Assessment of chromatic reintegration techniques and materials with simulations on mock-ups: the example of a polychrome glazed ceramic pitcher from the collection of the national museum of slovenia

The glazed ceramic pitcher no. N11519 from the National Museum of Slovenia collection presents empirical research and approaches to conserving damaged paintings by testing conservation materials and various reintegration techniques. Studies of specific pigmented retouching paints describe the retouching practice of glaze-like retouching paints. They have been a part of the diploma thesis entitled Ways of reintegration the missing polychrome painting on ceramic pitcher at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana, majoring in Conservation and Restoration of Fine Arts. The reintegration assessment intends to present multilayered paint effects on chromatic reintegration of a large area of reconstructed painting on a ceramic pitcher. A silicone mold was made in the selected area of an extensive paint loss for reintegration samples, from which gypsum casting mock-ups were formed. The practical determination of the chromatic reintegration was to simulate the stratigraphy of the paint layer and the in-glaze method of decorating the pitcher: a white underglaze over which a polychrome painting with overglaze was applied. The practical goal was to get close to the original painting's color, structure, and texture with differing application modes in lines, dots, liquid strokes, and surface smoothing. The chromatic reintegration tests of a glaze painting were perceived with varied and comminated approaches to applying retouching paint media to gypsum mock-ups. This can be achieved by meticulous scrutiny to review and evaluation a medium in the appropriate solvent. The mock-up assessments showed that the most suitable for the glazed pitcher is chromatic reintegration with dotted hatched, using the retouching colors with urea-aldehyde resin Laropal® A 81. The researched methods and the technique of chromatic reintegration on a ceramic pitcher were presented in the exhibition In Good Hands: 60 Years of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of the National Museum of Slovenia