a method for treatment of an organic material containing art object , such as a wood carving , a painting on wood or canvas , a textile hanging or a tooled leather saddle , for preservation and restoration thereof . the method includes the steps of partially impregnating the art object with an unsaturated resin and exposing the partially impregnated art object to a large dose of radiation to polymerize the resin , without addition of any catalysts and without the production of any significant exothermic reaction . the polymerized resin strengthens the art object and the radiation sterilizes the art object , destroying insects , molds , and other destructive biological vectors .