Technology and Conservation
Samenvatting
0. Introduction
Technology: application of scienitic knowledge for practical purposes
à Technè: material fabrication
à Logos: discourse
In class used for art/skill/methode
What?
- Materials? (e.g. Fra Angelico: gold à wealth)
- Meaning?
- Tools?
How?
- Processes?
- Techniques used to examine processes?
Who?
- Individuals involved is these prosesses?
- Their status?
- Division of labour?
Where? When?
- Spaces and routes of creation,
- Time to make an artwork?
1
, Lecture 1: Paper: From rags to riches
I. Origins: from China to Europa
A. The journey of paper from China to North Africa
- Remnants found in tombs of the Han dynasty
o Dated 2nd century B.C.
- Codification by Cai Lun: 105 AD
Different kind of fibers were used
- Hemp, nettle, mulberry, bamboo, seaweed
Making Paper in China:
1. Vegetal barks are:
- Cut and peeled
- Left to macerate
- Left to dry in the sun
2. Boiling:
In a solution containing wood ashes
- Until complete defibration
o = breakage into fibers
Boiled fibers are mixed with water and lime
3. Sheet making: dipping mould in pulp
- Then mix/substance in put through a mold (equipped with a
sieve)
- Through sieving process: fibers are retained while water is
squeezed out
4. The sheet is laid out and put to dry
Diffusion of paper
- Spreads tot he rest of Asia (Korea & Japan (610))
2
, - Travels later tot he west (not rapid)
- 794-795: creation of the first paper manufacture in Baghdad
o (Caliphate of Haroun-Al-Rachid)
- 9th century: paper reaches Egypt
- 10th century: paper reaches Tunesia and Marocco
- 11th century: several papermill recorded in Fez
- Nearly 13th century: c 400 paper
Samarkand (Uzbekistan)
Center of paper production in the 8th century.
- Known for good paper quality
Emperor Babur
- Praised the quality of paper produced in Samarkand
mills in the city
B. The beginnings of paper in Europe
a) Spain
10th century
- Paper mills open in Andalusia (Sevilla, Cadiz)
- Later in the North (Xativa (1056) and Toledo (1085))
b) Italy
12th-13h century
- Paper in Italy will spread tot he rest of Europe
Fabriano Paper mill (c 1276)
- Central Italy
c) Spread of paper mills in France
- 1348: Troyes
3
, - 1354: Essones
- 1376: Saint-Cloud
- Mid 15th century: West of France, Normandy, Britany and Central France
II. Making paper in early modern Europe
(c 1400 – 1800)
Sources:
- Joseph-Jérome Lefrançois de Lalande
- Denis Diderot & Jean D’Alembert
à Not a lot of sources before 1800
A. Paper: places and materials
Location
à Near water (fort he mills)
à Pure, transparant, not too much water
à Not to close to cities but not too far
- Pollution & too far to travel to
à 1 part filtered water & 1 part for hydraulic power
Raw materials
à Rags/clothes
- Instead of loose fibers
Fiber types (found in rags)
- Flax (linen)
- Hemp
4
Samenvatting
0. Introduction
Technology: application of scienitic knowledge for practical purposes
à Technè: material fabrication
à Logos: discourse
In class used for art/skill/methode
What?
- Materials? (e.g. Fra Angelico: gold à wealth)
- Meaning?
- Tools?
How?
- Processes?
- Techniques used to examine processes?
Who?
- Individuals involved is these prosesses?
- Their status?
- Division of labour?
Where? When?
- Spaces and routes of creation,
- Time to make an artwork?
1
, Lecture 1: Paper: From rags to riches
I. Origins: from China to Europa
A. The journey of paper from China to North Africa
- Remnants found in tombs of the Han dynasty
o Dated 2nd century B.C.
- Codification by Cai Lun: 105 AD
Different kind of fibers were used
- Hemp, nettle, mulberry, bamboo, seaweed
Making Paper in China:
1. Vegetal barks are:
- Cut and peeled
- Left to macerate
- Left to dry in the sun
2. Boiling:
In a solution containing wood ashes
- Until complete defibration
o = breakage into fibers
Boiled fibers are mixed with water and lime
3. Sheet making: dipping mould in pulp
- Then mix/substance in put through a mold (equipped with a
sieve)
- Through sieving process: fibers are retained while water is
squeezed out
4. The sheet is laid out and put to dry
Diffusion of paper
- Spreads tot he rest of Asia (Korea & Japan (610))
2
, - Travels later tot he west (not rapid)
- 794-795: creation of the first paper manufacture in Baghdad
o (Caliphate of Haroun-Al-Rachid)
- 9th century: paper reaches Egypt
- 10th century: paper reaches Tunesia and Marocco
- 11th century: several papermill recorded in Fez
- Nearly 13th century: c 400 paper
Samarkand (Uzbekistan)
Center of paper production in the 8th century.
- Known for good paper quality
Emperor Babur
- Praised the quality of paper produced in Samarkand
mills in the city
B. The beginnings of paper in Europe
a) Spain
10th century
- Paper mills open in Andalusia (Sevilla, Cadiz)
- Later in the North (Xativa (1056) and Toledo (1085))
b) Italy
12th-13h century
- Paper in Italy will spread tot he rest of Europe
Fabriano Paper mill (c 1276)
- Central Italy
c) Spread of paper mills in France
- 1348: Troyes
3
, - 1354: Essones
- 1376: Saint-Cloud
- Mid 15th century: West of France, Normandy, Britany and Central France
II. Making paper in early modern Europe
(c 1400 – 1800)
Sources:
- Joseph-Jérome Lefrançois de Lalande
- Denis Diderot & Jean D’Alembert
à Not a lot of sources before 1800
A. Paper: places and materials
Location
à Near water (fort he mills)
à Pure, transparant, not too much water
à Not to close to cities but not too far
- Pollution & too far to travel to
à 1 part filtered water & 1 part for hydraulic power
Raw materials
à Rags/clothes
- Instead of loose fibers
Fiber types (found in rags)
- Flax (linen)
- Hemp
4
