The study of wax used in Chinese painting

• Main Authors: Chih-Cheng Yeh, 葉志誠
• Other Authors: Wan-Fu Lien
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/71950284002009159419

碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 文化資產維護系碩士班 === 93 === The base materials for ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy include silk fabric, Xuan paper, and cotton paper. The qualities of these materials are soft, flexible, and thin. However, these materials will result in wrinkles after the drying process. It is necessary to mount the painting with paste by using cotton or Xuan paper. The main processes for mounting in the traditional Chinese way are as follows: to choose the material for mounting, to dry in the shade, to cut in order for the central part of the painting, to ornament the edge with matched material, to stick and inlay, to support the back of the painting, to polish with wax, to add the pole on the top and bottom of the painting, to pack, and to complete the works. The ancient painting and calligraphy after polishing with wax will guard against bug, possess the properties of moisture-proof, flexibility, and smooth. The ancient painting and calligraphy will also be able to endure break and keep the brilliance after rolling up and spreading. To mount a painting using ancient technique not only can preserve the present painting and calligraphy, but also can restore the ancient cultural objects. This mounting technique has become a national treasure and a part of life in Taiwan. The National Palace Museum is the only one public institute using traditional technique for mounting. Most of the private workers usually neglect the calendering process of mounting work. The calendaring method needs to be handed down, or it will be disappeared and become a part of memory in history. The purpose of this study is to investigate the properties of mounting wax, to let the user of calendaring know better about the mounting wax, and then to conserve the cultural asset. In this study, the total reflection infrared spectrometer and the mass spectrometer have been used to investigate the structure of wax molecule. The results show that five common used waxes all are long chain hydrocarbons including functional groups of hydroxy, alkene, organic acid, and ester. Element analysis results showed the ratios of C/H of five waxes are all about 1/2. The main structures of these waxes molecule are saturated hydrocarbons. The element analysis also showed that the animal wax includes more sulfur than plant wax or mineral wax. The MDSC (Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter) has been used to look for melting point and the heat absorption for various waxes. The diagrams of thermal current versus temperature of five waxes are different. The melting points of two main components of beeswax are 52.5 ℃ and 62.7 ℃; the melting points of two main components of spermaceti wax are 48.1 ℃ and 54.9 ℃ ; the melting points of two main components of Mi wax are 50.7 ℃ and 63.5 ℃ ; the melting points of two main components of palm wax are 74.0 ℃ and 93.6 ℃;the melting points of two main components of brown coal wax are 77.1℃ and 83.2 ℃ . The waxes of different cultural objects and different ages can be distinguished by analysis described above; wax analysis can assist the appraisal of cultural assets. This study also test the effects of last backing of the scroll between chinese painting and waxes. Different wax samples has its effect, the result can be the choice while doing chinese painting.