-
ease whereas the left hand side dragonhead required a longer
intervention asfragments from the blow were found inthe water and
had to be collected beforethe intervention could be
completed.Source AGRPRESS
X-Ray RevealsHidden GoyaPaintingAn unfinished and previously
unknownpainting by Francisco Goya has beenfound hidden underneath
one of hismasterpieces as announced by thecurators of the
Rijksmuseum inAmsterdam.
The painting was discovered beneathGoya’s Portrait of Don Ramon
Satue,and it is thought it might depictNapoleon Bonaparte’s
brother, Joseph.Although the reasons for the erasing ofthe portrait
are unknown it is reasonableto believe that Goya could have
hadpolitical motives to cover up the portraitonce the Napoleonic
army was drivenout of Spain and Ferdinand VII restored
ConservationNews inThe e-paper of the International Institute
for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
In the early hours of the morning ofSeptember 3rd, the famous
Fontana delMoro in Rome was damaged by an actof vandalism, which
was caught onsecurity camera. According to the Italianpress, a
50-year-old homeless Italianman was arrested and later confessedthe
crime, although he failed to providea motive for the offence. The
man wasalso responsible for attempting todamage the Trevi Fountain
shortly afterhis incursion in Piazza Navona.
Damage to cultural heritage by acts ofvandalism is not uncommon
in Italy, but
Issue 26, October 2011
The Tapestry RoomReinstatedConservation is under wayat the
Isabella StewartGardner MuseumFind out more on pages 5and 6
A look at Whale ConservationNiC goes to Norway anddiscover the
work of the‘Whale team” at the BergenMuseumPage 7 to 10
IIC Student and EmergingConservators ConferenceNiC’s ReviewPages
11 to 13
“La Fontana del Moro” in Rome isDamaged by Act of Vandalism
Fontana del Moro in Piazza Navone, Rome,Italy
Copyright Rafael Jimenez
what makes this episode remarkable isthe speed of the
intervention by thetechnical staff of the Board of CulturalHeritage
and Preservation, whichimmediately began work on therestoration of
the fountain. The speed ofthe intervention was also possiblethanks
to a donation by the Ambassadorfrom Bolivia and the remaining cost
wascovered using public funds madeavailable by the Mayor of
Rome.
The fountain was originally designedby Giacomo della Porta in
1575. In 1653,the statue of the Moor, by Gian LorenzoBernini, was
added. In 1874, during arestoration of the fountain, the
originalstatues were moved to Villa Borgheseand replaced with the
copies that weredamaged.
The restoration intervention focusedon the reattachment of the
two heads tothe side of the main figure, which hadbeen hit by a
heavy stone thrown by thevandal. The dragon head to the right ofthe
main figure had a clean break so itwas possible to reattach it with
relative � www.iiconservation.org
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 1
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 2
virtually and with detailed precision,and uses the latest
non-invasivetechnology to reveal archaeologicalremains hidden
beneath the soil inunprecedented detail.
Carnuntum is one of the largestpreserved archaeological
landscapes ofits type in Europe, and the site theinvestigated lay
to the west of anamphitheatre, which was built in thefirst half of
the second century AD andexcavated from 1923 to 1930.Contemporary
inscriptions claimed thatit was the fourth largest amphitheatre
inthe Roman Empire and frequently usedfor gladiatorial games. The
gladiatorschool has been compared to the famousschool located in
Rome, referred to asthe ludus magnus, the great School
ofGladiators, the amphitheatrum flavium,behind the Coliseum.
to the throne.The analysis was performed using a
mobile version of a high-resolution x-ray scanner that allows
work to becarried out in-situ without the need formoving delicate
objects as in the case ofthe Goya’s portrait. The detail on his
facewas never completed, but “thedecorations embellishing the
uniformare those of the highest ranks of achivalric order
instituted by JosephBonaparte when his brother, the
emperorNapoleon, created him King Of Spain”.
Due to the temporary closure of theRijkmuseum’s main building
until 2013,
Goya’s portrait of Spanish judge
News in Conservation is published by TheInternational Institute
for Conservation ofHistoric and Artistic Works
3, Birdcage Walk,London, SW1H 3JJ, UKTelephone +44 (0)20 7799
5500Fax +44 (0)20 7799 4961www.iiconservation.orgISSN
1995-2635EditorBarbara [email protected]
AdvertisingGraham Voce, [email protected]
Format DesignWebb & Webb Design
Limitedwww.webbandwebb.co.uk
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[email protected]
PrintingL&S Printing Company Limitedwww.ls-printing.com
Deadlines for next issue (December 2011)Editorial: 1 November
2011Advertising: 15 November 2011
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensureaccuracy, the
Newspaper Editor and IIC can accept noresponsibility for the
content published in thisnewspaper. The opinions stated in
individual articlesbelong to the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflectthose of the IIC, its officers or Council. Noresponsibility
is assumed by the publisher for anyinjury and/or damage as a result
of the application ofany method, product, instructions or ideas in
thepublication. Inclusion of a product or treatment inthis
publication does not imply endorsement of theproduct or
treatment.
