Study on alternative textiles to Tetex TR for use as reinforcement material in the restoration of paintings on canvas support: first results

The present work shows the outcomes from a first experimental analysis that aimed to find a support fabric with the functional features of Tetex TR (a polyester fabric), which, currently, is no longer produced. The study is divided in different stages: on the one hand, four different fabrics were selected and tested by a visual exam under a microscope in order to determine their main structural features; on the other hand, several mock-ups were prepared to compare and evaluate the mechanical behaviour, chemical stability and reversibility of the fabrics, before and after an artificial ageing process. The results show the possibility of replacing Tetex TR with some of the tested fabrics for local interventions on textile support, introducing new accessible and affordable materials into the field of canvas painting restoration.