Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. New Online Resource: Green Pigments and Paints in Persian Manuscripts 2. Poll on Use of Toluene by Paper Conservators ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Mandana Barkeshli Posted: Sunday September 20, 2026 8:37 AM Subject: New Online Resource: Green Pigments and Paints in Persian Manuscripts Message: Dear Colleagues,I am pleased to announce the completion and online publication of a new phase of the Persian Manuscript Materials Digital Database, devoted to Green Pigments and Paints in Persian Medieval Manuscripts. Supported by the Soudavar Memorial Foundation (SMF), this research brings together historical Persian technical sources with experimental reconstruction and conservation-science investigation. The newly published section includes original Persian recipes with English translations, documentation of experimental reconstructions, comparative observations, and discussion of the materials and techniques associated with green pigments and paints in Persian manuscript traditions. A particular focus is the historically important copper-green pigment zangr. Persian technical sources preserve a remarkable diversity of recipes for its preparation, involving different materials and processes. Through reconstruction of these recipes, the project investigates their material characteristics as well as issues relevant to the deterioration and conservation of Persian manuscripts. The new Green Pigments and Paints section follows our previously published Coloured Inks section and forms part of the continuing development of the Persian Manuscript Materials Digital Database. The database is freely accessible, and I hope it will be a useful resource for conservators, conservation scientists, manuscript specialists, technical art historians, researchers, and students. Persian Manuscript Materials Digital Database: https://persianmanuscriptmaterials.org/ <https://persianmanuscriptmaterials.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com> My sincere thanks to the Soudavar Memorial Foundation for supporting this phase of the research and the continued development of the database. I would be very pleased to receive comments or questions from colleagues working with manuscript pigments, copper-based greens, historical recipes, or related conservation issues. With best wishes, Prof. Dr. Mandana Barkeshli Conservation Scientist UCSI University, Malaysia Honorary Principal Fellow, Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, University of Melbourne, Australia Persian Manuscript Materials Digital Database Image 1: Safavid Persian illuminated manuscript showing deterioration associated with pure copper green, magnified 50. Checklist no. 13. Private collection (M. Atiqi). Image 2: Copper-green pigments produced through six experimental reconstruction methods based on historical Persian recipes. (c) Persian Manuscript Materials Project. 2.From: Emily Benton Posted: Sunday September 20, 2026 8:37 AM Subject: Poll on Use of Toluene by Paper Conservators Message: I am an independent conservator conducting research on the use of toluene by paper conservators. Toluene is considered a problematic solvent due to health and safety risks, so I am investigating how it is used so that alternative solvents for treatment can be found and tested. I am reaching out to conduct a brief survey on the current and historical use of Toluene by paper conservators. This survey is collecting information in order to understand how toluene is used, how it has been used in the past, why it is no longer being used, and what It has been replaced with. It should take less than 10 minutes to fill it out. The results of this poll will be used to test out alternatives to toluene by determining what are its most common uses. From there, an experiment will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of toluene vs the experimental alternatives. Hopefully, depending on the results, this research will be published and shared to encourage the use of safer and greener solvents by paper conservators. You can find the poll here: https://forms.gle/GqAgE5LEoszAuMx89 Thank you very much for taking your time to read this fill this out. ------------------------------ Emily Benton Graduate Student (Class of 2026) University of Amsterdam Program in Conservation and Restoration Amsterdam Netherlands ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
