How bacteria can be trained to restore old paintings?

In Valencia, Spain, within the Santos Juanes Church, a project fuses art and science. A mother-daughter duo—Pilar Roig, an art restoration expert, and her daughter Pilar Bosch, a microbiologist—are restoring 18th-century frescoes using bacteria. 

Valencia duo uses bacteria for fresco restoration

The frescoes, originally painted by Antonio Palomino, have endured time and restorations. A 1960s restoration used glue to reattach the paintings to the church walls, hindering effective restoration. “My mother had a difficult problem to solve,” Bosch recalled. While searching for her PhD project in 2008, she found a paper on using bacteria for cleaning frescoes, which intrigued her as it aligned with her mother’s challenges.

Bosch recognized the potential of microbiological techniques for art conservation. The animal collagen glue was challenging to remove without damaging the fragile artwork. Bosch pursued her doctorate on using bacteria in restoration, leading her and her mother to collaborate on a €4 million ($4.46 million) locally funded project. They’re employing techniques that could revolutionize art restoration.

The approach starts with training specific bacteria strains by feeding them samples of the problematic glue. This allows the bacteria to produce enzymes that degrade the glue and release the frescoes. The team combines these trained bacteria with a natural algae-based gel, applied to the paintings. After three hours, the gel is removed, revealing paintings free from the sticky residue.

The cleaning technique significantly departs from traditional art restoration methods involving labour-intensive processes using warm water and sponges. “In the past, we worked in a horrible manual way that took hours and damaged the painting,” Roig explained, reflecting on the challenges faced by restorers. At 75, Roig brings decades of experience to the project from a family steeped in art conservation. Her daughter Bosch, 42, is enthusiastic about their collaboration. “It runs in the family,” she remarked as they donned lab coats and oversaw the restoration.

Bosch restores art, cleans graffiti with bacteria

In Valencia, Bosch has applied her microbiological techniques in restoration projects across Italy, including Pisa and Monte Cassino. She’s exploring how bacteria can remove spray-painted graffiti from urban surfaces, showcasing the broader applicability of this approach.

This work’s implications extend beyond restoring old paintings. The bacteria can be “trained” to selectively consume dirt or grime on the artwork, “eating away” unwanted materials while leaving the paint pigments intact. This allows for a gentler and more precise cleaning method compared to traditional chemical treatments, benefiting delicate or heavily layered artworks.

Bosch's research highlighted bacteria's potential to synthesize pigments, opening new avenues for sustainable practices in art and environmental applications. Some bacteria produce pigments that can be isolated for various uses, including paints. This fusion of microbiology and art restoration offers exciting future possibilities.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Part 1: Cloudburst  in Ganderbal's Padabal village & unfulfilled promises