Prof. Dr. Andrea Renate Pataki-Hundt
Dipl.-Rest.Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences

Campus Südstadt
Ubierring 40
50678 Köln
Room 101
Mailing address
+49 221-8275-3579
andrea.pataki@th-koeln.de
Office hours
office hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Campus Südstadt, Ubierring 40, Room 101
During the pandemic it is always possible via Zoom, Teams365, Skype, or telephone
Official capacities
- Equal opportunities
Research fields
-
Method development for restoration, material identification and artificial ageing, 3D profilometry, MHT, DSC
-
Development of conservation methods, material connaisseurship and techniques of artificial ageing processes
Projects / Cooperations
-
Georgia- Codicology and Preventive Conservation, 2025-2027DAAD Programm Ostpartnerschaften
This project proposal as part of the DAAD Eastern Partnerships programme builds on funding from the Eastern Partnerships programme from 2022-2024. The project focuses on codicology, i.e. the science of books, and preventive conservation. The partner universities in Georgia are the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (TSA, Partner A) and Tbilisi State University (TSU, Partner B). On a humanities level, competences and research work in codicology, linguistics and the preventive handling of manuscripts and books flow together. Other partners are the National Centre of Manuscripts in Tbilisi and the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi, which address relevant research questions with their manuscript collections and museological expertise. A further aim of the proposed project is to publicise and implement the new teaching formats with the Georgian cooperation partners. The project contents of codicology and preventive conservation are the connecting link that needs to be shared. The five outlined institutions (CICS Cologne, TSA, TSU, NCM and GNM) would like to further deepen the German-Georgian basis for the handling, understanding and preservation of written cultural heritage. The existing bilateral contacts are to be expanded through the Eastern Partnerships programme in the direction of broader, interdisciplinary and more sustainable cooperation. The new Gelati Rehabilitation research project (https://gelatirehabilitation.ge/en/), which is led by a project partner, the Georgian National Museum, also serves this purpose. The representative, Prof Dr Davit Lordkipanidze, has proposed us as an associated project partner. With the five participating institutions, the fields of philology, codicology, preventive conservation of German and Georgian manuscripts, restoration and conservation, museology and scientific art technology are covered with a high level of expertise on both the Georgian and German sides. The diversity of the research material provides the actors and participants with a diversified view of the subject areas described above. -
"green solvents" for consolidation of vegetable tanned leathers with aerosols, 2024-2025https://www.dbu.de/foerderung/projektfoerderung/foerderthemen/bewahrung-und-sicherung-national-wertvoller-kulturgueter-vor-schaedlichen-umwelteinfluessen/
Red rot leather is a known damage of books from the 19th century in national and international libraries. The surfaces are vulnerable and cannot easily digitalized nor scientifically researched. The development of a standadised consoldation treatment is one of the key goals of this research project funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt in 2024 to 2025, Förderthema 12. -
Consolidants for red rot leather investigated by means of 3D profilometry, 2024
The research instrument is a 3D profilometer which is able to analyse surfaces in the range of µm. Within the research project, adhesives are mend to be investigated. The adhesives are supposed to be applied with aerosols in the case of red rot leather. -
Newly intended! - "Puzzle" learning in conservation, 2022-2023YouTube Papierrestaurierung
The conservation programme - books and paper - at the Cologne Institute of Conservations Sciences (CICS) implies a high responsibility for the students as well as for the lecturers. Handling and caring for original works of art on paper and books need a close cooperation between the players - students, lecturers and objects. To keep the contact time with the students as high a possible, special parts of the study programme are converted to video clips. The students choose based upon thier intrinsic competences the contents they want to deal with and they want get confronted. The didactic principle "flipped classroom" is applied and is reflecting a high choice of contents. -
Georgia- Codicology and Preventive Conservation, 2022-2024https://www.daad.de/de/infos-services-fuer-hochschulen/weiterfuehrende-infos-zu-daad-foerderprogrammen/ostpartnerschaften/
The present project proposal within the framework of the DAAD Eastern Partnerships Programme builds on the cooperation between the Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS) at the TH Köln and the Cluster of Excellence "Understanding Written Artefa -
Recognising and reusing bindings contaminated with Schweinfurt greenery and creating a model for preventive handling of such bindings, 2020-2021KEK Arsen
In co-operation with the Bonn University and State Library, green volumes mainly from the 19th century have been excavated. All books that are possibly contaminated with Schweinfurt green are identified on the basis of external criteria in the holdings of the ULB Bonn. Once the volumes have been removed, they are taken to the TH Cologne, CICS. There, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction will be used to determine whether the specific pigments can be found in the parts of the books analysed. The results will be used to create a catalogue of actions that can be used to identify potentially critical books and make them usable again. The catalogue will also set out possible patterns of action for dealing with these books. This project is funded by the Coordination Centre for the Preservation of the Written Cultural Heritage (KEK: https://www.kek-spk.de/start) in 2020 and 2021.
