In the introduction to The Care of Prints and Drawings, paper conservator Margaret Holben Ellis writes: “This is my first opportunity—and I seize it eagerly—to say that the careful matting, hinging, and framing of prints and drawings according to conservation standards is one of the most effective ways to provide a longer life for these works of art.”
We agree. The most fundamental of all the framing procedures is the hinging of the work itself. Since the paper hinge is pasted directly to the artwork, the process is inherently risky. The quality of the adhesive, the nature of the paper hinge, and the technique of the practitioner—all are crucial. Paper conservators are unanimous in recommending rice or wheat starch paste, made fresh by the framer, and Japanese paper (washi) for making the hinge. The proper technique comes only with experience, and to become fully trained to practice all the skills required in hinging takes years.
There are no acceptable shortcuts. Various tapes and adhesives have been marketed in recent years as “archival” or “conservation” quality for hinging works of art. Unless they meet the strict standards outlined above, avoid them.
