Scientific Study of the Painted Buddha Statues Excavated in Shandong by Multi-Techniques – Conservation and Virtual Restoration

A great number of Buddha Statues were excavated in Qingzhou, Shandong Province in China, in 1996. The statues were finely carved and painted with great artistic value and historical value. After long-term hoarded, the painting is faded and some of the statues were damaged during the history. In order to understand the materials used for the painting, the reason of the damage caused, and to provide scientific information for conservation, systematic investigation by using multi-techniques were carried out, instruments used including X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), Raman Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), 3-D Laser Scanner and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) etc. Based on the scientific investigation results in combining with historical documents, the statues were virtually restored. The results are not only important for conservation and restoration, but also provide people the original view of the valuable cultural heritage relics.

Prof. Dr. Shuya Wei is currently a professor in the Institute of Cultural Heritage and History of Science & Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing. After she finished her PhD study at the Institute of Chemical Technology and Analytics, Analytical Chemistry Division, Vienna University of Technology in 2007, she worked as a conservation scientist in the Institute of Natural Sciences and Technology in Art, Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna until June 2013. Her main research interests focus on the scientific investigation of Cultural Heritage objects, by using multi-techniques, especially Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS).