AIC's 45th Annual Meeting

A pair of Qing dynasty (1644-1911) lacquer clothes wardrobes (1940-7-1, 2) has long been considered a highlight of the Chinese art collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The large wardrobes each consist of a lower and upper cabinet with gilt lacquer decoration of dragon and lotuses appropriate for furniture made for an imperial family. In 2015, the wardrobes were selected to be a part of a special exhibition. Due to years of use as display cases, they required conservation treatment, including structural repairs and consolidation of the surfaces. The treatment was also an opportunity for a comprehensive technical study. The first wardrobe to be brought to the lab was 1940-7-2 due to the need for major structural repairs; this was the primary focus of the technical examination described below. Wardrobe 1940-7-1 was studied for comparative purposes. Initial analysis revealed a complex stratigraphy, including an earlier decorative campaign. Examination of the structure revealed dissimilar construction techniques between the upper and lower cabinets. In order to clarify these initial findings, a battery of scientific methods was employed for the examination of the wardrobes. The methods chosen for the initial examination were: ultraviolet (UV) light examination, x-radiography, infrared reflectography (IRR), and hand held x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). Over forty cross-sections were taken and examined by visible and fluorescent light microscopy (VLM and FLM) revealing the decorative stratigraphy. Several of the multi-layered cross-sections were then exhaustively separated into discrete layers which were then analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS) and Fourier transform infrared (MFTIR) micro spectroscopy analysis. Elemental analysis of each layer was also undertaken by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Preliminary results identified urushiol as the lacquer component, in combination with heat bodied oil; in several of the samples, tung oil was tentatively identified. Initial results of the technical study, including analysis of the structure and surface, strongly suggest that the wardrobes current surface presentation attempts to unify the cabinets. Ongoing curatorial research on both wardrobes including stylistic analysis of the form, decoration, and hardware indicates a mid-Qing dating.