Transfer of Wall Paintings in India: A Review and Approach

In accordance with the 1964 Venice Charter, the preservation of wall paintings by detaching and mounting techniques is the last resort when all other means of protection prove to be ineffective. This method is a highly sophisticated method that is now rarely practiced. The technique has been used in India successfully to salvage many decorative schemes such as Rang Mahal at Chamba, Rupi Palace at Kulu, separation for the two-layered paintings of Thanjavur, the Buddhist rock-cut shrine at Bagh, and the Sinon and Phugtal monasteries in Sikkim and Ladakh by specific teams of specialized Indian conservators. Few of these extremely delicate techniques are included in the present knowledge systems of conservation. This paper presents the circumstances wherein the techniques of removal of wall paintings are applied, and the methodology followed in India. The knowledge and practical experiences in the transfer of historic decorative schemes during instances of natural calamities require the allocation of a specialized team of art conservators.