Vladimir Torbik Restoration of Finishing of Russian Neoclassical Furniture. Myths and Realities

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://dx.doi.org/10.18688/aa155-6-66
Title Restoration of Finishing of Russian Neoclassical Furniture. Myths and Realities
Author email vtorbik@mail.ru
About author Torbik, Vladimir Sergeevich — Ph. D., Head of the restoration department. Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaia nab., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
In the section Russian Art of the 18th–19th Centuries. Russian View of Classical Tradition DOI10.18688/aa155-6-66
Year 2015 Volume 5 Pages 609–616
Type of article RAR Index UDK 7.025.4 Index BBK 85.12
Abstract

Furniture constantly requires restoration interventions. However, old technologies are so far insufficiently studied. The lack of knowledge about old techniques and finishing materials leads to a significant change in color and texture of wood after restoration. This paper is a timely contribution to the research in this field. Based on literature and archive materials, laboratory and practical studies, it reveals the difference in meaning of the terms ‘polishing’ and ‘varnishing’ in 19th century and today and offers a related description of the relevant processes. The techniques associated with the terminology are described. The key value of the natural oils and pumice stone for polishing furniture is stressed.
The author reaches a conclusion that the use of oil and pumice as furniture polish proves to be an essential part of the process. The results of the study should form the basis for the restoration methods of polishing of Neoclassical furniture and help to save the initial artistic image of historic furniture.
Keywords
Reference Vladimir Torbik. Restoration of Finishing of Russian Neoclassical Furniture. Myths and Realities. Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art: Collection of articles. Vol. 5. Eds: Svetlana V. Maltseva, Ekaterina Yu. Stanyukovich-Denisova, Anna V. Zakharova. St. Petersburg, NP-Print Publ., 2015, pp. 609–616. ISSN 2312-2129. http://dx.doi.org/10.18688/aa155-6-66
Publication Article language russian
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