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Treatment; 24 Jan 2012; Light surface clean. Check cracks in wood for movement and stabilise if necessary.; Organics

Reason: Loan
Description: The loose fine, light grey surface dirt was removed with a fan-shaped paint brush and a Preservation Equipment museum vacuum with a Hepa filter and a micro-nozzle covered with fine netting. Small round insect accretions were removed with a pointed bamboo hand tool. Loose and lifting splits in the wood along the edges of the cracks and areas of loss on the back PL side of the figure were stabilised using several application of a 2.0% w/v solution of Paraloid B72 (ethyl methacrylate copolymer) in 50:50 IMS and acetone. The Paraloid B 72 solution was applied using a fine tipped 0.5 ml syringe. A semi-circular piece of thin black Ethafoam (polyethylene) was prepared for the underside of the base, so that it would stand more securely during the conservation photography and treatment.
Details: Treatment