Publications
-
Publikationenhttps://www.th-koeln.de/mam/downloads/deutsch/hochschule/fakultaeten/kulturwissenschaften/f02_cics_sgb_publikationsliste_2024_12.pdf
Andrea Pataki-Hundt
Publications
- Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Gaubitz, Mareike; Gärtner, Bettina; Philippi, Alexander (2024): Puppet Collections and Virtual Reality Technologies : An Interdisciplinary Project Between Theater and Conservation Studies. In: Journal of Paper Conservation : IADA reports., S. 1 - 7. (peer-reviewed)
- Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Börngen, Marlen (2024): Mix it! Shake it! Taste it! – Humorvolle und inspirierende Prüfungsformen mit Studierenden entwickeln. In: Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre. Vol. 115, S. 61 - 74.
- Jacek, Bert; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate (2024): Zum Umgang mit fotografischen Sammlungen : Eine Einschätzung aus konservatorisch-restauratorischer Sicht. In: Rheinform: Informationen für die rheinischen Museen. Vol. 2024, S. 26 - 29. (peer-reviewed)
- Wetten, Juliana; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Deering, Katharina; Börngen, Marlen; Presslmayr, Daniel; Spiegel, Elise; Flock, Hannah; Blumenroth, Diana (2024): Arsenic Pigments in Libraries – Testing Methods, Contaminated Spaces, and Occupational Safety Measures, Arsenpigmente in Bibliotheken – Prüfverfahren, kontaminierte Räume und Arbeitsschutzmaßnahmen. In: Restaurator.
- Reiche, Ina; Müller, Katharina; Egel, Ellen; Lopes Aibéo, Cristina; Puskar, Ljiljana; Schade, Ulrich; Hundertmark, Margit; Theuerkauf-Rietz, Christine; Schirmacher, Katarzyna; Schütrumpf, Britta; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Bispinck-Roßbacher, Julia (2024): Parchment Preservation State of the Prayer Book of Mary of Guelders. In: Applied Physics A : Materials Science & Processing. Vol. 131 (2025). (peer-reviewed/Open Access)
- Tempich, Svenja; Börngen, Marlen; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate (2023): Untersuchung und Behandlung von wasserempfindlichen Grafiken von Michael Buthe („Espagna“ von 1974/1977). In: Zeitschrift für Kunsttechnologie und Konservierung. Vol. 36, S. 317 - 325. (peer-reviewed)
- Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Schwoll, Sonja (2023): Binding : Structure, Functionalty, and Integrity. In: Bainbridge, Abigail (Hrsg.): Conservation of Books. London: Routledge, S. 671 - 680. (peer-reviewed)
- Börngen, Marlen; Jacek, Bert; Linden, Maike; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate (2023): Naumburg Choir books : Oversized Wooden-Board Conservation. In: Care and Conservation of Manuscripts 18 : Proceedings of the Eighteenth International Seminar Held at the University of Copenhagen 14th-16th April 2021. 18. International Seminar on the Care and Conservation of Manuscripts ; Copenhagen, Denmark; 14.04-16.04.2021., S. 55 - 69. (peer-reviewed)
- Merz, Kerstin; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate; Jacek, Bert (2023): Conservation of an Oriental Binding : Removal of an Old Repair from the Book Spine and Filling of the Uncovered Loss. In: Leather and Related Materials Working Group Newsletter : Leather and Related Materials Working Group., S. 10 - 11. (peer-reviewed/Open Access)
- Bretzendorfer, Charlotte; Pataki-Hundt, Andrea Renate (2022): The BELO Vacuum Press. In: Journal of Paper Conservation : IADA reports., S. 1 - 3. (peer-reviewed)
Talks
-
Handling arsenic-containing objects based on the (S)TOP principle, literature, handoutsTechnoseum
This online presentation dealt with the handling of arsenic-contaminated objects based on library holdings. The basics of occupational safety, risk assessments and the implementation of measures were presented.
