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An Introduction to Art Conservation
Prepared by the
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
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Copyright 2008
American Institute for Conservation ofHistoric and Artistic Works
1156 15th Street NW, Suite 320
Washington, DC 20005
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What is Art Conservation?
Image courtesy of Julie Heath & Ann Creager, Lunder Conservation Center.
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Photos courtesy of Samantha Springer (top left), the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts(lower right), and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.
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Inpainting an oil
painting on canvas
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, by Lazlo Bodo.
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Consolidating paint on
an architecturalinterior at Shangri La
Photo courtesy of Natasha Loeblich.
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Consolidating
paint on amask from
Papua, New
Guinea
Photo courtesy of Megan McFarlane.
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Basket composed of
organic materials
Ceramics and glass are
inorganic materials
Photos courtesy of Winterthur Museum & Country Estate (right) & Julie Heath, Lunder Conservation Center (left).
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Archaeological
exploration of
Sardis, Turkey
Byzantine shop
Photo by Dylan Smith, courtesy of Kate Cuffari.
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Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, by Lazlo Bodo.
Bathing a workof art on paper
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Stabilization
of a tapestry
Photo courtesy of Christina Ritschel.
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Before and after treatment images of a gelatin silver print
Eugene Smith, Three Generations of Welsh Miners, 1950, gelatin silver print. Photos courtesy of Christina Finlayson and Pau l Messier.
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Photo courtesy of Brian Considine, The J. Paul Getty Museum.
Furniture
conservation
treatment
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Photo courtesy of Tania Collas and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Monitoring a
natural history
collection
exhibit
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Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, taken by Joe Mikuliak.
Conservators
assembling a
Louise Nevelson
outdoor sculpture
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Photos courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Lower left and right photos by Lazlo Bodo.
What do conservators do?
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AICs Code of Ethics
Photo courtesy of Corine Norman.
Surface cleaning
an Andy Warholprint
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Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Oman.
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Examination
Documentation Treatment
Preventive Care
Research Education
Photo courtesy of the Art Conservation Department, Buffalo State College.
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Photos courtesy of Joyce Hill Stoner.
An x-radiograph of N. C. Wyeths sketch for a family
portrait revealed his 1919 illustration The Mildest
Mannered Man inEverybodys Magazine
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Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research Education
Photo courtesy of Julie Heath & Ann Creager, Lunder Conservation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery.
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Treatment images of a ceramic plate
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Treated by Kate Cuffari.
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Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research Education
Photo courtesy of Anya Shutov.
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Photo courtesy of Adam Novak.
Surface cleaning
a Pablo Picasso
drawing
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Photo courtesy of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts.
Bathing two
works of art on
paper
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Treatment of an engraved
print from 1553 made up
of 17 sheets of paper for a
total of 15 feet in length
Photo courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington.
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Photo courtesy of Megan McFarlane.
Consolidating
paint on amask from
Papua, New
Guinea
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Reconstruction and
compensation for loss of
a ceramic pitcher
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, treated by Samantha Springer.
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Sculptures by John
Rogers, during
treatment (above) and
on display at the Luce
Foundation Center,
Smithsonian American
Art Museum (below)
Photo courtesy of Julie Heath, Lunder Conservation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery.
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Examination
Documentation Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Anya McDavis-Conway.
Conservator measuring light levels
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Preventive Conservation Includes:
Proper handling
Packing and transport
Housing/storage
Monitoring the environment
Conducting surveys and assessments
Preparing for emergencies
Guidelines for use of artifact or collection
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Photos courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, The Joseph H. Hirshhorn Bequest, 1981. Photo by Chris Smith.
Pablo PicassosHead of a
Womandamaged by light
exposure
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Photo courtesy of Lauren Cox.
Insect damage on
an historic carpet
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Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo Debra Hess Norris.
Paper documents and
American Civil War era
swords damaged by
Hurricane Katrina at
Beauvoir, the Jefferson
Davis residential library
and home
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Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Photo courtesy of Susan Buck.
Cross section of a
paint sample from a
historic dining room atEppington,
Chesterfield County,
VA seen at 200x
magnification inreflected visible light
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Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo by Joyce Hill Stoner.
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
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Teaching the public about art conservation at the
Lunder Conservation Center, Smithsonian Institution
Photo courtesy of Julie Heath, Lunder Conservation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery.
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What can you do tocare for your
collections?
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo by Lazlo Bodo.
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Seven Steps To Preservation:
1. Minimize the effects of light.
2. Provide stable, moderate relative humidity and temperature.
3. Minimize the effects of air pollution.
4. Minimize pest activity.
5. Know how to handle your objects.
6. Know how to display your objects.
7. Know how to store your objects.
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Minimize the effects of light
The moccasin on
the left was light
damaged whileon display;
the moccasin onthe right has
always been keptin storage
Photo courtesy of the National Museum of American Indian, Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Kelly McHugh.
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Provide stable, moderate relative
humidity and temperature
Photo provided by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
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Minimize the effects of air pollution
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.
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Minimize pest activity
Photo courtesy Paul Messier.
Insect damage to a 19th
century photograph,anonymous photographer.
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Know how to
handle your objects
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo by Lazlo Bodo.
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Know how to
display your objects
Photo courtesy of Winterthur Museum & Country Estate.
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Know how to
store your objects
Photo courtesy of Jae Gutierrez.
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www.conservation-us.org(202) 452.9545 [email protected]
How to find a conservator
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to all the individual and institutional members of AIC that
contributed images to make this presentation possible.
Thanks to AIC 2008/2009 Public Outreach Lecture Task Force
members Jae Gutierrez, Yadin Larochette, and Julie Heath for their
work on this presentation.
Sincere thanks to Brett Rodgers of AICfor his contributions to the project.