Laser restoration of the medieval sculpture of the Cremona Cathedral

Abstract

Thirty seven years ago in Venice it was discovered that pulsed laser radiation has the potential for restoring friable and deteriorating stone sculpture in a controllable and self-limiting manner. In subsequent years numerous investigators learned that laser cleaning is superior to customary abrasive, chemical, and manual surface divestment treatments employed in the conservation of diverse artworks. However, for many years the practical implementation of this innovation remained hypothetical in standard art conservation practice. This was a consequence both of inertia within the conservation community and of technical limitations in commercially available laser systems. From 1989 to 1990 a pulsed YAG laser was dedicated to the restoration of the marble sculpture of the facade of the Cremona Cathedral in Italy. A subsequent decade of natural weathering has demonstrated the viability of laser surface restoration to the art conservation community. Within the past three years utilization of the technique has become widespread and numerous firms are now manufacturing specialized laser art cleaning systems.Thirty seven years ago in Venice it was discovered that pulsed laser radiation has the potential for restoring friable and deteriorating stone sculpture in a controllable and self-limiting manner. In subsequent years numerous investigators learned that laser cleaning is superior to customary abrasive, chemical, and manual surface divestment treatments employed in the conservation of diverse artworks. However, for many years the practical implementation of this innovation remained hypothetical in standard art conservation practice. This was a consequence both of inertia within the conservation community and of technical limitations in commercially available laser systems. From 1989 to 1990 a pulsed YAG laser was dedicated to the restoration of the marble sculpture of the facade of the Cremona Cathedral in Italy. A subsequent decade of natural weathering has demonstrated the viability of laser surface restoration to the art conservation community. Within the past three years utilization of the technique has...