Conservators and other museum professionals face a large number of issues involving the mechanical behavior of materials, including questions on craquelure, restoring physically damaged objects, art in transport, or the selection of adhesives. However, science in conservation and museum studies curricula focusses mostly on chemistry. This book fills this important gap in conservation training. It is the first such book written specifically for the conservation community and professionals with little or no background in (mechanical) engineering. It introduces the basics of mechanical properties and behavior of materials and objects with examples and exercises based on conservation practice. More complex issues of mechanical loading and advanced solutions are also introduced.

This is a review of 190 years of literature on copper and its alloys. It integrates information on pigments, corrosion and minerals, and discusses environmental conditions, conservation methods, ancient and historical technologies.

Conservation of Easel Paintings, Second Edition provides a much-anticipated update to the previous edition, which has come to be known internationally as an invaluable and comprehensive text on the history, philosophy and methods of the treatment of easel paintings. Including 49 chapters written by more than 90 respected authors from around the world, this volume offers the necessary background knowledge in technical art history, artists’ materials and scientific methods of examination and documentation. Later sections of the book provide information about the varying approaches and methods for treatment and issues of preventive conservation, as well as valuable reflections on storage, shipping, and exhibition. Including exciting developments that have taken place since the last edition was published, the book also covers new techniques of examination, especially MacroXRF scanning and Reflectance Transmission Imagery. Drawing on research presented at recent professional conferences, information about innovative methods for cleaning modern and contemporary paintings and insights into modern oil paints is also included. Incorporating the latest regulations and understanding of health and safety practices and integrating theory with practice throughout, Conservation of Easel Paintings, Second Edition will continue to be an indispensable reference for practicing conservators. It will also be an essential resource for students taking conservation courses around the world.

This is an indispensible volume for creators, curators, and conservators of installation art. Installation art is an evolving, often ephemeral medium that defies rigid categorization. It has also radically transformed the concepts of space, time, and the experience of art. The conservation field is faced with unique challenges over how best to manage and preserve the essence of these works. How detailed can documentation get? When does the replacement of original components become acceptable? How does the field cope with the obsolescence of certain technologies? By exploring the questions and dilemmas facing those who care for art installations, this book intends to raise awareness and promote discussion about the various conservation approaches for these works.

When the J. Paul Getty Museum received 28 sculptures from the collection of Ray & Fran Stark, it found itself suddenly in the forefront of the evolving field of outdoor sculpture conservation. This volume charts presents an account of the challenges & how the J. Paul Getty Museum staff met them.

This teaching guide covers the identification, deterioration, and conservation of artifacts made from plant materials. Detailed information on plant anatomy, morphology, and development, focusing on information useful to the conservator in identifying plant fibers are described, as well as the processing, construction, and decorative techniques commonly used in such artifacts. A final chapter provides a thorough discussion of conservation, preservation, storage, and restoration methods. This is a valuable resource to conservators and students alike.

Conservation Treatment Methodology presents a systematic approach to decision-making for conservation treatments. The methodology is applicable to all cultural property, independent of object type or material, and its use will enable conservators to be more confident in their treatment decisions. Conservation Treatment Methodology is illustrated with numerous examples that emphasize the equal importance of the physical and cultural aspects of objects for decision-making. The book also explains how the history of an object and the meaning that it holds for its owner or custodian contribute to determining its treatment. Conservation Treatment Methodology is an essential text for conservators, historic preservation specialists, and restorers, as well as students. Since it is not a technical manual about how to carry out treatments, the book will also be of value to art historians and museum personnel who work with conservators. "This book is unique in its overarching, multidisciplinary approach. The writing is not only clear, but entertaining and engaging." Dan Kushel, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Art Conservation Department, Buffalo New York) State College Barbara Appelbaum is one of the premier objects conservators in the United States and the author of Guide to Environmental Protection of Collections. Practicing in New York, Appelbaum was trained at New York University and began her career at The Brooklyn Museum. The author treats a wide range of object types. Projects of note have included George Washington’s leather portfolio, a Marcel Duchamp urinal, and a Marilyn Monroe dress.

Despite the perception that artworks are timeless and unchanging, they are actually subject to biological attack from a variety of sources--from bacteria to fungi to insects. This groundbreaking volume, which publishes the proceedings of a conference held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002, explores how the development of these organisms can be arrested while preserving both the work of art and the health of the conservator.The richly illustrated text, containing the writings of over 40 scientists and conservators, is divided into sections on stone and mural paintings, paper, textiles, wood and archaeological materials, treatment and prevention, and special topics. The artworks and cultural properties discussed include, among many others, Paleolithic cave paintings, Tiffany drawings, huts built by early Antarctic explorers, and a collection of toothbrushes taken from Auschwitz victims.