© 2011 The International Institute for Conservation ofHistoric
and Artistic Works
Portrait of Spanish Judge Ramon Satue byFrancisco Goya
Roman Amphitheatre in Carnuntum,Austria
�
Ramon Satue, which was concealing theNapoleonic painting, is on
display atMuseum Boijmans Van Beuningen inRotterdam. Source BBC
News.
School ofGladiatorsDiscovered atRomanCarnuntum,AustriaA
sensational discovery took place lastmonth in Austria where a
gladiatorschool was unearthed using “georadar”technology. A team of
archaeologistsfrom the Ludwig Boltzmann Institutefor Archaeological
Prospection andVirtual Archaeology discovered the site40 km. from
Vienna, West of the ancientroman city of Carnuntum.
Georadar technology is gainingimportance as a non-destructive
tool inarchaeological explorations. It allowsresearchers to
accurately map an areaand reconstruct its characteristics
Zenodot Verlagsgesellschaft mbH
licensed under GN
U Free D
ocumentation License
Shanul (under GN
U Free D
ocumentation License)
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 2
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 3
Welcome to the October issue of News inConservation, my first as
new editor. Ihope you will enjoy reading it as much asI have
enjoyed putting it together. My firstthought goes to NiC’s previous
editors,truly amazing people, who havesupported me with their
precious adviseand help in navigating this new territory. Iwish
Vicki Humphrey all the best in hernew position as Head of
Conservation atthe National Museum Australia andthank Lucy Wrapson
for her great work asAugust acting editor of News
inConservation.
In this issue of NiC, Jessica Chloros willgive us an insight in
the conservationwork currently taking place at the IsabellaStewart
Gardner Museum to reinstate thetapestry room to its previous
splendour,while Gordon Turner-Walker talk to usabout conservation
of whale bones!
Also in this issue, NiC will talk aboutthe IIC Student and
EmergingConservator Conference, which tookplace in London on
16th–17th September2011.
One last word from me before I leaveyou to enjoy NiC; remember
that we relyon your generous contributions so pleasenote our next
deadline for submissionsand send us your news, images, projectsand
feedback.
Barbara BorgheseEditor
World Monument Fundannounces award forpreservation of two
importantheritage sites.Two World Monument Fund (WMF)projects
recently received grants fromthe U.S. State Department'sAmbassadors
Fund for CulturalPreservation.
Kilwa Kisiwani in Tanzania, once animportant East African
trading center,will receive $700,000 for urgentconservation work on
the buildings,marine restoration, a sustainablemanagement plan, and
improving theliving conditions of the island'sinhabitants. Kilwa
Kisiwani is one of themost significant historic sites along
theSwahili coast of East Africa and wasdeclared a UNESCO World
HeritageSite in 1981. Ongoing conservationprojects at the fort and
other structureswill ensure that the site continues to playa
significant role in the local economyby attracting cultural tourism
andproviding employment opportunities forlocal people.
The second site to benefit from thefunds is Phnom Bakheng, in
Cambodia,one of the oldest temples at Angkor.Phnom Bakheng is one
of the greatestexamples of Khmer architecture but itsrise in
popularity has meant that itspreservation is now threatened by
theincreasing number of visitor and the �
News in Brief
Manfred W
erner
wear from constant foot traffic isthreatening the temple’s
stability. Thesite is also subjected to environmentalthreats from
rain and erosion. PhnomBakheng will receive $400,000 tocontinue the
conservation work begunwith a nearly $1 million grant from
theAmbassadors Fund two years ago. ForMore information about the
awards andthe work of the WMF visit their
websitehttp://www.wmf.org/
Editorial
Phnom Bakheng, the main temple ofYasodharapura, the first city
in Angkor,Cambodia
New Article in Open AccessE.C.C.O. Committee members
JeremyHutchings and Susan Corr have justpublished the results of
their experiencedealing with the descriptors for
theConservation–Restoration profession inan article entitled “A
framework foraccess to the conservation–restorationprofession via
the mapping of itsspecialist”. The article was published inOpen
Access in Higher Educationjournal. It can be freely downloaded
atthe following
link:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-011-9450-y
Agreement signed to establishnew regional centre forconservation
in United ArabEmirates (UAE)In September 2011 an agreement
wassigned between ICCROM and theGovernment of Sharjah, UAE, for
theimplementation of a new RegionalCentre for the Management
andConservation of Cultural Heritage in theArab States.
