1. +
Art Conservation
Heather Brown
29 November 2010
2. +
Zeus of Artemisium, c. 450 BCE
National Archaeological Museum, Athens
http://www.pbase.com/bernal1/image/102613807
3. +
Courtauld Institute of Art
MA The History and Theory of the Art Museum: 1750-
present
4. What is Art Conservation?
Conservation is defined
by the American Institute
for Conservation as the
profession devoted to
the preservation of
cultural property for the
future. The term cultural
property describes a
wide variety of material
culture including objects,
collections, specimens,
structures, or sites
identified as having
artistic, historic,
scientific, religious, or
social significance.
Image courtesy of Julie Heath & Ann Creager, Lunder Conservation Center.
5. +
Inpainting an
oil painting on
canvas
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, by Lazlo Bodo.
6. +
Consolidating paint on
an architectural interior
at Shangri La
Photo courtesy of Natasha Loeblich.
7. +
Consolidating
paint on a
mask from
Papua, New
Guinea
Photo courtesy of Megan McFarlane.
8. +
Basket composed of Ceramics and glass are
organic materials inorganic materials
Photos courtesy of Winterthur Museum & Country Estate (right) & Julie Heath, Lunder Conservation Center (left).
10. +
Bathing a work
of art on paper
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, by Lazlo Bodo.
11. +
Stabilization of
a tapestry
Photo courtesy of Christina Ritschel.
12. +
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 Paul Messier.
13. +
Furniture
conservation
treatment
Photo courtesy of Brian Considine, The J. Paul Getty Museum.
14. +
Monitoring a
natural history
collection
exhibit
Photo courtesy of Tania Collas and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
16. + What do conservators do?
Photos courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Lower left and right photos by Lazlo Bodo.
17. +
AIC’sCode of Ethics
Surface cleaning
an Andy Warhol
print
Photo courtesy of Corine Norman.
18. +
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Oman.
19. +
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of the Art Conservation Department, Buffalo State College.
20. +
Examining works for treatment
Normal light
Raking light
Transmitted light or X-ray
UV light
Under magnification
21. +
Examining
works for loan
or exhibition
Michelangelo Pistoletto: From
One to Many, 1956-1974
Philadelphia Museum of Art, November 2, 2010-
January 16, 2011
22. + Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Julie Heath & Ann Creager, Lunder Conservation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery.
25. + Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Anya Shutov.
26. +
American Silver Collection
The Decorative Arts Department is
preparing to publish a catalog on the
American Silver Collection at the museum.
Before that, the silver must all be cleaned
and polished in preparation for
photography.
28. + Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Conservator measuring light levels
Photo courtesy of Anya McDavis-Conway.
29. +
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
30. + Taking light level readings
Building covers for Asian paintings
32. +
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.
33. Photo courtesy of attractions.uptake.com
F
X
R
Photo courtesy of dreamsawake.wordpress.com
34. +
Six Primary Activities of
Conservation:
Examination
Documentation
Treatment
Preventive Care
Research
Education
Photo courtesy of Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo by Joyce Hill Stoner.
35. +
What can you do to
care for your
collections?
Photo courtesy of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Photo by Lazlo Bodo.
36. + 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.
Photo courtesy of bethhellerconservation.wordpress.com
Photo courtesy of the Canadian Conservation Institute
7. Know how to store your objects. Photo courtesy of the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators
Photo courtesy Abigail B. Quandt
Photo courtesy of ica-artconservation.org
Photo courtesy ellencarrlee.wordpress.com
Photo courtesy of saveyourstuff.com
38. +
U.S. Graduate Programs in
Art Conservation
Winterthur
New York University,
Museum/University of Buffalo State University
Institute of Fine Arts
Delaware
MSc in Art Conservation MA and Certificate of MA in Art History and
Advanced Study in Art Advanced Certificate in
Conservation Conservation
Furniture, objects, painted Objects, paper, paintings Paintings, paper, photographs,
surfaces, paintings, paper, books, ph objects, textiles; minor in modern and
otographs, textiles; minor in contemporary art
preventive conservation
Tuition remission, increasing stipend Tuition remission, stipend of $13,000 Tuition remission, stipend and travel
beginning at $16,000 money for the first year= $12,000 +
$3,500
39. +
U.S. Graduate Programs in
Art Conservation
Winterthur
New York University,
Museum/University of Buffalo State University
Institute of Fine Arts
Delaware
MSc in Art Conservation MA and Certificate of MA in Art History and
Advanced Study in Art Advanced Certificate in
Conservation Conservation
6 courses in material culture (4 21 semester hours of art history Four undergraduate courses in
must be upper division) art history
2 semesters general chemistry 8 semester hours general Four science courses, at least
and 2 semesters organic chemistry and 8 semester hours one organic chemistry
chemistry, with labs organic chemistry
5 studio art courses: 2 drawing, 9 semester hours studio art Competence in studio work
1 painting, 1 3D, and 1 extra
GRE score of 1050 GRE score of 1000 GRE
At least 400 hours conservation Hands-on conservation Reading ability in languages
experience experience other than English
40. +
U.S. Graduate Programs in
Art Conservation
Winterthur New York
Museum/University of University, Institute of
Delaware Fine Arts
MSc in Art Conservation MA in Art History and
Advanced Certificate in
Conservation
60 min. chemistry exam
Presentation of portfolio (ppt Presentation of portfolio (ppt
of conservation experience of conservation experience
and 10 pieces of art) and artwork)
30 min. writing exam (discuss
30 min. writing exam (answer
the history, materials and
one of two prompt questions)
condition of an object)
Tour of facility
Tour of facility
30 min. drawing test Tour of local conservation lab
Color vision test
42. + Take classes in chemistry, studio art, and
art history/humanities; there’s a great
class at Sacramento City College called
CHEM 336 Art and Chemistry
Meet local conservators and ask if they
are willing to take interns/volunteers;
there’s a couple in private practice
Northern California Art Conservators
How to Become a Attend lectures and workshops related to
Conservator art, archives and preservation; the
California State Archives does a series of
in Sacramento
events in October for Archives Month
Join professional organizations and take
advantage of the benefits. The Bay Area
Art Conservation Guild hold events
throughout the year.
Be flexible if a great opportunity opens
up!
43. +
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, YadinLarochette, and Julie Heath for their
work on this presentation.
Sincere thanks to Brett Rodgers of AIC
for his contributions to the project.
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