Environmental monitoring of the great painted staircase at Knole

Abstract

Environmental monitoring was undertaken to investigate whether flaking on wall paintings in the Great Staircase at Knole was related to atmospheric moisture and temperature. Absolute humidity and dew point temperature were calculated from surface temperature, air temperature and relative humidity measurements collected by electronic data loggers, and graphed to determine whether condensation occurred and moisture infiltration was present. Light exposure, previous restoration, visitor damage and salts were also considered, and correlated with weather data, observations made during emergency conservation, the results of analysis, and condition and moisture surveys. It was found that heat from sunshine causes large relative humidity fluctuations at the paint layer which is rendered particularly susceptible by its water‐sensitive priming, and probably results in flaking as well as photochemical deterioration leading to embrittlement. Loss may be exacerbated through touching by visitors. Condensation conditions were occasionally approached but no events were recorded, and comparison of internal and external absolute humidities showed no added moisture from infiltration, rising damp or visitors. Conservation measures proposed include ‘conservation heating’ and the control of sunlight, with continued monitoring to evaluate their effectiveness.

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