| CODE | BLH5506 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Causes and Processes of Deterioration 1 | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Conservation and Built Heritage | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This unit will give an introduction to the reason why studying the causes and processes of deterioration of the material constituents of works of art is important in the conservation of such artefacts. This will be explained in theory and with examples including a broad range of historic artefacts. The unit, common to all the streams reading for the Master of Conservation, will introduce causes and processes of deterioration of selected material constituents of works of art. The degradation of such materials will be studied within the context of the complex whole work of art, including deterioration factors affecting the building/site/context where the object is stored. Deterioration problems will be tackled starting from the identification of deterioration phenomena, to the identification of the causes of deterioration (i.e. anthropic and environmental causes of deterioration, causes inherent to the materials and techniques used to produce these decorations). The processes and mechanisms of deterioration will be discussed. Case studies will be presented and discussed. This unit will concentrate on (but not limited to) deterioration triggered by dust and pollution, microbiological deterioration, paint degradation including degradation of organic binders and selected pigments. Other topics specific to the different streams will be addressed in 'Causes and Processes of Deterioration 2' in Semester 2. Study-unit Aims: - Provide knowledge of the deterioration of selected materials used for the manufacture of decorative architectural surfaces / easel paintings / stone artefacts; - Provide broad-based information for the study of the products of the deterioration of selected materials used for the manufacture of decorative architectural surfaces / easel paintings / stone artefacts; - Achieve an understanding of deterioration causes, effects and mechanisms. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Describe the deterioration mechanisms of selected materials used to manufacture decorative architectural surfaces / easel paintings / stone artefacts; - Explain the degradation of selected materials in terms of the chemistry and physics involved; - Discuss how the deterioration of selected materials in the stratigraphy affects the overall deterioration of the work of art. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recognise deterioration phenomena and patterns in a specific case study; - Plan the necessary steps to investigate and identify deterioration mechanisms; - Plan conservation measures (preventive or remedial) according to the type of deterioration encountered in a specific case study. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Essential readings: - Gettens, R J and Stout G L. 1966. Painting Materials - a short encyclopaedia. Dover Publications - Hill Stoner, J. and Rushfield, R. (Eds) 2012. Conservation of Easel Paintings. Routledge - Dei, L., Giorgi, R., Baglioni, P., & Chelazzi, D. (2013). The degradation of works of art materials. Nanoscience for the conservation of works of art. The Royal Society of Chemistry, 49-76 - Caneva, G, Nugari, M P, Salvadori, O. 1991. Biology in the conservation of works of art. International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property - Caneva, G, Nugari, M. P., Salvadori, O. (eds) 2008. Plant biology for cultural heritage: biodeterioration and conservation. Getty Conservation Institute. 2008 - Cassar J., 2002. "Deterioration of the Globigerina Limestone of the Maltese Islands." In: Siegesmund, S., Weiss, T. and Vollbrecht A. Natural Stone, Weathering Phenomena, Conservation Strategies and Case Studies. Geological Society, London. Special Publications, 205, pp. 33-49 - Siegesmund S and Snethlage R (eds) Stone in Architecture: Properties, Durability. (4th ed) 2011. Springer - Warscheid, Th Braams, J. 2001 Biodeterioration of stone: a review. Additional Readings: - Ashurst J., and Dimes, F. G. 1990. Conservation of Building and Decorative Stone. Butterworth-Heinemann - Feller R. L. (ed), 1986. Artists' Pigments, Vol 1, Cambridge University Press - Torraca G. 2009. Lectures on Materials Science for Architectural Conservation. The Getty Conservation Institute - Brimblecombe P. (ed) 2015. Urban Pollution and Changes to Materials and Building Surfaces. Imperial College Press - Cassar J. 2004. “Composition and property data of Malta’s building stone for the construction of a database.” In: Architectural and sculptural stone in cultural landscape. Prikryl, R., and Siegl, P. (eds) pp. 11-28 - Cassar, J., Winter, M.G., Marker, B.R., Walton, N.R.G., Entwisle, D.C. & Bromhead, E. N. and Smith, J. W. N. (eds) 2014, SP391 Stone in Historic Buildings: Characterization and Performance, Geological Society, London - ICOMOS-ISCS Illustrated glossary on stone deterioration patterns. 2008. English-French version. (Available as pdf at http://www.icomos.org/publications/monuments_and_sites/15/pdf/Monuments_and_Sites_15_ISCS_Glossary_Stone.pdf) - Massari G. and I. 1993. Damp Buildings Old and New. ICCROM. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Fieldwork | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Damian Lizun Stefan Laue Roberta De Angelis Stephen Hackney Stephanie Sammut Howard J. Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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