GREEN SOLVENTS’ VAPORS VERSUS SWABS; A GREEN METHODOLOGY OF CLEANING AGED SHELLAC FROM JERUSALEM ICON Of JESUS CHRIST’S BIRTH EVENTS | ||||
| Shedet | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 20 June 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: research articles | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/shedet.2025.349104.1281 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Hagar Shappan Ali  1; Leqaa Essam2; Mahmoud Tarek2; Emil Henin2; Abdelrahman Elserogy3; Souty Beskhyroun3
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| 1Conservation and Restoration Department, faculty of Archaeology El Fayoum University, El Fayoum , Egypt. | ||||
| 2Conservation | ||||
| 3Conservation Department- Faculty of Archaeology- Fayoum University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Darkened varnishes of Coptic icons represent a common dilemma in historical Egyptian churches. This is due to uncontrolled environmental conditions in the indoor climate which could be highly changed not only by the daily use of candles and incense during liturgies but also by air exchange. Shellac varnish is known for its darkening increase with natural aging via chemical transformations to affect the final perception of Coptic paintings. Cleaning the darkened varnish is a delicate irreversible process that could unintentionally cause risks to the original painting materials and the conservator’s health and the environment via using some toxic conventional organic solvents. This study focuses on studying the efficiency of Ethyl lactate and dimethyl carbonate as green solvents for shellac removal either with swabs or with solvents’ vapor from Gore-Tex expanded polytetrafluoroethylene for the removal of darkened shellac varnish from the Jerusalem icon of Jesus Christ's birth events. A diagnostic study of the icons’ painting materials has been carried out employing a stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscope coupled with dispersive energy of X-ray spectrophotometer, Raman imaging, Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Cinnabar, azurite, chrome yellow, and carbon black are mixed with animal glue to form the icon’s painted layer on a ground layer of gesso. Microscopic and colorimetric investigations have evaluated the efficiency of shellac varnish removal from the laboratory-prepared samples. Ethyl lactate and dimethyl carbonate confirmed their efficiency for shellac removal with a reverse recommended method for each solvent with direct application to the painted layer. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Green cleaning; ethyl lactate; dimethyl carbonate; Gore-Tex; polytetrafluoroethylene | ||||
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