Werkgroep bpf - Workshop Traditional Japanese Lining Methods
Workshop Traditional Japanese Lining Methods for Silk and Paper by Usami Shotokudo Studio, Kyoto, Japan
3-6 September 2024, Amsterdam
Organised by the Restauratoren Nederland with the University of Amsterdam
Written by the Book and Paper specialisation students of the Advanced Professional Programme, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, University of Amsterdam
In early September 2024, Book and Paper specialisation students of the Advanced Professional Programme in Conservation and Restoration at the University of Amsterdam had the opportunity to attend a four-day workshop on traditional Japanese lining techniques taught by the Usami Shotokudo Studio, Kyoto, Japan. The Usami Shotokudo Studio specialises in traditional hyogu (表具), a Japanese term used to describe the craft of mounting works of art on paper and silk into handscrolls, hanging scrolls, folding scrolls, and others, for preservation and display. The workshop was packed with their knowledge and expertise on their practices and ethical considerations around lining new and historical paper and textile objects.
The first day was primarily reserved for making wheat starch paste and bamboo spatulas. Although wheat starch paste is one of the most commonly used adhesives in the field of paper conservation, some steps were performed differently from what we have seen before. A notable technique was the mixing of dry starch powder and water through a sieve, which resulted in a homogeneous mixture free of irregularities. Upon cooking the paste for approximately 30 minutes in varying heat settings, the cooked paste was poured into a container and covered with a damp towel to cool overnight. Bamboo spatula making mostly consisted of sanding the pre-shaped bamboo sticks prepared by the teachers. The first type was a long, bendable spatula used to release lined objects from the Karibari, a Japanese drying board made of wooden frames, Japanese paper, and fermented persimmon juice. The second type was a blunt and slightly angled tool used for scoring paper. These handy tools were used over the course of the workshop.
For the last day of the workshop, Menno Fitski, the Head of Asian Art at the Rijksmuseum, presented a selection of hanging scrolls in the collection for discussion. Amongst the selection, a particular interest was given to a hanging scroll which had been remounted, of which its old mounting was also kept. The decision to change the silk had been made for the object due to the fragility and insufficient strength of the silk from the previous mounting. By comparing the old and new silk linings, it was possible to note the choice of fabric resembling the replaced silk motif, as well as the attention devoted to the harmony and balance of the various colours and composition with the object. Great care was also reserved for the storage of the object for which a custom box and a wooden device to expand the inner diameter of the scroll were made. The second object presented some damage in the form of cracks on the pictorial area of the object. This is an inevitable consequence of the hanging scroll’s functionality and the action of rolling and unrolling the object. In this case, it was interesting to gain the perspective of the teachers as to which would be their suggested course of action to maintain the longevity of the object. We finished the workshop with a swift and masterful demonstration by the teachers on lining large objects.