Featured Paul M. Roche Etching Washington Monument: Acidity Removal Process

I picked this etching up in Dayton, Ohio on my last trip down to auction. I wanted to be able to post the process of removing the acidity and staining from a print. I have been waiting for some really sunny days and we finally are going to have a few. I took pictures of the print as purchased and removed from the frame. I am using a plastic storage tub and distilled water. The print is sitting on a piece of plastic screen on top of the original glass. The screen is to stop the print from sticking to the glass when it dries. You need the glass for support because the paper is weak when wet, if you try to pick up the print you can tear it. I will keep posting pictures as things progress and let you know how much time it was soaking. I have done about 15-20 or prints using this method, some turned out great and I have destroyed a couple. Straight black ink etchings and lithographs seem to turn out the best. If someone could find another example of this print, that would be nice, I would like to see what color the paper was originally.

 

Another example:
https://collection.artbma.org/objects/12444/the-washington-monument

I don't know how much you can trust online photos to give you a true color sense. Just look up any famous paintings and see the variations in color quality. It's pretty much a case of chose the one you like best.

Interesting article:
https://harvardartmuseums.org/article/it-s-a-wash

 

Thanks, I think I will shoot for the lighter colored version. It is printed on Rives paper so it should hold pretty well soaking for a few days. I will flip it over and do the front on the next sunny day. Much of the toning was removed today and the second water change was pretty much clear. Now it will be a matter of letting the sun bleach the dark areas. I have used a little 3% hydrogen peroxide in the past too, but if you go to far you will end up with stark white paper.

 

My go-to chemistry is most often Sodium Percarbonate* crystals. It produces Hydrogen Peroxide when mixed with water. Excellent for removing organic material, and it can be mixed as weakly or strongly as you please. Cheap in moderate quantities, stores well, and nowhere near as aggressive as Sodium Hydroxide. It has a mild, inoffensive odor even in strength. After a few trials, you won't want to be without some.

*It's the functioning ingredient in OxyClean.

 

It sure works well on clothes and carpet stains. By the way have you tried using that archival spray for buffering paper? I think it is a solution of magnesium oxide.

 

This was the first change of the water, you can see how staining from the cardboard backing was removed. The print was soaked and in the sun for 6 hrs today, you can tell how much the staining was reduced.

 

I've washed a few prints, but only in a most elementary way. I'm not going to muck around with bleaches. They don't differentiate between paper and ink.

What I would like is a safe way to do a surface clean. I've heard of document cleaning pads, but it seems to me that they are essentially finely crumbled eraser. Makes me nervous.

 

That's the Washington Monument in Baltimore, MD. I have driven around it many a time! It is a really pretty monument and a well known landmark.

 

My dad grew up in Elkridge, we used to go to Maryland to visit relatives when I was a kid.

 

Day 2 progressing nicely, full sun today. I added 2 tbsp of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to a gallon of distilled water. Doing the front of the print today then I will decide how much more treatment it needs. Did end up with a couple small tears in the margin, easy to fix and will be under the mat anyway.

 

Very pleased with the reduction in toning today. I can tell what color the original paper was now. It spent about 4-5 hours in the bath today. I did rinse it off thoroughly before I brought it in. I think I will need another day to reduce the toning to where I want it.

 

Man, I'd be happy enough with the improvement so far! Dramatic difference. Does this process affect the ink at all?

 

The ink is oil based, it does not appear to be affected. I have had cases where the paper fell apart though.

 

Did about another 6hrs in the bath today, full sun. No hydrogen peroxide. Significantly reduced the staining on the back. I will check it when it dries. I am pretty close to the stopping point.

 

Amazing improvement! great job.