The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City is an art gallery in itself. Its exquisite frescoes depict select accounts from the Old Testament, mostly the Creation and Noah's Ark. It took Michelangelo four years to complete one of the most iconic works of art in history.
Today, the entire gallery is at risk of losing out to the weather. According to Rhodi Lee of Tech Times:
The Vatican revealed on Oct. 30 that the air pollution brought on by tourists flocking to the Sistine Chapel every day has had a negative effect on the chapel's frescoes.
Officials started to notice four years ago that the frescoes were turning white. Calcium carbonate and calcium bicarbonate deposits covered pockets of the frescoes and while these were removed and did not cause permanent damage to the paintings, such calcium buildup could have resulted in lasting damages.
The medium used to express the painting makes it vulnerable to heat and humidity. Howard L. Rehs, who heads Rehs Gallery, Inc. in New York, says canvas and wood—popular supports for oil paintings—are porous. Moisture tends to loosen the bond between the paint and medium, causing it to flake. Meanwhile, having been subjected to cracks prior to Michelangelo's work, the application of plaster made the ceiling porous and vulnerable to humidity.
In response, Vatican officials resorted to modern technology to preserve the art. They asked Carrier to install an HVAC system that kept temperatures between 20OC and 25OC, and humidity levels between 50% and 60%. It's well within Rehs' ideal environment of 24OC and 55% humidity. The frescoes can now keep up with the changing environment, even with hundreds of visitors releasing carbon dioxide.
You don't have to be at an art gallery to remember this. After all, you may own a precious and genuine oil painting at home. The problem is that it's difficult to replicate the above settings at home with the temperature and humidity swinging back and forth. Rehs said paintings can withstand the test of time as long as they are not exposed to sudden changes.
Adequate air conditioning for Shreveport homes and offices can make it happen, however. Technicians from a company like AccuTemp Cooling and Heating can run an assessment of your premises and determine the right HVAC design plan. Aside from Carrier, they also offer other major brands like York, Trane, Lennox, and American Standard.
With adjustable thermostats, any HVAC system can help preserve works of art, even in humid areas like Louisiana. If your air conditioning eventually breaks down, count on Shreveport, LA air conditioning repair technicians to get it back up and working again.
(Source: Vatican battles Sistine Chapel frescoes damage with new air conditioning, air filtration system, Tech Times, November 2, 2014)
