ABSTRACT
Conservators at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum have used a Q-Switched Nd:YAG(1064 nm) laser unit to clean marble surfaces in the collection with gratifying results. Success in cleaning stone surfaces has prompted occasional experiments with more delicate materials such as gilded frames. ISGM conservators have found that, in contrast with the parameters for working on marble, using a low energy pulse and increasing working distance to produce a diffuse spot size can, with care, effectively remove a dark layer of soiling from a vulnerable surface. The author used a similar approach to clean heavy grime and soot from a plaster cast with a darkened resin surface while preserving the resin coating. Results suggest that further studies of the potential for Nd:YAG lasers to safely clean coated surfaces should be undertaken.
