Case Study

Table screen in the shape of a “shou” character flanked by Arhats

Qing dynasty

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Employing X-ray photography, conservators learnt that there were horizontal and vertical metal rods inside this table screen, In fact, the cracks this screen experienced was due to the fact that the amount of expansion of metal and wooden under different temperatures and humidity are different. Making use of the locations of metal rods and their effects to the wood obtained by the X-ray images, conservators formulated an effective plan in restoring the artefact.

The inner structure of table screen was shown using X-ray photography

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