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Treatment; 18 Jun 2013; Prepare for display. Remove from previous partial textile support. Apply new full stitched support on neutral coloured fabric. Attach to Hexlite board for display and future storage. Exhibitions to supply board.; Organics

Reason: Temporary Exhibition
Description: The old support lining was removed by carefully cutting and removing the conservation stitching threads from the reverse. Following examination and photographic recording of the reverse side, the textile was strengthened and prepared for display by stitching it onto a new cotton calico support fabric, which in turn was tensioned and stitched to a board (Hexlite fibreglass/aluminium board was used for its long term stability and weight). Medium weight cotton calico was chosen for the support fabric, being suitable in terms of strength, weight and weave texture. It was dyed a pale beige to complement the colours of the textile, using Ciba Geigy Solophenyl dyes. The Hexlite board was then prepared. The corner edges of the aluminium honeycomb structure were filled using Bonda filler, in order to strengthen them and minimise likelihood of denting the edges of the board. The raw fibreglass edges of the board were taped using archival gummed linen tape. The board was covered with soft padding layer of brushed cotton domette and then undyed unbleached cotton calico fabric, tensioned and held in place by combination of conservation grade adhesive (thermoplastic acrylic Vinamul 3252) and stitching. The support fabric was tensioned over the prepared Hexlite board prior to attaching the textile - this was so that the conservation stitching used later to attach the textile to the support fabric would not be placed under stress when the supported textile was attached to the board afterwards. This was of particular concern given the relatively large size of the textile and board. However, in order to keep the stitching holding the textile to the support fabric and the stitches holding the support fabric to the board separate, a layer of thick polyester film (100 micron Melinex) was used as a temporary barrier between the fabric covered board and the support fabric. The support fabric was tensioned and stitched (slip stitch) to the fabric covering of the Hexlite board on three sides only (the fourth side was tensioned but pinned only, so that the Melinex barrier layer could be removed). The textile was transferred onto the board and secured in place onto the support fabric by stitching, using 44denier silk filament thread (also custom dyed to match using Ciba Geigy Lanaset dyes) and fine 00 Kalt curved needle to stitch support lines of staggered running stitch, couch over damaged areas and secure all edges with combination of long and short/couched stitching. Once all the support stitching was completed, the Melinex separator layer was removed by sliding it out from beneath the support fabric. The support fabric was then stitched around the fourth edge of the board. Finally, to ensure the layers of fabric on the board would not sag on near vertical display, four vertical lines of running stitch were worked through both the textile, support fabric and the fabric covering on the board.
Details: Treatment

1 related objects

cloth

Museum number: Am1842,1112.3 |
Cultures/periods: x72439 Muisca |
Production date: C14-C15 |
Findspot: Excavated/Findspot:GachancipáExcavated/Findspot:Bogotá

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