The Viennese Croÿ Albums: Options and Decisions Leading to the Conservation and Remounting of a Convolute of Double-Sided Gouache Paintings on Parchment

Abstract

Abstract The so-called Croÿ albums, kept by the Collection of Manuscripts and Rare Books at the Austrian National Library, form a convolute of 15 baroque red leather bindings housing 936 gouache paintings on double-sided parchments dating from 1560 to 1621. The opulently decorated topographic views of the possessions of Charles Duc de Croÿ (1560–1612) have undergone conservation treatment at the Institute for Conservation, followed by digitisation, allowing for a restricted access to the valuable albums. The planning of the project involved a wide range of possibilities and several levels of decisions. The construction of a decision tree and decision matrices helped to visualize the complexity of the issues involved and to consider the various options. The cultural importance of the Croÿ albums was decisive for choosing an overall treatment. Polyester pockets which had been added in the 1970s were removed from the albums. The fragile paint layers on the parchments were consolidated with gelatine. The modified remounting of the gouache paintings into the albums was done with a modified form of T-hinges which are combined with a protective layer of Japanese paper. Extremely sensitive paintings were taken out of the albums and mounted in double-sided mats. For the readers, an illustrated instruction sheet was placed into each volume’s archival box. It shows the correct turning of the album pages.