A New Housing Concept for the Karl Friedrich Schinkel Collection: Chemical and Mechanical Aspects

AbstractThis paper describes the measures taken to rehouse the collection of drawings and prints by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the Kupferstichkabinett Berlin. Previously, the collection had been exposed to high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Housing the artworks in piles inside portfolios had caused mechanical damage. The VOC concentration in the object’s environment was reduced by replacing the main emission sources with low-emissive materials, by increasing the air exchange rate of the cabinets, and by sealing emission sources that could not be removed from the cabinets. It was decided to dispense with the application of any chemisorbents since they proved to be ineffective for the given storage situation. To avoid further mechanical damage, the objects were inserted into folders made either from cardboard or, depending on the characteristics and sensitivity of the object, from a combination of cardboard and polyester film. Groups of artworks were stored in new, lightweight enclosures that combine the advantages of the Solander box, the corrugated cardboard box, and the four-flap portfolio. Crosswise bonding of the corrugated boards provides sufficient stability. The joints that are particularly subjected to stress were reinforced with fabric. These new enclosures protect the objects from slipping and lateral impact. The historic portfolios were preserved as documentary material and are now stored in a separate place.