The research group Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES) of the University of Antwerp (Faculty Design Sciences, Conservation-Restoration), in collaboration with the AXIS research group (University of Antwerp, Department of Physics), is looking for a full-time (100%) doctoral candidate in the interdisciplinary field of Applied Sciences and Heritage science, focussing on the material technical study and chemical characterization of impermeable coatings on historical horse-drawn vehicles.
The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20 000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape. ARCHES is a research group associated with the educational programs of Conservation-Restoration and Heritage studies. The group's mission is to build bridges between various scientific fields (Life, Social and Natural Sciences), in pursuit of improving the conservation of both tangible and intangible heritage. AXIS is a research group specialized in non-invasive analysis and imaging of cultural heritage and museum objects and intensively collaborates with various Belgian, European and American museums.
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Up to the early 20th century, carriages and sleighs have played a central role in society and thus are present in many museum collections today. Yet, the heritage of horse-drawn vehicles (Hippomobile heritage) remains a vastly understudied area in heritage scholarship, especially when it comes to materials, technology and degradation. This research aims at gaining a deeper understanding of one of the most complex materials found in carriages: impermeable lacquer coatings.
Because of their nature and use, horse-drawn vehicles were systematically exposed to environmental agents such as (UV) light, moisture, atmospheric pollution gases and dirt/dust. The water-sensitive materials that form part of these vehicles were protected against the adverse effect of the environment through the application of impermeable lacquer coatings. These are complex, multi-layered organic coatings, composed of mixtures of various natural resins, drying oils, metal driers and pigments, but possibly also early synthetic materials (in 19th and 20th century). During ageing, these materials interact with each other and with environmental agents, further complicating the overall chemistry of the coatings.
Today, the lack of research on the history, composition and reactivity of these multilayered coatings, makes it impossible to design a well-informed conservation plan for hippomobile heritage. The lacquer on the exterior of historical horse-drawn vehicles, when original, is often found in a poor conservation state. Given the key twofold function of lacquer on carriages and sleighs, i.e., protective and decorative, its degradation can have dramatic consequences on the overall condition of the objects and cause a drastic loss of aesthetic, historical and thus (future) valorization value for the museums they are kept in.
This research aims at filling this critical knowledge gap by means of a multidisciplinary approach, combining (1) material characterization of historical vehicles by means of state-of-the-art analytical methods, with (2) research of written and visual sources and reconstruction of historical lacquer coatings. The fundamental information obtained in this project will allow to shed light on the composition and technology of these impermeable coatings. These results will complement previous research conducted on European lacquers employed for indoor applications, finally allowing to obtain a complete picture on lacquer materials and on the historical evolution of waterproofing and material technology as a whole.
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.