AbstractIn the course of a program to develop adhesives for the consolidation of paintings it was found necessary to: (1) define the aims of the research, (2) design tests which would provide information on the mechanical performance (effectiveness) of the adhesives, (3) design tests which would help eliminate adhesives with qualities hazardous to paintings. This paper describes only the tests on the mechanical performance of various adhesives: (1) adhesion to paint films, (2) adhesion to conventional and newly developed lining supports, (3) cold flow of lining adhesives, and (4) rigidity of lining laminates. Formulations of the newly developed adhesives are given.