• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.24
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• pp.81-98
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• 2020

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive nondestructive analysis of Portrait of Master Gowun at Wunamyeongdang Shrine (Hereafter, Portrait of Choe Chiwon), Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 187 of Gyeongsangnam-do, including the underlying images drawn at the time of its production and the pigments present. The analysis revealed that the portrait was produced in 1793 at Ssanggyesa Temple in Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do, which makes it the earliest known example among the extant portraits of Choe Chiwon. X-ray examination found images of a half-length boy monk and a full-length boy monk on either side of the portrait, which had been painted over and became invisible to the naked eye. XRF analysis of the pigments indicated that white lead was used for white, cinnabar and red lead for red, malachite for green, azurite for blue, and gold for gold. It was revealed that the overpainted boy monks were colored using the same pigments as those applied in the portrait of the main figure. It is hoped that the analysis of the pigments used for the boy monks can provide basic materials for research on the production of copied portraits and local Buddhist paintings. Also, additional research drawing upon other fields of study is required to examine the details of the inscription of the portrait.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.201-216
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• 2022

Materials and techniques used for two portraits (Jo-nyeon Lee and S ung-in Lee) of the Lee family from Seongju enshrined in Seongsan temple were scientifically analyzed, and based on the data, an optimal replica restoration method was designed. According to the expression technique investigation, both portraits were expressed mainly in line drawing, but there were differences in shoes, pupils, the color expression of flesh, overpainting, and traces of reinforcement. Pigment analysis revealed that a mixture of cinnabar and minium, organic pigment, azurite, malachite, lead white, and yellow pigment were used in common. In the case of Sung-in Lee's portrait, seokganju and atacamite were also used. In addition, comparison with the contemporaneous portraits of gentry showed that the portrait style at the time was found in the two portraits, but the singularity was modified differently there. Based on the scientific analysis, it was decided to replicate the old color restoration for Jo-nyeon Lee's portrait while for Sung-in Lee's portrait, it was decided to replicate the phenomenon. Detailed coloring techniques were presented by supplementing the expression techniques that are difficult to confirm visually using scientific data. In addition, by measuring the chromaticity of representative positions in the portrait for each color and presenting the color reference value calculated as the average value, the current color of the artifact can be replicated and restored based on the objective data as much as possible.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.100-116
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• 2023

The Sinamsa Temple was built in the late Goryeo Dynasty and a gilt-bronze seated Buddha is enshrined in Geungnakjeon hall in the precinct. Various damages occurred in the gilt layer of the Buddha, such as peeling of the gilt layer and deteriorating gloss. In the study, the conservation conditions of the inside and outside on the statue were accurately investigated, and the making technique was interpreted through the material characteristics and non-destructive diagnosis of the statue. As a result, it is estimated that gold-gilding layer is pure gold, coloration pigment of black is carbon, green is malachite, atacamite and verdigris, red is red lead and cinnabar, respectively. In the deterioration evaluation, peeling, cracking, break out and exfoliation of the gilt layer are confirmed as damages, but the conservation condition is relatively wholesome. However, the gloss of the gilt layer is calculated to be wider in the poorer part than the maintenance part. The ultrasonic velocity of the statue was calculated to be 1,230 to 3,987 (mean 2,608) m/s and showed a relatively wide range. In infrared thermography, peeling was not confirmed, and no special bonding marks were found. In endoscope, some biological damage and corrosion were observed on the surface of the internal metal, and sealed artifacts were identified. Manufacturing technique based on the study, it is considered that the gilt-bronze seated Buddha was cast at once, and the mold was inverted to inject molten metal.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.219-234
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• 2014

Fabrics, natural dyed fabrics, papers, natural dyed papers and paints were examined effects of colors and mechanical properties for materials of museum collections under anoxic treatment. Anoxic conditions using nitrogen and argon were oxygen concentration 0.01%, temperature($20^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$), 50% RH and exposure time 30 days. Examined fabrics were raw silk fabric, UV irradiated raw silk fabric, degummed silk fabric, UV irradiated degummed silk fabric, cotton fabric, and UV irradiated cotton fabric. Natural dyed silk and cotton fabrics were dyed with fresh indigo, indigo, safflower, gromwell, madder sappanwood, amur cork tree, turmeric, gardenia, barberry root, pagoda tree flower, cochineal, lac, alnus japonica, gallnut, chestnut shell, and combination(indigo and safflower, indigo and amur cork tree, indigo and pagoda tree flower, indigo and sappanwood). Papers were Korean papers(mulberry paper, mulberry(70%) and rice straw(30%) mixed paper), Japanese paper(gampi paper), cotton paper, refined linen paper, cotton, linen & manila mixed fibre furnish, copy paper, news print, and alum sized mulberry paper. Natural dyed papers were dyed with indigo, sappanwood, madder, safflower, gardenia, amur cork tree, and pagoda tree flower. Paints were painted on alum-sized papers and silk fabrics using glue and pigments(azurite, malachite, cinnabar, vermilion, orpiment, gamboge, red lead, haematite, iron oxide red, indigo(lake), lac, cochineal, safflower, madder root lake, celadonite, smalt, ultramarine blue, lapis lazuli, prussian blue, kaolin, lead white, oyster-shell white, and clam-shell white). The color differences(${\Delta}E^*$) of all examined materials were below 1.5 or lowered than control samples after anoxic treatment. The variations of tenacity of yarns of fabrics and natural dyed fabrics after anoxic treatment were within that of standard silk and cotton fabrics. Gases(nitrogen and argon) and temperatures of anoxic treatment did not also affected color differences and variations of tenacity of materials.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.132-149
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• 2011

In ancient period, a variety of inorganic or organic pigments had been used as colorants in various kinds of religious and secular paintings such as tomb paintings and wall and scroll paintings in buddhist temples, and danchung(cosmic patterns) for the surface of wooden buildings. This study discusses the results obtained from an analysis of the pigments on the wall paintings of Yeongsanjeon(Hall of Vulture Peak) in Tongdo temple by a qualitative analysis using a field-XRF. The results can be briefly summarized as follows. Firstly, assuming from the major components examined from F-XRF analysis, raw materials of pigment of each color are: red to be Cinnabar(HgS) or Hematite($Fe_2O_3$); white to be White Lead[$2PbCO_3{\cdot}Pb(OH)_2$] in most cases and Calcite($CaCO_3$) or Chalk($CaCO_3$), Kaolin($Al2O_3{\cdot}SiO_2{\cdot}4H_2O$) in some cases; yellow to be Yellow Ocher[$FeO(OH){\cdot}nH_2O$]; black to be carbon(C); green on the painted surface to be Celadonite[$K(Mg,Fe^{2+})(Fe^{3+},Al)(Si_4O_{10})(OH)_2$] in most cases; dark green on the halo of figures to be Malachite[$CuCO_3{\cdot}Cu(OH)_2$], Copper Green[$2CuO{\cdot}CO_2{\cdot}H_2O$] or Atacamite[$Cu_2Cl(OH)_3$]. Secondly, incarnadine and pink were made by mixing with more than two pigments such as red and white for making various tone of colors. The qualitative analysis of pigments on the wall paintings of Yeongsanjeon, in conclusion, displays that the all pigments for ancient periods are inorganis pigments. However, it has the limitation to identify a definite kinds of mineral for each pigment because it was not possible to collect samples from cultural heritage for conducting a crystalline analysis of XRD.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.29
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• pp.1-32
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• 2023

The Paintings of a 60^th Wedding Anniversary Ceremony Created by an Unknown Painter (Deoksu 6375), housed by the National Museum of Korea, is a five-panel painting book depicting scenes from a wedding ceremony. Hoehonrye is a type of repeated wedding ceremony to commemorate a couple's 60th wedding anniversary with congratulations from the community. The paintings of the book record five scenes from the wedding: jeoninrye, a ceremony where the groom brings a wooden wild goose to the bride's house; gyoberye, the groom and the bride bowing to each other; heosurye, pouring liquor to toast to the couple's longevity; jeopbin, offering tea to guests; and a banquet to celebrates the couple's 60th wedding anniversary. The book describes figures, buildings and a variety of items in detail with delicate brushstrokes. The techniques were examined using microscopy, infrared, and X-ray irradiation and hyperspectral imaging analysis. The invisible parts were examined to identify the rough sketch and distinguish pigments and dyes used for each color. The components of the pigments were determined by X-ray fluorescence analysis, while the dyes were identified by UV-vis spectrometry. Microscope observation revealed that the fabric used for the paintings was raw silk thread with almost no fiber twist, and plain silk fabric. Hyperspectral imaging analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis, and UV-vis spectrometry confirmed that the white pigment was white lead and the black was chinese ink. The red pigments were using red clay, cinnabar, and a mixture of cinnabar and minium. Brown was made using red clay and organic dyes, and yellow using gamboge. Green was identified as indigo, malachite, chrome green, barium sulfide, and blue as azurite, smalt, and indigo. The purple dye was estimated as a mixture of indigo and cochineal, and gold parts were used gold powder. Hyperspectral images were distinguished parts damaged and conservation treatment area.