The centre will be located in SharjahUniversity City and will be
the firstcentre of its kind in the Arab region.
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan AlQasimi, Member of the
SupremeCouncil and Ruler of Sharjah, in signingthe agreement
stressed the importanceof raising public awareness in the field
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 3
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 4
of preservation of Cultural Heritage, andthe need to enhance
cultural dialogueand develop cultural policies in the Araband
Muslim world. He also welcomedsupport for the Centre from
otherregional and international organizationsincluding the Arab
League Educational,Cultural and Scientific Organization(ALECSO),
the Islamic Educational,Scientific and Cultural
Organization(ISESCO), and UNESCO. (Source ICCROM)
Looting to Archaeological sitesin SyriaWhile the unrest in the
Arab worlddoesn’t cease to occupy the front page ofthe
international press, we are sorry toreport more news of looting
anddamage to cultural heritage sites, thistime in Syria.
Several archaeological sites in the
ancient city of Apamea were vandalizedand pillaged by groups
taking advantageof the tragic events in Syria. Reportstalks of
secret excavations to digrandomly and steal artefacts,
damagingseveral finds including a mosaic and thecrown of a column
in the middle of thecity.
As reported by the Syrian Arab NewsAgency, the Head of Hama
ArchaeologyDepartment Abdelkader Firzat called onlocals to report
those who commit suchacts of vandalism and robbery, addingthat
Apamea became a target for suchcrimes due to its wealth of
historicalperiods and its large size.
He pointed out that damage causedby such criminal activities
extends notonly to the loss of artefacts but also tothe structure
of the entire site, causinginstability and more decay. In
additionhe talked about the threats oftenreceived by security
personnel workingat archaeological sites. Source SANA
Heritage damaged followingEarthquake in Virginia, USA Three
spires on the WashingtonNational Cathedral, site of state
funeralsfor several U.S. presidents, broke and felland the U.S.
Capitol suffered someminor damage as a result of anearthquake of
5.8 magnitude struck theregion, and shook Virginia and
othernorthern states of the US East Coast on
23rd August 2011. Several sites werereported as damaged
including the 30-story central tower of the EpiscopalCathedral with
three of the fleurs-de-lisshaped corner spires breaking off
andfalling to the ground. The NationalCathedral, which weighs
150,000 tonsand took 83 years to complete, is thehighest point in
Washington. It is a solid
masonry structure made of limestoneblocks placed one atop
another.
Also damages were reported in theU.S. Capitol, which was
evacuatedshortly after the earthquake and theWashington Monument
was closedindefinitely after cracks were found inthe stones at the
top of the 555-foot(169-meter) obelisk. The LincolnMemorial,
Jefferson Memorial and theOld Post Office Tower were
temporarilyclosed after the earthquake but allreopened after a
short period of time.
Dead Sea Scrolls go OnlineThe Israel Museum in Jerusalem,
incollaboration with Google, has madeavailable online the digitised
version offive scrolls including the Temple Scrolland the Great
Isaiah Scroll. Themanuscripts can now be viewed on themuseum
website athttp://dss.collections.imj.org.il/
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discoveredin 1947 in a cave complex
along theshore of the Dead Sea, East of Jerusalem.
National Park Service
Effi Schweizer
�Ruins in Apamea, Syria
An image taken by a U.S. National ParkService helicopter,
showing cracks in theWashington Monument in Washington,D.C., in the
United States.
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 4
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 5
The completion of the refurbishment ofMrs. Gardner’s Tapestry
room at theIsabella Stewart Gardner Museumprovides opportunities
for the public tosee conservation as it happen thanks tothe in-situ
work of the conservatorsinvolved in the preservation of thisunique
historic house.
The Tapestry Room at the Isabella Stewart GardnerMuseum is
currently undergoing a majorconservation effort to transform it
back to its originalfunction; a grand tapestry hall. This is one of
theprimary preservation projects associated with themuseum’s
Expansion Project that is currently takingshape behind the museum
and that will alleviateproblems related to programming and
over-crowdingwhen the new wing opens in January 2012.
