The Ageing of the Creation

Abstract

Preserving cultural heritage through restoration and conservation is all about understanding and mastering ageing processes of materials. Applique glass artefacts, a Dutch artistic phenomenon of the post-war era in the 20th century, rank among the technically most-intriguing monumental works with multifaceted challenges in conservation. Many of the more historical applique-glass panels are nowadays in poor condition as a result of adhesive ageing. While durability and reversibility of the bonding is a major topic, holistic solutions are required considering conservation ethics and integrating cultural value and technical demands. The research project uses an early example of applique glass by Karel Appel, The Creation, for studying ageing processes and parameters of glass and adhesives and aims at finding new ways of restoring artworks of applique glass.