Lichen removal from Chinese Spirit Path figures of marble

Abstract

High-intensity pulsed light from a portable xenon flashlamp system was employed to remove lichen growth from Ming-dynasty statues located in the Seattle Art Museum sculpture garden. The ultraviolet and visible flashlamp radiation was found to decompose the lichens on the friable marble of the statues without damaging the stone. Thus, a non-chemical, non-mechanical, and non-abrasive divestment technique has been demonstrated for the conservation of artistic sculpture. The high efficiency and low cost of flashlamp systems makes this a cost-effective alternative to laser cleaning.