Earthenware bowl | Lavina Li Portfolio

Ceramic Bowl, Before Treatment

This refined earthenware bowl was excavated at a heritage site in Ontario. Although fragmentary and incomplete, enough sherds were present to reconstruct a portion of the bowl from base to rim. Dry-fitting these fragments reveals the bowl's tapered 'London shape'.

Ceramic Bowl, During Treatment

Sherds were cleaned, consolidated, and joined using 40% B-72 in acetone. The rest of the bowl was reconstructed in segments to support floating fragments and to allow the bowl to better articulate its iconic form.

Ceramic Bowl, During Treatment

Once the fill was complete, it was carefully sanded and given a barrier layer of 5% B-72 in acetone.

Ceramic Bowl, During Treatment

Top view, before in-painting

Ceramic Bowl, After Treatment

The fill was toned with acrylic paints and gloss medium to match the colour of the interior and the undecorated portions of the exterior.

Ceramic Bowl, After Treatment

Ceramic Bowl, After Treatment

Ceramic Bowl

The treatment of this fragmentary, refined earthenware bowl provided excellent opportunities to practice loss compensation. Sherds were poulticed and cleaned to reduce residues and stains before they were joined. The missing parts of the bowl were reconstructed in segments using plaster. This was done to better associate floating fragments with the rest of the object and to articulate the bowl's iconic shape.

Besides full reconstruction, other options were considered, including partial reconstruction and less invasive mount-making solutions.

BACK