Adhesion Systems in New Supports for Mural Paintings: Reversibility Tests

Abstract

This article presents a study that investigates the utilization of diverse adhesives and intervention layers for affixing new supports to archaeological mural paintings that cannot be preserved in their original state. Depending on artwork characteristics (materiality, dimensions, state of conservation, location), various materials can be employed for attaching new supports, encompassing adhesives and intervention layers. Evaluating and assessing these materials is vital to ensure the stability, reversibility, and notably, the retreatability of the artwork. To this end, we have evaluated three commonly used adhesives and three intervention layers applied to new mural painting supports. We prepared test samples of mural paintings affixed to a new support structure, utilizing an aluminum honeycomb core sandwich panel (Aerolam). Through bibliographic analysis, we identified frequently used adhesives and intervention layers, and conducted an initial assessment of their behavior. Subsequently, following an aging process, we conducted color evaluations and reversibility tests to comprehensively study these materials and facilitate an objective comparison of their properties.