Isabella Stewart Gardner opened her museum in1903 but while she
lived at Fenway Court, shecontinued acquiring works of art,
refining the displayof her collection in many of the galleries and
in a fewinstances making substantial alterations to portions ofthe
museum. The Tapestry Room, which is on thesecond floor along the
east side of the building, didnot exist in 1903, nor for that
matter, did the SpanishCloister, the East Cloister or the Chinese
Loggia whichoccupy the ground floor directly below the
TapestryRoom. That portion of the building was originallyoccupied
by the Music Room, an immense two-storeyspace featuring a stage for
music performances and
seating for audiences. She continued to acquire material over
the years to
fill the new spaces she was envisioning and byFebruary 1914 the
dismantling of the Music Roombegan. Approximately a year and a half
later thetransformation was complete. The two-storey spaceoccupied
by the Music Room was divided into twolevels with the Tapestry Room
on the second floor andthe Spanish Cloister, East Cloister and the
ChineseLoggia assembled on the ground floor.
Towards the end of 1915, the photographer ThomasMarr documented
the changes that had taken placeand took the first images of the
newly createdTapestry Room. Marr documented room views of themuseum
for Gardner from 1903 to 1926 and hisphotographs provide us with a
vital record of thegalleries during Gardner’s lifetime. These
archivalphotographs are of great importance to us as they
illustrate the changes she made to her installations.They have
also been useful in determining alterationsthat inevitably occurred
after Gardner’s death in 1924.Along with primary historic records
andcorrespondence, the judicious use of archivalphotographs serves
as a crucial guide for theindividual conservation projects and
whole-roomtreatments that are undertaken by conservation
incollaboration with our curators.
When unveiled to the public in early 1916, thepredominant
feature of the 4,000 square foot Tapestryroom were the Flemish
tapestries cycles that lined thewalls of the room. The floor was
covered with red,blue and grey tiles made by Henry Mercer’s
MoravianPottery and Tiles Works in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.The
great span of the wood ceiling was supported byoversized wooden
beams, and on the walls plain woodpaneling provided a
medieval-style background forthe tapestry hangings. Within the
large room, Gardnerarranged intimate groupings of tables, chairs
andobjects and also a piano for concerts, but as is obviousfrom the
archival photographs, the room wasessentially a wide-open space
with ample room forvisitors to wander freely. At the south end of
the roomshe placed a highly-carved 15th century Frenchmediaeval
fireplace mantle and in a niche above it, apanel painting of the
Archangel Michael by Pere Garciathat dates from 1470.
For the past several decades, the Tapestry Room hasfunctioned as
a space for programming activitiesincluding highly acclaimed music
performances andlectures. Beginning in the 1970s, the space was
takenover by the stage and chairs that would occupy muchof its
footprint for the next 40 years. At the height ofits use, the room
accommodated 250 seats and the1915 archival photograph of Tapestry
Room
Thomas E. M
arr & Son
�
The Return of Mrs. Gardner’s Tapestry Room
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 5
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 6
frequency of programming events began to take itstoll on the
collection and the building fabric. Theperformance stage that
occupied the south end of theroom and the chairs that filled the
space forced all ofthe collection artifacts arranged by Gardner to
theperimeter of the room where they were largely un-viewable. For
the past 40 years, visitors have beenunable to enjoy the room as it
was conceived of byMrs. Gardner when she created it in 1915 and
even thegreat fireplace mantle and Archangel Michael paintingcould
not be approached because they were blockedby the stage. Gardner’s
vision for the gallery was agrand and spacious environment for the
viewing oftapestries, furniture, assorted objects and paintingsand
this experience was lost because of programmaticactivities.
As stated earlier, the new wing being built behindthe museum
will absorb most of the programmingevents that have otherwise been
held in the museum.Designed by the noted architect, Renzo Piano,
thebuilding will feature a new exhibition hall fortemporary
exhibitions and a concert hall where musicperformances and lectures
will be held. The newbuilding will provide other visitor amenities,
muchneeded spaces for education classes and also newconservation
labs. With the programming relatedactivities relocated to the new
building, the TapestryRoom will once again be the great gallery it
wasintended to be.
The Tapestry Room project is a multi-facetedendeavor. The main
goal of the project is to return theroom as closely as possible to
its appearance duringGardner’s lifetime. At the beginning of this
year, thestage and chairs were removed from the space makingroom
for conservators and tradesman to carry out
their work. The space is currently a large laboratory ofsorts as
all of the conservation work is taking place in-situ. The Tapestry
Room is not closed to the publicand visitors can walk along a side
of the room andobserve the various treatment projects as they
unfold.In total the project includes 21 textile treatments,
26object treatments, and one painting treatment. In
addition to the conservation of works of art, worn andfailing
polyurethane coatings on the floor tiles will beremoved, and as
part of the museum’s on-goinglighting project, electrical wiring
will be upgraded aswill the unsightly lighting fixtures that
presently hangfrom the ceiling. In concert with the application
ofappropriate shades and window treatments, the newlighting will
strive to improve viewing for visitorswhile also reducing light
levels on sensitive works ofart. When the infrastructure work and
conservationwork is complete later this autumn, the gallery will
bereinstalled as it was during Gardner’s time.
