lining of muslin cloth and tissue paper.
Before
After
Conservation of Rare Books
ICI Kolkata centre received 16 rare books for conservation from the library of HQ-Eastern Command, Kolkata.
General Condition: The books were insect-infected and came in extremely fragile condition.
Treatment: The books were first fumigated and dry brushed. Then, all the folios (pages) were decalcified, a full lining with tissue paper was fixed and re-bound to book.
Before
After
Conservation of Park Nursing Home Register
Park Nursing Home patient’s information registers from 1953 to 1966, containing 573 pages.
General Condition: The register sheets came in an extremely fragile condition, it was fungal infected, had torn pages, losses, cello-tapes fixed on earlier torn pages, dust and dirt etc.
Treatment:
The information register was first fumigated and dry brushed. After that, all folios were decalcified and full lining with tissue paper was fitted and re-binding done.
Before
After
Conservation of Old Film Poster
The conservation centre recently received a poster of Pather Panchali – Satyajit Ray’s pioneering debut film released in 1955.
Before
After
Conservation of Newspaper
A “Times of India” newspaper published on 27th November, 1969. It contains several commercial advertisements and notices of tenders on both sides.
General Condition: ICI Kolkata received this newspaper in an extremely fragile scrambled form, separated in several pieces, turned into dark-brownish-yellow colour with dust and dirt present.
Treatment: The newspaper was first fumigated and dry brushed. After that, flattening and aligning in proper space, de-acidification and full lining with tissue paper on the single side.
Before
After
Restoration of Paper Collage on Canvas
ICI Kolkata received an abstract paper collage on canvas by Muzaffar Ali, Bombay, 78. This painting was in four parts.
General Condition: The collage papers had detached from the canvas and cracks; losses and splitting had occurred. Thick layers of varnish were also present.
Treatment: The splitting areas were strengthened by applying a suitable consolidant. Followed by the process of surface cleaning and removal of varnish. Reintegration was done where required. Finally, a protective coat was applied to the paper collage on canvas for restoration.
Before
After
Conservation of Paper Paintings:
Before
After
Conservation of Oil Painting:
ICI Kolkata received an oil painting 59.5cmX44.5cm in size from a private collector for restoration.
General Condition: The painting bore extreme flaking, cracks, loss of paint layer, warping, stains, dust and dirt etc.
Treatment: A suitable consolidant was applied to the flaking paint layer for strengthening the canvas. Followed by a surface cleaning process; a lining was fitted for strengthening the painting. It was re-stretched and reintegration was done where required. Finally, the protective coat was applied to the restored oil painting.
Conservation of fungal affected Oil Paintings:
More fungal infected oil paintings were received from private collectors for restoration by ICI Kolkata.
Two very old oil paintings sized: (i) 30’x25’ (ii) 29’x22’ were received for restoration at ICI Kolkata centre from a private art collector.
General Condition:
The paintings, though had been restored previously, came in extremely fragile condition. They had flaking, cracks, loss of support, loss of paint layer, warping, stains, dust and dirt.
Treatment:
The flaked paint layer was consolidated by applying a suitable consolidant. Then surface cleaning was done. Old filling material was removed, mending of the lost portion and lining was given for strengthening the painting. It was re-stretched on a cleaned stretcher and reintegration was done whenever required. Finally, the protective coat was applied.
Before
After
Conservation of Textile
A Kantha (textile) art object of size 70’x48’ was received from a private collector from Kolkata for restoration at the ICI Kolkata centre. This ‘Naskhi Kantha’ has central lotus medallions surrounded with floral motifs on flour corners and the border has different wild and domestic animals like tiger, elephant embroidered on it.
General Condition: The object was highly fragile and had a huge amount of shoot, oil and some of the top layers of cloth were loose, had tears and deposits of dust and dirt.
Treatment: The object was first fumigated and dry brushed. Removal of stains and dirt was done using suitable solvents. The tears were mended and re-stabilised with cloth and fine net.
Before
After
Conservation of Oleograph:
The “Swarna Mriga” (golden deer in Bengali script) episode from Epic Ramayana is depicted in this oleograph.
General Condition: The print bore fungus and insect infections, had stains, warping, losses, dust and dirt etc present.
Treatment: The oleograph was first fumigated to eliminate the fungus. Followed by dry brushing with a soft sable hair brush; mended paper strips and backing boards were removed mechanically from the reverse side of the oleograph. The painting was de-acidified and lined on a tissue Vaishali. The conservation work is under process.
