Wandmalerei

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Autoren: NN

Abstract

Wall paintings, from prehistory to the present day, comprise a major part of our cultural heritage. One of the most common deterioration problems affecting wall paintings is salt damage, caused by interactions between soluble salts, the environment and the material properties of the object. The susceptibility of wall paintings to salt weathering is due to the fact that, to a greater or lesser extent, they are porous. This characteristic allows moisture exchange with their surroundings, and consequently they are prone to contamination by soluble salts. Owing to the uiquitous presence of salts worldwide, this type of damage is one of the most widespread and commonly encountered in wall paintings conservation. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most pernicious and intractable. The term ‘wall painting’ covers a great diversity of objects, and is not limited to those on vertical surfaces, but includes paintings executed on walls, ceilings, and other architectural forms. The key feature of a wall painting is that the structure in which it is housed forms an integral component of the painting itself. This support structure can take many different forms, from built structures to excavated rock cut or subterranean structures, and entirely natural formations—as in the case of cave paintings. In addition to porosity, these objects are united by the fact that they are irremovable and require conservation in situ. This has important implications for the amelioration of salt deterioration problems. A methodological approach is required which fully takes into account not only their complex structure and material composition, but also the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. In the case of artworks located within historic buildings this demands that a balance is sought between the needs of the object, and the building users.