Comparison of traditional and newly developed consolidants to moisture fluctuations in easel painting canvases using neutron radiography

The degradation of an easel painting typically results in canvas loss in strength and elasticity so that it does not effectively support the paint structure. Lining of the painting was done almost as a routine procedure until awareness was raised in 1974 regarding the risks associated with the procedure of application and the stability and invasiveness of the glues used. The aim of our work is to investigate the efficacy of novel nanocellulose-based consolidants for modern easel paintings as a possible alternative to lining and to the use of common adhesives. This work is supported by the EU NANORESTART grant (http://www.nanorestart.eu/). To date, the assessment of new materials lacks a deeper understanding of their response to moisture sorption and desorption and how the moisture is distributed within the painting.This study aims at visualizing and quantifying this for treated canvas.