Visual Aesthetic Perceptions and Preferences in Conserved Objects of Plain Silk: Comparison of Three Conservation Methods

Three conservation methods were executed on bonnets in plain monochrome silk, to investigate which method is perceived as the most visually aesthetic; 11 bonnets were produced, 10 given identical damages, and 9 were conserved, 3 with each method. The damage was secured onto a support fabric with laid couching, a long stitch fastened with short perpendicular stitches, or brick couching, short stitches placed like brick-work, or covered with crepeline (a semi-transparent silk). The participants were 30 Swedish textile conservators (29 women; ages 29–78 years, M = 51.9, SD = 12.9), and 30 museum visitors (20 women; ages 15–74 years, M = 41.1, SD = 18.3). The participants’ task was to rate the bonnets on a 100-point continuous preference scale, based on how visually attractive they found each bonnet. Preferences were compared between the two groups of participants and the conservation methods. The bonnets with crepeline were the most preferred, and those with laid couching were the least preferred, among both groups of participants.