[Hanji Spotlighted by Europe]② Hanji Craze Upgrading the "Precious Body" Cultural Heritage Restoration Technology

Interview with Stefano Campagnolo, Director of Rome National Central Library
"Hanji, a precious material enhancing restoration convenience and durability"
"Limited artisans producing small quantities, the only drawback is supply difficulty"
"Italy, where traditional papermaking has disappeared, is working to restore traditional paper like Hanji"

Since 2016, when Hanji passed the official certification test for cultural heritage restoration paper in Italy, a total of five types of Hanji (three types from Uiryeong Sinhyeonse Hanji and two types from Jeonju Hanji) have been certified by the Italian Central Institute for Restoration and Conservation of Archival Heritage (ICRCPAL) and are currently being used in local restoration sites. In line with this movement, the National Central Library of Rome and the National Marciana Library of Venice signed a business agreement last April with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation on the "Utilization of Traditional Hanji for the Preservation and Restoration of Archival Culture" to revitalize traditional Hanji.

Director Stefano Campagnolo (62), who concurrently serves as the head of the National Central Library of Rome and the National Marciana Library of Venice.
[Photo by Heeyoon Kim]

Stefano Campagnolo (62), who concurrently serves as the heads of both libraries and is the Director of the Italian National Central Library, said in an interview with Asia Economy that Hanji is "a precious material that is thin yet strong, enhancing both the convenience and durability of paper-based cultural heritage restoration work," adding, "Since our institution holds numerous ancient documents and conducts restoration work, we look forward to active exchanges regarding Hanji in the future."

The Hanji craze in the European restoration academic community began with local restoration experts. After Hanji passed the certification test in 2016, the Vatican Museum restoration team was the first to undertake restoration work using Hanji. They successfully restored five important cultural assets, including the Cartula, a handwritten prayer by Saint Francis, and the Rossano Gospels. However, on-site, there were opinions that sourcing Hanji was more difficult compared to Japanese Washi paper.

At that time, the Vatican Museum even contacted the Korean Cultural Center in Italy directly to request the supply of Hanji for restoration purposes. Director Campagnolo explained, "The excellence of Hanji has already been sufficiently verified by restoration experts, but the problem was that, unlike Washi paper which is easily accessible, Hanji is produced in small quantities by a few artisans, making supply difficult." He added, "In April, we signed a business agreement with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, Jeonju City, and the Korea Traditional Culture Center, and through this, we aim to promote smoother utilization of Hanji in the future."

Following the agreement, the two libraries plan to collaborate with domestic institutions such as the Korea Craft & Design Foundation and Jeonju City on archival culture preservation and restoration projects using traditional Hanji. They also intend to promote exhibitions to activate traditional Hanji content, expand joint research in the field of traditional Hanji preservation among stakeholders, and discuss and research the importance of paper-based materials for archival culture preservation and restoration.

The signing ceremony for the business agreement related to 'Utilization of Traditional Hanji for the Preservation and Restoration of Documentary Culture' held last April in Venice, Italy. Kim Taewan, Head of the Traditional Living Culture Division at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (left), and Stefano Campagnolo, Director of the National Marciana Library and the National Central Library of Rome.
[Photo by Korea Institute of Industrial Technology]

The Hanji used in actual Italian cultural heritage restoration sites is much thinner and more transparent than the Hanji commonly known to us, yet it possesses strong structural integrity. Director Campagnolo, who showed Jeonju Hanji used in restoration at the restoration research room within the National Central Library of Italy in Rome, said, "Hanji is a scientific material that bonds well with other paper types and is flexible enough to withstand changes in temperature and humidity." He added with an unexpected smile, "The only flaw is that it is very expensive."

Campagnolo, a renowned musicologist, served as a city councilor in Cremona, Italy, obtained a Level 2 cultural heritage manager qualification (library field), and held positions as director of the Molise Museum and the Cremona State Library. Later, while serving as director of the National Marciana Library in Venice, he was appointed director of the National Central Library in Rome in 2021. Traveling extensively across southern and central Italy while leading museums and libraries, he naturally developed an interest in cultural heritage restoration and revealed that he had been aware of Hanji's existence early on, especially since restoration practitioners had first focused on it. He elaborated on Hanji's charm as "the unique manufacturing technique of hand-pulled mulberry fibers and the traditional molds used by Hanji artisans."

Rome and Venice, where the libraries are located, boast a long history to the extent that the cities themselves are considered cultural heritage. Especially, the National Central Library, representing the central library, and the Marciana Library, the oldest library in Italy, take great pride and have authenticity in cultural heritage preservation. Wouldn't using Korean traditional paper rather than domestic materials for restoration in such institutions be a matter of pride?

Director Campagnolo emphasized, "Unfortunately, in Italy today, the manufacturing processes and personnel for parchment and traditional paper used in restoring ancient documents and other paper-based cultural heritage have been lost, and this process itself is being restored." He added, "Therefore, the existence of Korean Hanji artisans and workshops is even more precious."

He continued, "Various restoration projects for traditional paper manufacturing are underway in Italy, but I understand that Hanji manufacturing in Korea is very difficult and faces challenges such as aging artisans and decreasing demand." He concluded, "I hope that Hanji, which embodies history, tradition, and excellent functionality, will be well preserved and expand its influence in various fields including restoration."