Plywood is a commonly used painting support among Taiwanese artists due to its affordability, light weight, and accessibility. This study uses "Woman" by Taiwanese indigenous artist Wen-Hsi Tu as a case study to explore conservation approaches and substitute inpainting strategies for localized material loss in plywood-based painted works. The painting experienced structural deterioration and localized losses, particularly at the lower right corner, caused by long-term exposure to suboptimal storage conditions and material aging, affecting overall structural stability and visual integrity. The conservation approach emphasizes minimal intervention and respect for the original work. Structural stabilization of the support was prioritized, and irreversible interventions on the original painted surface were minimized. Small-scale localized losses were carefully filled to restore structural and color continuity, while larger areas were treated using digitally reproduced motifs. In a digital environment, motifs were adjusted in size, position, and color to match the original work before printing on paper and adhering to a new wooden panel. The panel was integrated with a newly constructed frame to align with the missing area, serving as a substitute inpainting strategy that reduces excessive speculation and direct intervention on the original work. The study process included material and deterioration analysis, surface cleaning, support repair, preparation and placement of digitally reproduced inpainting, and assessment of treatment effectiveness. Results demonstrate that this combined approach maintains visual integrity while respecting the author’s original intent, reversibility, and conservation ethics.

Authors:
Si-Wei Lai, Cheng Shiu University, Taiwan
Hsiao-Ju Huang, Cheng Shiu University, Taiwan
I-Cheng Li, Cheng Shiu University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Si-Wei LAI, conservator at Cheng Shiu University with nearly eight years of experience, working on oil paintings, wooden, and mixed-media artworks.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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