A woolen tapestry curtain, owned by the Seoul Museum of Craft Art, is composed of tabby by cotton-warp and wool-weft threads and its patterned part is shown as a tapestry; paint with pigment has been added to it. The chromaticity of this curtain was measured and the substances in the deep red color were confirmed as Hg by an analysis of the ingredients through X-ray fluorescence. This is presumed to be cinnabar or vermilion. Analyses were performed on a total of seven fabric samples, including the warp & weft of the fabric, its trimming, and its back fabric. As a result, the warp of the woolen tapestry curtain was determined to be a cotton fiber with a middle hole or lumen in the cross-section. Furthermore, an infrared peak likewise showed O-H and CO binding. Wool fibers as wefts were identified with circular and oval cross-sections and IR peaks showed N-H/O-H stretching and amide(-CONH-). The animal hair samples used in the wool fiber are believed to have come from long-tailed goral or goats and the possibility of using easy-to-spin sapsal dog hair is also not to be overlooked. This was determined through a contrast analysis by the Cultural Heritage Administration to identify the animal species used in the tapestry.
Gwanghwadang-Wonsam was designated as National Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 52 in 1979, it is in good condition. However, a problem is the attached a phoenix insignia badge that did not exist when it was designated recently. As it became known as the only purple Wonsam artifact with "phoenix insignia", raising the need for its conservation. In this regard, scientific analysis was required to correct misinformation about designated cultural assets and restore the original designated state by analyzing the history of the Gwanghwadang-Wonsam, other relics of the phoenix insignia and its making design patterns. An X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to confirm that the Phoenix insignia's metal threads were titanium-plated silver. Phoenix insignia using titanium-plated gold thread was not identified in Gwanghwadang-Wonsam photographs in 1986, and the TiN-type membrane plating method was used in various industries in the 1990s, which can be estimated to be attached in the early and mid-1990s. Especially, the scientific analysis results from the X-ray fluorescence analysis in this study provide key evidence for conservation processing. This study demonstrates the importance of investigating relics and similar artifacts in the conservation process of inherited relics and as a precedent for restoration that corrects misinformation about designated cultural properties.
The Yongjam of Oejae, Yi Dan-ha's wife, is an ornamental hairpin with a dragon-shaped engraving; designated as National Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 4. It is also a component of the ceremonial costume, and an artifact of great value as it clearly identifies the position of the wearer and the period of this artifact. The Yongjam has been well preserved in general; however, various pollutants and corrosive products have affected the engraved patterns, requiring conservation treatment. Furthermore, a non-destructive analysis was conducted to identify the components of the materials and the manufacturing techniques used in the ornament. The Yongjam is hollow inside to reduce its weight when placed in the hair and has a color contrast of gold, red, and black. The decorative part and the body were made separately. That is, the body was made from an alloy of copper, silver, and zinc, and its joint was elaborately connected without any overlaps. In the decorative part, different alloy ratios were identified in the dragon's face, beard, horn, body, and fin. Further, for the dragon's face with its delicate patterns, an alloy of silver and copper was used, likely to make the face appear as realistic as possible.
This study was a comparative analysis of the artificial degradation of silk by Xenon arc lamp, long-wavelength ultraviolet(UV-A), and dry heat. Two types of silk specimens with different thicknesses were treated under each condition for 24, 72, 120, and 168 hours. Tensile strength, yellowing index, and fiber surface changes were analyzed. Deterioration behavior after treatment was examined. The factor that most rapidly promoted degradation was UV-A exposure. The Xenon arc lamp produced a gentle decrease in tensile strength and a low yellowness index. Heat produced little change in the physical properties of the silk specimens. The comparative data indicated that silk degradation upon exposure to Xenon arc lamp was slow, with a low yellowness index. Thus, Xenon arc lamp is acceptable for the conservation of textile cultural heritage, along with reinforcement by sewing.
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