Author’s biographyJessica Chloros received herMS in Conservation
from theWinterthur/University ofDelaware Program in ArtConservation
in 2007. Shecompleted post-graduatefellowships at the StrausCenter
for Conservation andTechnical Studies at theHarvard Art Museums
andat the Isabella StewartGardner Museum. She iscurrently the
AssistantObjects Conservator at theIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Email:[email protected]
1926 archival photograph of Archangel Michael paintingand
fireplace in Tapestry room
Thomas E. M
arr & Son
�
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 6
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 7
The Natural History Collections ofBergen Museum are home to one
ofthe world’s largest collections of whaleand dolphin skeletons.
Gordon Turner-Walker reports on the conservation ofthe whale
skeletons.
Currently, Bergen Museum is undergoing aprogramme of restoration
and refurbishment with theaim of returning the building to its
former appearanceand splendour. Work on the external fabric of
thebuilding was completed earlier this year andrenovation and
modernisation of the interior,including the exhibition galleries,
is scheduled to takeplace over the next three years.
The whale skeletons are the most visible exhibits inthe museum
and may justifiably be described as the“jewel in the crown” of
Bergen Museum’s collections.Out of a total collection of 22
specimens, eight baleenwhales and two toothed whales were scheduled
forconservation over the two-year period between 2010and 2012. Most
of the whales were collected in the1860s–1880s and have experienced
little or nocleaning since they were hung in the galleries.
Sincethe whale skeletons are such an integral part of themuseum’s
visual impact their restoration and cleaningmust be sympathetic to
the larger aims of the buildingrestoration project and any major
alteration to theirappearance should be avoided wherever
possible.
The Whale Project (2010–2012)The Whale Project has brought
together aninternational team of conservators and bonespecialists
from Scandinavia and beyond. This two-year project represents the
opportunity of a lifetime tocollaborate on a huge and varied
assignment.
Conservation, whether of artworks or natural historyspecimens is
normally a solitary pursuit whereindividual conservators work
quietly and patiently ona single object, often lost in
concentration. In starkcontrast, the conservators working of the
whales oftenwork as a team with several people working on one
Dry vacuuming the humpback whale
Saving the Whales – the Restoration of an Historic Exhibition
inBergen Museum
�
Gordon Turner-W
alker
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 7
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 8
skeleton simultaneously. In its scale, the work oftenhas more in
common with engineering or buildingrestoration than normal
conservation, certainly interms of the surface area to be cleaned –
which mustadd up to hundreds of square metres. The blue
whaleskeleton alone is estimated to have a total surface areaof
almost 95 m2 (for comparison the goal area on asoccer pitch is a
little over 100 m2).
The goals of the Whale Project mirror those of themuseum
building’s restoration – to return the hangingskeletons to their
original glory and secure them forthe future, while retaining as
much of the originalmaterials, character and scientific potential
as ispractical. Obviously, the mounted skeletons must
bestructurally safe and there must be no danger of bonesor other
fragments falling on the heads ofunsuspecting visitors. Similarly,
the bones themselvesshould be clean so that visitors can see
clearly thevarious anatomical details of the skeletons, but also
sothat visitors can see that the whales are being cared forin a way
appropriate to their status as the museum’s“crown jewels”. An
important goal in all of theinterventions is to remove
inappropriate, misleadingor structurally unsound previous
restorations,especially those done with incompatible materials.The
restoration of the skeletons thus falls into fivedistinct
categories – some which can be solvedsimultaneously and some which
must be resolved insequence:
1 Removal of external contaminants and dirt2 Removal of internal
contaminants3 Removal of disfiguring or deteriorated earlier
restorations4 Structural reinforcement and support of the bones5
Cosmetic reconstructionThe author using solid CO2 particle blasting
on a killer whale scapula
Gordon Turner-W
alker
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 8
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 9
The first category includes dust which comprisesflakes of human
skin, textile fibres, fine airborne gritand soil particles, soot
from burning wood and fossilfuels, together with paint splashes and
soluble saltscarried onto the exhibits by water leaking from
theceiling. The second category relates to organic residuesleft in
the bones after their original de-fleshing andcleaning – the
majority of which is oil migrating fromthe spongy interiors of the
bones to the surface,together with its degradation products. The
thirdcategory, previous repairs and restorations, consist of
acombination of wooden supports, animal glue repairs,gypsum plaster
or clay fills and oil-based paints, allheld together with assorted
screws, nails, brackets andtwisted wire. It is now possible to
replace thishotchpotch of old repairs with more enduring
andcosmetically acceptable restorations using newconservation
adhesives and materials, albeit ones that
must last at least as long as the former interventions.The final
phase of the restoration process,reconstruction of damaged or
missing bones, is moresubjective and the desire to make the
skeletons lookbeautiful or more complete must be carefully
balancedagainst the professional responsibility not to hide
thehistoric feel of the exhibits whilst simultaneouslycomplying
with ethical guidelines and best practice.
