Preservation and conservation of traditional antique Chinese painting and calligraphy seen through observation and examination of works of art

Summary This paper emphasizes the importance of examination and research into historic works of Chinese painting and calligraphy as a means to observing the effects of preservation and conservation methods, present and past. Deterioration of hanging scrolls and hand scrolls is described, along with traditional storage enclosures, as well as some conservation techniques for these materials. The principles of ‘flatness, softness, thinness, and brightness’, as applied to the mounting of hanging scrolls, are explained.