The conservation and redisplay of the Nebamun Wall
paintings
Project leaders: R. B. Parkinson,
Karen Birkhoelzer, Andrew Middleton
Departments: Ancient Egypt and Sudan
Project start: 2000
End date: 2009
Other British Museum staff: Janet Ambers,
Caroline Cartwright, Rebecca Stacey, Kenneth Uprichard, Patricia
Usick
Other departments: Conservation and Scientific
Research
External partners:
The Egyptian Museum
Berlin,
Musee Calvet, Avignon,
Jose Galan, ‘Proyecto Djehuty’, Consejo Superior de Investigagiones
Cientificas, Madrid http://www.excavacionegipto.com/
Boyo Ockinga, The Macquarie Theban Tombs Project, Macquarie
University
http://www.anchist.mq.edu.au/
Description:
Eleven fragments from the eighteenth Dynasty tomb-chapel of
Nebamun at Luxor were acquired in the 1820-30s and are some of the
finest wall paintings to survive from Ancient Egypt, although the
exact location of the tomb-chapel is unknown. They are currently
being conserved and re-mounted in preparation for their re-display
in a new permanent g
allery.
A full re-examination of the paintings’ meaning, together with a
detailed investigation of their provenance has been undertaken in
order to redisplay these paintings as works of art in an
appropriate context. This research has been done in collaboration
with other museums containing fragments of the paintings, with
various institutional and private archives, and with colleagues
working in the field at Luxor.
The conservation process has involved dismounting the paintings
(mud plaster, gesso and painted surface) from the Plaster of Paris
support backings applied in the nineteenth century. This has
provided a rare opportunity to undertake a comprehensive scientific
investigation of the materials and techniques of this outstanding
group of paintings. The identification of the original materials of
the paintings (the plasters, pigments and paint media) as well as
materials applied during earlier conservation/restoration
interventions has informed the conservation process.
Objectives:
The primary objective of the project is to re-display the group
of eleven paintings from the tomb chapel of Nebamun. The
research will be published in a fully illustrated account of the
paintings and their ancient and modern history, together with a new
edition of the childrens’ book by Meredith Hooper. Scientific
information gathered during the project will be incorporated into
the new display, and presented in a multi-authored volume. To this
end the paintings have been carefully examined and conserved in
order to stabilise the painted surfaces and underlying plaster
backings.
An essential part
of the project is to present details of the assessment,
conservation and re-mounting processes in a publication that is
currently being prepared. The results of our investigation of past
conservation treatments will be presented. In addition, a full
account will be given of the analysis and identification of the
original materials and methods of working of the paintings.
Archival research has both informed and been informed by the
conservation process and the findings of this research, along with
archaeological research (both documentary and field-based) will be
used to place the paintings and the current work by conservators
and scientists in an appropriate context.
Publications:
M. Hooper, The Tomb of Nebamun (London, British
Museum Press, 2008)
R. B. Parkinson, The Painted Tomb-Chapel of Nebamun
(London, British Museum Press)
A. Middleton and K.
Uprichard, (eds.), The Nebamun Wall Paintings:
Conservation, Scientific Analysis and Display at the British
Museum. (London, Archetype, 2008)
Images (from top):
- Fowling in the marshes: fragment of wall painting from the tomb
of Nebamun (no. 10)
- Removal of old Plaster of Paris mount
- Applying foil as separation layer before casting new
backing
- Removal of soluble nylon from the surface