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After conducting a number of tests aimed at consolidating the parts of the paint-layer that are flaking off, an exemplary conservation has been carried out on a section of the wall paintings measuring 40 x 80 cm. Taking these preliminary findings as a basis, Martina Oeter and Barbara Sedlaczek suggest the following plan for the conservation of the wall paintings:
 Sculpture and painting in the Kanji temple.
Measures
- Consolidation of endangered parts of the paint- layer along cracks and holes throughout the interior of the building.
- Consolidation of the flaking paint-layer (mainly on the entrance wall).
- Cleaning of the painted surfaces
a) by removing dust with a soft brush,
b) removing the clay runners and splashes of clay and lime with fibreglass pencils and moistened cotton buds, and
c) by removing the surface veil of lime with moistened cotton buds.
- Filling the cracks and areas of missing paint-layer with different kinds of clay and additives.
- Partial retouching of the clay fillings and damaged areas of the paint-layer with the appropriate background colour.
- Beginning with the consolidation of all endangered surface areas the work will be carried out wall by wall (or half-wall by half-wall), continuing with the entrance wall which displays the most serious damage.
Necessary Time
A rough estimate of working days per person needed to conserve the interior of the temple:
- Entrance wall: 140 days + 6 days for preparation and documentation
- Right-hand wall: 100 days + 6 days for preparation and documentation
- Left-hand wall: 75 days + 6 days for preparation and documentation
- Main wall: 40 days + 6 days for preparation and documentation
As a team of three persons per stage is suggested the painting restoration will amount to 4 months of work. The painting conservation can begin as soon as the roof of the temple has been replaced.
Retouching
In the sections where the surface of the wall paintings is still largely intact the colours are relatively bright. This contrasts strongly with the white ground-layer which has been exposed in several places. This white ground-layer is particularly apparent where the uppermost layer of paint has fallen off or where water damage has occurred. In addition, the comparatively light-coloured markala plaster used to fill cracks and cover areas of lost painting is equally aesthetically disturbing.
Within the section that was cleaned and consolidated in September 2000 these patches were retouched with ‘acqua sporca’, that is, coloured water, used for all backgrounds alike. It became clear that this is still not pleasing enough optically as the difference between the bright and dark parts of the painting are too great to use one single colour to retouch all the clay fillings and areas of exposed ground-layer.
The minimum solution for retouching would thus be to use ‘aqua sporca’ in different tones to correspond with the surrounding painting. The maximum solution would be a colour- retouching of the crack infills and areas of missing paint. It would also be conceivable to combine the two methods in such a way that the crack infills would be retouched with aqua sporca and the areas of lost paint retouched in colour. In order to reach a final decision on the method(s) to be used these will be tried out on small patches during the first stage.
Contacts with locals have revealed that retouching and repainting lost surfaces would be important for them. However, the conservers will only retouch those sections where the paint- layer is still fairly complete in order to harmonize the impression of the paintings. Any repainting of the larger areas of missing painting must be discussed with the Drikung order and in case of a positive decision done by a painter belonging to the order.
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