Innovative protocol for the conservation of paintings on canvas

“This scientific research, a successful PhD thesis, interested the Jury particularly for the relevance of the question posed regarding traditional restoration methods used on art paintings on canvas, for the innovative aspect of the provided solutions and for the European and international impact of its purpose.
Nanotechnology procedures give perspective to this science in giving it new uses with regards to art restorations. By this award, the Jury wishes to encourage research in developing ever more respectful methods to employ on the irreplaceable document that constitutes a masterpiece, both in its intimate structure and in its substance.”

This study is, to date, the first French doctoral research dedicated to the improvement of the conservation and restoration techniques of paintings on canvas.
At an initial stage, it proved useful to present the industrial context of the study and, particularly, to present a historic record of restorations on canvas. The following stages dealt with problems associated with the technological aspects and obstacles for the study; the current restoration methods and the inevitable alterations they bring upon the original canvas. The study presents hypothetical solutions and the methodology for the development of research work in this field. The last section is a synthesis of the experiments and presents a solution for the removal of lining adhesives present in old canvas paintings without causing damage, through the use of nanogels or laser techniques.

Innovative protocol for the conservation of paintings on canvas, Paris, FRANCE