Removal of wax-resin mastics when re-restoring the picture S. Yu. Sudeikin “Mythological scene”

The article describes the process of restoration of two paintings with the author's tempera technique modified as a result of repeated restoration impregnations with wax-resin mastics, in which the method of removing these mastics from the front and back sides of the paintings using silica gel Aerosil A-380, known from the cited literary sources, was successfully applied in practice . The author's base on the back side is thinned and leveled in a plane by alternately cutting off numerous layers of glue, resin and wax. The work was done in a “dry” way to avoid old adhesives getting into the paper structure. After completely clearing the back side, strengthening, gluing gaps, cuts and making up for all losses of the thin layer of cardboard, intermediate duplication was performed on a layer of Japanese paper. From the front side, the main layer of mastic was removed using a mixture of Aerosil A-380 and isopropyl alcohol. Subsequently, work with the wax-varnish coating was carried out with the composition isopropyl alcohol : pinene = 2 : 1. Interlayer recordings are softened with compresses and removed mechanically. The remaining thinner film is thinned with an emulsion of ethyl alcohol : pinene = 1 : 1. The mastic lying on the cuts and extending onto the author's painting is removed mechanically. The covering varnishes and strengthening compounds with which the tempera painting was impregnated were combined with the elements of the painting. It was decided to leave a thin layer of varnish, having first leveled it over the entire surface. The importance of the method of removing surface contaminants from a water-eroded paint layer without preventive sealing and subsequent strengthening of the paint layer and primer with low concentration adhesives is emphasized.