Rattan, a climbing palm of the tropical region of Southeast Asia, supplied material for objects of myriad purposes including ceremonial, religious, utilitarian, and artistic. They are represented by contemporary artworks and artifacts at the Museums of Singapore as well as at the Smithsonian Museums; the Smithsonian collection shows reverence for rattan’s extraordinary properties. The beauty and value of rattan is defined by its surface, therefore understanding its characteristics is essential to the development of an informed preservation strategy. How do we identify rattan? What defines its surface? Rattan morphology and surface chemistry were characterized by multi-scale analytical, laboratory methods. The biogenic silica which constitutes this lustrous surface on rattan, was examined in fresh samples from Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Malaysia and compared with rattan from historic artifacts. The methods of processing rattan which have a direct impact on the siliceous layer were recorded during field work in SEA region. That, and the chemical analysis of the biogenic silica layer, provide a basis for preservation of rattan artworks and artifacts in the museum context.
About the Speaker
Hanna Szczepanowska is a material scientist specialized in analysis of cultural heritage material. Currently she is a professor at West Virginia University teaching Technical Art History course. She is also a Physical Scientist at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington DC. During her 4-year contract in Singapore she established a research laboratory and analytical research program for the collection of Southeast Asian artifacts at the National Heritage Board in Singapore. Before that she worked for 14 years at the Smithsonian Institution, and was also an adjunct professor at George Washington University, Washington DC. Hanna has a Masters degree in conservation from the University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Torun, Poland, and PhD from the University of Lyon, France, in material science. She authored a handbook, Conservation of Cultural Heritage: Key Principles and Approaches, Routledge 2012.
