A Study in Reducing Cockling of Chinese Hanging Scrolls

Abstract

In this study, we attempted to investigate factors affecting the cockling of Chinese hanging scrolls from several practical aspects. From the experimental results, we found that artworks become more stable if they remain attached to a drying board for more than a month. After 3 months, they are nearly completely unaffected by changes in atmospheric humidity in the display space. Trimming the mounting silk in a direction either parallel or perpendicular to the weft makes a difference in the degree of cockling. If the lateral sides and top and bottom weft are perpendicular to the artwork height, the mounted artwork will cockle more than twice as much as when the weft of the painting as well as the top, bottom, and side borders are cut in the same direction. Artwork with a dry last backing mount will cockle less and have a more-uniform cockle height than that with a seated last backing mount. Regardless of whether a dry or seated backing mount is used, artwork that is attached to a drying board a second time will cockle less than one attached to a drying board only once. Waxing and stone polishing can also reduce the degree of cockling.