Formulating a Conservation StrategyThe cleaning and restoration
of the whale skeletonspresents many major challenges. The skeletons
areextremely large and access to the bones is limited bythem being
suspended several metres from the floorand the number of bones to
be cleaned in eachskeleton is. The project's timing and finances
limitedthe possibility of a comprehensive dismantling of
theskeletons and also excluded the possibility of a full X-ray
study of the skeletons to see how they are heldtogether. Therefore,
all cleaning and conservationwork must be done in situ using
temporaryscaffolding to allow conservators to reach all the
boneswhere they hang.
When first evaluating cleaning protocols theconservation team
tested several methods for cleaningthe skeletons. Several high-tech
approaches wereevaluated. These included particle
blasting(sandblasting) using powders as diverse as sand,aluminium
oxide, sodium bicarbonate, glass beads,walnut shells and solid
carbon dioxide (dry ice). Lasercleaning with a portable laser
system loaned byLynton Lasers in the UK was also tested
extensively.All of these methods were abandoned in favour ofmore
traditional and low-tech approaches. The laserwas very effective at
removing black dirt but
ineffective on lighter-coloured fatty deposits. Particleblasting
was not useful in removing sticky residuesunless the pressure was
so high it risked damaging thesurfaces of the bones. This
experience amplydemonstrated that simple solutions are still
animportant part of the conservator’s toolbox. Thegentlest cleaning
methods are used first. Loose surfacedust is removed by vacuuming,
although heavy fattydeposits, laden with dirt, must be removed by
scrapingwith wooden tools. Oil and fat contaminating thesurface can
be removed using a paper poulticecontaining equal volumes of pure
water, ethanol andacetone. However, the best results were obtained
byapplying a strong solution of aqueous ammonia to thesurface, then
scrubbing with pure water and removingthe dirty water with a vacuum
cleaner. The ammonia
Before/after cleaning caudal vertebrae, using
‘cleaningsolution’.
Sticky oil residues running down the ribs of a minke whale
Photo: Christina Holm
efjord.�
Gordon Turner-W
alker
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 9
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 10
reacts with free fatty acids in the degraded whale oil toform a
detergent in situ. A portable air extractor isused where necessary
and solvent or ammoniavapours exhausted through an open window.
Eachconservator wears appropriate safety equipment –including
gloves, goggles and a respirator.
The cleaning of the skeletons has already producedsome
unexpected results. Weighing the dustvacuumed from the bones shows
that each of the largewhale skeletons was covered in 400–500 g of
loosedust. However, this is only what can be removed
easily.Carefully measured test cleaning of selected bones hasshown
that, even on bones that do not appear oily,more than twice as much
“dirt” can be removed bygently scraping the surfaces with a scalpel
than can be
removed by vacuuming. Furthermore, on oily bones –especially the
tail vertebrae, and parts of the skull andribs – the sticky black
residues constitute a further sixto twenty-two times as much by
weight. The nature ofthe dirt on the bones can also tell and
interesting story.We are quite sure that the skeletons have had
minimalcleaning since they were first put on exhibition.Therefore
the dust and grime deposited on the uppersurfaces of the bones
represent an enduring record ofair pollution over the past hundred
years. Preliminaryanalyses of this dirt reveal that, in addition to
spider’swebs, fine mineral particles and pollen grains carriedinto
the galleries from the streets outside there is also acarbon-rich
deposit with a distinct sulphur signature.This almost certainly
represents pollution from theburning of fossil fuels – either
coal-burning domesticfires, fuel oils from the museum’s own central
heatingboilers or from motorised traffic outside. The exactnatures
of the oils and fats leaking from the bones arealso of considerable
interest. Unintentionally, thewhale skeletons have taken part in a
long-runningexperiment into the degradation of marine oils andtheir
analyses can contribute to an understanding ofhow lipids and
collagen age over decades andcenturies.