16.1.2025 -
Some thoughts introducing the capability of ICOM – CChttp://www.erc-bpcr.org/OurEvents/conference2023/WrittenHeritage2023Program.pdf
The institutions ICOM-CC will be presented according to the structure, the business fields and the main focus of the different working groups. ICOM-CC (International Council of Museums- Committee for Conservation) is the largest group within this international museums’ association. The 23 working groups of all sorts of object groups and materials promote conservation/restoration perspectives and state of the art research topics. ICOM-CC is also a platform for networking, for spreading knowledge, and for bringing together specialists from all over the world. Not only the triennial meetings, but also the interim meetings stand for an exchange of developments and museum related interests. The last triennial meeting just happened in September 2023 in Valencia, Spain. About 900 delegates came together. The working group graphic documents have in total about 140 members. Among these members a high rate of book and paper conservators are present who take the chance to exchange knowledge and present the latest research findings
03.11.2023 -
Mix it! Shake it! Taste it!https://turn-conference.org/speicher/turn23/
14.09.2023 -
Are old conservation treatments the new challenges? The case of St. Mark’s bookshttps://nors.ku.dk/cc/
20.04.2023 -
Ageing and surface characteristics of natural and semi-synthetic adhesives for pigment consolidationhttps://www.munchmuseet.no/en/about/research/munch2022-conference/
22.03.2022 -
Measuring, testing and housing arsenic containing books
The university and county library in Bonn (ULB Bonn), and the University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln), both Germany, cooperated on behalf of dealing with arsenic containing books. This research project looked at the analytical measurements of green coloured areas with XRF- and Raman-spectroscopy from the 16th to the 20th century. In total, around 300 books were analytically investigated with XRF. The elements Arsenic, and Cupper were found in changing intensities at about half of the volumes. If the intensivity was very low, the assumption is, that the Arsenic derives from a pesticide treatment. The source of Arsenic of books before 18th century derives from Orpiment, mixed with blue pigments. To distinguish Emerald Green from Scheel’s Green, Raman spectroscopy was used as an analytical tool. Additionally, an industrially Testkit for Arsenic was evaluated as an alternative measuring tool for small institutions. This high sensitive custom made Testkit is used to test water quality. It is reproducible and can be transferred to pigment testing in a dry state. The MQuant Arsenic-Testkit is easy to use, and can be applied after a short training phase. Finally, prototypes for housing systems were developed to fulfill health and safety guidelines when handling arsenic containing books. The main requirement for a housing system is the contactless handling with visible parts in the boxing system. Therefore, corrugated boards including Melinex parts were used for various clamshell boxes and book shoe variations.
12.9.2022 -
Handling arsenic containing library materialF02, CICS, Arsen 2022
Juliana Wetten and Andrea Pataki-Hundt travelled for a one-day workshop to the National Libraray in Den Hague to introduce the handling and low-tech testing for arsenic containing books. The participants started after a short introduction by PPT and a video with testing. In the afternoon the workflow for implementing all security checks and guidelines are presented and discussed.
25.4.2022 -
Introduction: adhesives and consolidantsF02, CICS, mare nostrum 2022
The variety of natural and semi-synthetic adhesives are described. The presentation shows starch based adhesives, cellulose ethers, and protein based adhesives and consolidants.
9.3.2022 -
Ageing and surface characteristics of natural and semi-synthetic adhesives for pigment consolidationMunch Conference 2022 Oslo
The consolidation of thin layer paint layers or drawing materials is a non-reversible technique. Even if the application is performed with aerosols, the consolidant cannot be removed at a later date, because the amount of adhesive is minimal. Therefore, the invasive and in most cases necessary conservation treatment of pigment consolidation needs to be evaluated on behalf of the stability of the consolidants. The colour stability as well as the mechanical stability need to be permanent and durable. However, the artificial ageing tests of adhesives for consolidation are complex and not available as standard procedures. The ageing characteristics of cellulose ethers are quite stable, even those of Hydroxypropyl cellulose. However, it is not possible to use the same ageing protocol for cellulose ethers than for protein-containing adhesives such as gelatine, sturgeon glue or mixtures of protein and polysaccharides such as Funori and JunFunori, because of its heat sensitivity. Mixtures of heat, humidity and light needs to be applied for artificial testing to receive a profound perspective of the permanence and durability of the adhesives used for consolidation. When applying the various adhesives, the surface characteristics are interesting as well. Some of the adhesives are matt by nature and others are matt because of a rough or matt support. These correlations are interesting to observe. Funori is for example a matt consolidant by nature in comparison to gelatine. However, if gelatine is applied on a rough surface, even gelatine turns into a matte consolidant. These characteristics of adhesives of thin layer pigment consolidation are very important to be aware of. This is extremely important when consolidating thin layer pigment layers such as drawings and sketches from Edvard Munch. In these cases a single layer of consolidant might be sufficient to enhance the cohesion bonds of the pigment layeras well as the adhesion bonds to its support. The ageing and surface characteristics are then intrinsic parameters for choosing the appropriate consolidant.
03/22/2022 -
Interfacing conservation practice and virtual presentationhttps://iada-home.org/de/konferenz/konferenzinformation/
This interdiscipinary project based upon a preventive conservation students projects at the Deutsches Forum für Firgurentheater und Puppenspielkunst describes the didactic format between conservation, art didactic, virtual formats, and a puppet collection
17/02/2022
Conferences
-
Workshop about exchange of exerience: handling, testing and storing arsenic containing bookshttps://www.th-koeln.de/weiterbildung/erfahrungsaustausch-umgang-mit-arsenbelasteten-buechern---erkennen-testen-umgang-und-verpacken_94079.php
The results of the research project about arsenic containing books will be presented. The way of detecting arsenic by instrumental instruments (XRF, Raman) as well as with the help of a Test Kit are topics of the two-day workshop. Arsenic can derive from Orpiment or Scheels Green or Emerald Green.The PPE- the personal protective equipment and the handling and storage solutions will be discussed. The books which were measured come from the 17th to the 19th century. Finally a risk assesment will be presented and evaluated.
29. bis 30.9.2022