Restoration of nine panoramic views by Pavel Piasetsky "The Great Siberian Route. The Transsiberian Railway (1894-1899)"

Restoration artists: Anna Churuksayeva, Irina Guruleva, Valentina Khovanova, Valentina Kozyreva, Maria Matveyeva, Olga Mashneva, Nadezhda Petushkova. Yelena Rudakas, Tatyana Sabianina, Svetlana Sevastyanova,. Yelena Shashkova and Yelena Tatarnikova

Late in 2006 the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Graphic Works completed the major task of restoring nine panoramic views by the artist Pavel Piasetsky belonging to the cycle "The Great Siberian Route. The Transsiberian Railway (1894-1899)" from the collection of the State Hermitage.

These panoramas are a unique historical document from the turn of the 20th

century, the first relatively detailed and precise depiction of the great route across Siberia from Syzran on the Volga to Vladivostok in the Far East. For around a hundred years no one took an interest in the depictions and only now has it become possible to unroll the works, to set them in order and finally to put them on display.

Each of the panoramas is a watercolour depiction around 50 cm high and between 54 and 133 metres long on paper that is completely backed by fabric.

Piasetsky conveyed the impressions of his journey along the Transsiberian railway with the aid of a continuous painted strip featuring episodes from the construction of one of Russia's most important main-line railways, depictions of stations, bridges and tunnels. Here one can find views of towns, industrial enterprises, ferry crossings and also superb landscapes and genre scenes. The panoramas are interesting not only from a historical point of view, but also as an example of virtuoso mastery of watercolour technique and an original compositional approach.

The staff of the laboratory had to concurrently restore nine rolls with a total length of around 900 metres, each weighing between 17 and 25 kilos. Altogether the work took two and a half years. A special programme was devised for the use of traditional restoration methods in such an exceptional situation. Each panorama was restored in sections. First the whole of the reverse side was treated. Dust was removed, as were the attached scraps of paper and patches of paste. Various stains were reduced, gaps between the backing fabric and the paper surface were removed and breaks were reglued.

Pre-restoration examination of the panoramas revealed that the works suffered from the main types of damage typical of items that are stored rolled up but periodically unrolled for viewing and then rolled up again. Before the start of restoration all aspects of the work were studied, revealing distinctive features in the technology used to make the paper base, the state of preservation of the paint layer, the backing fabric and the glue. Microscopic and micro-chemical analysis were used, as was pH-metering. Samples were taken for study from areas on the paper with stains, heavy soiling and traces of paint running. The research element of the project was carried out by members of the staff from the Department for Scientific and Technical Examination (headed by Alexander Kosolapov) and the Laboratory for Biological Monitoring (headed by Ludmila Slavoshevskaya) with additional tests being performed by the restoration artists of the Laboratory for the Scientific Restoration of Graphic Works. The study of the work ended with photographs being taken of the most problematic areas.

Practical work on the panoramas began with the removal of surface contamination. The paper base and backing canvas were cleaned of extraneous adhesions, dust and grime. Losses in the base were made good using paper similar in quality, texture, thickness and colour to the original. Fragments were rejoined, the numerous breaks glued together. Cracks were reinforced as well as the losses caused by insect infestation. The edges of the panorama were glued up and reinforced with strips of Japanese paper.

Dust was removed from the face of the work. Grey paper adhesions and darkened glue were removed.

The final and extremely delicate stage in the restoration was tinting it in the places where the paint layer had been damaged. This work was carried out in such a way as to leave the artist's original paintwork practically unaffected. The processes employed in the course of restoration have restored the elasticity of the base of the panorama; the general tone of the paper became even and natural, the colours recovered their former resonance.

The complex restoration of Piasetsky's nine panoramas have given new life to a unique work of Russian culture and made further study and public display of it possible.

The staff of the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Graphic Works before starting work on the panoramas
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Before the start of restoration. Determining the degree of damage to the panoramas
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Preparing the next fragment of a panorama for the finishing stage of tinting
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The restorers Yelena Rudakas and Yelena Shashkova doing the tinting
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A fragment of a panorama with damage to the paint layer
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One of the panoramas with considerable losses of the base and abrasions of the paint layer
Before and after restoration
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Fragments of the panoramas with deformation, breaks and fractures of the paper base and backing fabric
Before restoration
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Fragments of the panoramas after the repair of damage to the paper base and backing fabric
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Typical damage found on all the panoramas - stains of various origins
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Fragments of the panoramas after the removal of stains
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A panorama rolled up
Before and after restoration
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