AcknowledgementsThe Whale Project is grateful for the support
andassistance of Lynton Lasers Limited (UK), IceCO2 AS(Norway), the
Institutt for arkeologi, konservering oghistory, University of Oslo
and BioArCh, University ofYork (UK).
Author’s biographyGordon Turner-Walker isconservation manager
atBergen Museum. He haspublished widely on arange of cultural
heritageconservation issues but isperhaps best known forhis work on
degradationprocesses in ancientbone (diagenesis). He isan Associate
Professor atthe Graduate School ofCultural HeritageConservation at
National Yunlin University of Science andTechnology, Taiwan. He is
a Fellow of the InternationalInstitute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works (IIC)and an Individual Affiliate of the Asian
Academy forHeritage Management.
�
The Bergen Museum
The ‘whale team’.
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 10
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 11
On September 16 and 17 IIC hosted thefirst Student and
EmergingConservators Conference titled:“Conservation: Future
andResponsibilities”.
The conference was made possible thanks to theinvaluable support
of the History of Art Departmentand the Institute of Archaeology at
University CollegeLondon and in particular to the help of Elizabeth
Pye,Professor of Archaeological and Museum Conservationat UCL and
the students from Camberwell College ofArts and UCL who have
organised and managed theevent. Also invaluable was the help of
Amber Kerr-Allison of the Smithsonian American Art Museum forher
support in co-ordinating the event.
In many ways this conference has been pioneeringin experimenting
with the concepts of accessibilityand outreach. Our live broadcast
was very well attendedand some very minor glitches aside it proved
a success,judging from the amount of questions received via
thevarious available feeds and generally the positivefeedback
received during and after the event.
The main questions that the conference aimed atanswering
reflected in part the climate of uncertaintythat emerging
conservators like other professionalsfrom different backgrounds are
facing at present.Through sharing their professional experiences
andtalking about their careers, our panellists, some
matureprofessionals, others just ‘emerged’ in the
profession,provided participants with a very real insight intowhat
it takes to get to ‘the other side’.
Crucially the conference afforded a critical look
into the kind of training academic institutions areproviding to
students and the adequacy of theirofferings to the job market. The
general impressionseems to be that cuts and major changes in the
waytraining courses are organised, in the UK but alsoworldwide,
have meant that students increasingly feelthey are not trained to
get out there and be let 'loose'on objects. Supervised studio
practice hours have beenreduced and science teaching is perceived
as inadequateat a time when major Institutions are shifting
some
positions in conservation science and research. Thereis also the
feel that training institutions might begraduating far too many
students compared to marketdemands. Emerging conservators are
increasinglyaccepting unpaid work in job placements andinternships
next to conservators who are loosing theirjobs. This situation is
uncomfortable for bothconservators and students.
The conservation profession will undeniably beaffected in a
major way by cuts to programmes takingplace on all levels.
One other important issue raised at the conferencequestioned the
consistency between conservationprogrammes internationally or even
within the samecountry. The feeling is that there is very
littleconsistency between programmes with somecountries requiring
rigorous and long undergraduatecourses before allowing a full
qualification and othersbeing more relaxed on the training stage
and relyingon a system of accreditation to be achieved at a
laterstage in career. In addition the career path can be
notstraightforward with people joining the professionfrom different
backgrounds not necessarily related toconservation. Moreover there
seems to be very littleclarity in terms of differences between
undergraduateand post-graduate provisions with some
institutionsmorphing their offerings to adapt to political
demandsbut often without majorly improving theirprogrammes.
Following on from the previous issue, the questionwas also
weather skills were transferable betweencountries. When it comes to
employers, the feeling isthat qualifications obtained in different
countries aredifficult to interpret in order to make a
decisionbetween candidates. Perhaps in a not so distant future�Day
1 - The conference panellists Elizabeth Pye, Velson
Horie, Sonja Schwoll, Jocelyn Cuming and Robert Payton
Adam Klups, the mind behind the conference andFrancesca Lemass
and Kathleen Froyen, event co-organisers
IIC Emerging Conservators Conference – The Editor’s View
Barbara BorgheseBarbara Borghese
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 11
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 12
an agreement could be reached at international levelto create an
accreditation system that is trulytransferable between
countries.
Skills were also discussed in relation to requirementsfor
emerging conservators wishing to compete in today’sjob market.
Valuable ideas came from panellists andaudience with interesting
suggestions regardingadditional skills, marginally related to
conservation.Project management, budgeting, digital photographyand
database skills were all indicated as likely add-onsthat could win
the interest of potential employers.
