Crease

Crease refers to a line of crushed or broken substrate fibers, the result of a fold. (Smithsonian Institute, 2006)

Image of a crease in paper, used with permission by Fine Arts Conservancy Stoneledge, LLC

Related Terms

Fold

Translation

English	crease
French	pli
Spanish	pliegue
Portuguese	ruga
Italian	piega
German
Arabic
Chinese (Traditional)	皺摺

Discussion

A crease is a line, ridge, or groove in a paper or fabric, made by pressing, folding, or wrinkling with or without the aid of heat, pressure, and moisture. The fibers in the crease region may be irreversibly crushed or broken. A dog-ear crease is a diagonal fold at the corner of a page. (Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 2013). Creases typically occur in flexible materials, such as paper, and do not break through the surface of the object. Creases in the edges of works on paper can also be the result of faulty mounting.

Creases may cause aesthetic or structural problems. If the paper in a creased area is not repaired, the area could weaken or tear. To repair a crease, flatten the area by applying localized moisture, followed by applying gentle pressure with blotters or weights. Severe creases "may be reinforced on the verso with Japanese paper adhered with an archival paste."(Collector's Guide, 2014)

References

Crease. Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online. Getty Institute. 2004. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?find=crease&logic=AND&note=&english=N&prev_page=1&subjectid=300228802

Crease. CAMEO. Museum of Fine Arts Boston. July 24, 2013. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Crease

The Collector's Guide: Conserving Works In Paper. Collector's Guide. 2014. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa010.shtml

van der Reyden, D. 1994. Sources of Deterioration and Damage To Paper Materials. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.si.edu/mci/downloads/RELACT/paper_deterioration_sources.pdf

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