Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

374 Conservation of Furniture
The complexity of dealing with an object
that has multi-layed values and a multi-cultural
history is demonstrated by a piece of furniture
found in the collection of the Victoria and
Albert Museum, London. Figure 9.1a shows an
early nineteenth century French cabinet (accession
number 1084-1882). The front and side
panels are high quality Japanese export lacquer
dating from the 1630s (Figure 9.1b). The panels
originally formed part of a chest, as evidenced
by lacquer inserts in the side panels.
Both front and side panels are constructed
using a single softwood board onto which the
urushi decoration has been applied. The panels
are framed by ormolu mouldings. Nails
have been driven through the mouldings and
panels to fix them to the cabinet.
The side panels have a patch visible at the
top of the panel in a position that corresponds
to the position of a handle on the original chest
(Figure 9.1c). The patch is comprised of urushi
and wood and has nashiji decoration on the
back (Figure 9.1d). The patch, once fitted, was
integrated into the panel decoration using
japanning techniques. Varnish was then
applied over the whole panel. The decoration
on the side panels is now somewhat obscured
under normal viewing conditions by a cloudy
effect caused by degradation of later varnish
layers. Figure 9.1e shows patchy varnish on
one of the side panels, under UV.
Various approaches could be suggested for
the conservation of the cabinet and the lacquer
panels:
• The panels are single wide boards, prone
to expand and contract with fluctuations in
RH. In the absence of a stable environment,
it could be argued that the panels, aesthetically
and historically important in their
own right, should be removed to facilitate
their preservation in an undamaged state.
• The panels form part of a greater whole
and should not be separated from the cabinet.
Removing the panels would disrupt
the aesthetic, historical and functional
aspects of the cabinet. The cabinet should
be preserved as an integrated whole.
• The history of the panels spans 350 years.
To remove the varnish would be to disrupt
that historical continuity and diminish the
historical value of the object as a whole.
• Technical understanding of the materials
and techniques of japanning found in combination
with oriental lacquer would be
facilitated by retaining the varnish.
• Technical understanding of export lacquer
techniques would be facilitated by removing
the varnish.
• The aesthetic value of the panels is compromised
by the cloudy appearance of the
old varnish, so the varnish should be
removed.
• One of the characteristics Europeans found
desirable about Oriental lacquer its lustre
and sheen, the translucent quality of the
finish. The original intent of both the
Japanese maker of the panels and the Europeans
who fixed them into the cabinet
should be respected.
The conservation treatment of this cabinet and
the lacquer panels would be determined by
which aspect/s are most highly valued at the
present time. A good case could be made for
removing the panels or for leaving them fixed
to the cabinet. Similarly, a persuasive argument
could be made for retaining or removing varnish.
The conclusion that there are no absolutely
right answers should also lead us to the possibility
that there are no absolutely wrong
answers. Rather than abdicating responsibility,
however, we are required to exercise judgement.
Conservators are required to find a
course of action that balances conflicting values
and is ethically defensible.
9.2.4 Tools for balanced ethical
judgement
Balanced ethical decision-making is a threestage
process. First, agree a clearly defined
treatment goal with interested parties (e.g.
curator, owner, artist etc.). Secondly, establish
the relative importance of the values embodied
in the object (aesthetic, historical, spiritual
etc.), undertaking further research about the
object if necessary. Thirdly, establish a treatment
that provides the best balance between
the most important values. The following two
approaches have been proposed to assist conservators
in finding the right balance.
Caple (2000) suggested that any conservation
activity required a compromise between
the three absolutes of revelation, investigation