The value of international experience as a form ofadditional
training was also discussed. At the start of acareer there should
be flexibility in order to take fulladvantage of opportunities that
could be achieved indifferent countries. Emerging economies offer
greatopportunities for volunteers, often in very rewardingprojects
if one is prepared to make small sacrifices andadjustments. Extra
skills can also been acquired,
including a foreign language.A recurring question related to the
best path to
follow when choosing conservation as a career. Onething that
became obvious is that many professionalshave approached their
conservation career ‘one step ata time’. Many conservators went
back to academictraining over and over again, to add, improve or
changetheir skills to fit the needs of their career. This
wascertainly the case for the majority of the conferencespeakers
and despite the common feeling that thingshave got more difficult
with time, evidence suggeststhat there is little difference between
then and now.
Adam Klups, instigator and organiser of the
Conference said “It has been amazing to see such agreat number
of conservation students and youngconservators ready to take part,
and give their viewson what concerns them about conservation as a
careerpath. The S&ECC reminded us all that the future
ofconservation starts now”.
Overall the conference was successful in delivering‘something
rather different from the usual studentconference’, as promised by
Jo Kirby Atkinson on thewelcome address in the conference programme
pack.Amber Kerr-Allison commented, “It was an honour toparticipate
in this conference and have theopportunity to meet so many
enthusiastic andengaging students. Our field is fortunate to have
sucha dedicated generation of emerging conservators”.
The Conference provided practical and usefuladvice and plenty of
opportunities for exchanges ofideas and networking. It also
represents a startingplatform to build upon for future events,
whichundoubtedly will follow in the future. �
Panellists Robert Payton, Museum of London and JocelynCuming,
Camberwell College of Art, UK
Elizabeth Pye (Institute of Archaeology, UCL, UK) andVelson
Horie (IIC Treasurer and Independent CollectionCare and
Conservation Consultant) A packed audience
Barbara Borghese
Barbara Borghese
Barbara Borghese
Barbara Borghese
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 12
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 13
IIC Congress 2012: TheDecorative: Conservation andthe Applied
Arts 10 –14 September 2012, ViennaThe twenty-fourth IIC Congress
will beheld in conjunction with the Universitätfür angewandte Kunst
Wien (theUniversity of Applied Arts Vienna) from10th to 14th
September 2012 and willfocus on a topic that is uniquely
well-suited to Vienna’s wealth and breadth ofdecorative and applied
arts heritage.Ornament and decoration have beenevident in human
endeavour since thebeginning of our history, ranging fromthe bold
clarity of ancient Egypt to theclean-lined, discreet styles of the
1930sand the exuberant revivals of today.Wherever civilisations
have developed,many of their forms of culturalexpression can be
considered ‘decorative’or ‘applied’ arts.
Responding to contemporary needand reflecting artistic values,
newtechnologies and material inventions,the decorative and applied
arts havecontributed towards optimising both thepractical and the
social aspects ofeveryday life. However, technologicallyinnovative
aspects of the artifactsproduced have sometimes beenunderrated,
compared with the intensivestudy of their aesthetic qualities.
Perhapsconservators, with their multidisciplinaryapproach, are
those best able to read the
full story of the multifunctional purposeof these artifacts in
their originalcontext. The conservation of thisheritage thus
encompasses much ofhuman endeavour and as such is centralto our
cultural life.
The range of work that this IICcongress will cover is very
broad:architectural decoration; ceramics frompottery to porcelain;
glass, includingpainted, stained and studio glass;furniture;
hardstone carving, includingpietra dura and engraved gems;metalwork
in all its forms; jewellery;ivory and bone carving;
textilesincluding tapestries, embroideries andcostume; mosaics;
painted decoration;wallpapers and wall coverings;terracotta;
plaster work; bookbindingand leatherwork. This is by no means
anexclusive list.
Congress UpdatePlanning for the 2012 IIC Congress inVienna
continues apace. One of theattractions will be a number of
eveningevents, which will allow delegates tomeet fellow
conservation professionalssocially; these are as essential a part
ofIIC Congresses as the programme ofpapers and posters. In
addition,excursions are being planned to venuesof special
conservation interest as well assites of more general heritage
interest sothat those attending can put their
conservation into context. There willalso be a Trade Fair for
those attendingto browse and discuss matters with theleading
suppliers in the field.
Below you will find the Call forPosters; the Congress papers are
alreadyunder consideration by the TechnicalCommittee (under the
leadership ofSharon Cather) and will make for aseries of important
and informativepresentations. The posters will augmentthese,
allowing displays of ideas,research and work that will add to
thevalue of the event.
We are also delighted to announce aStudent Poster session, which
will givestudents and recent graduates theopportunity to
communicate theirprojects in a special section of thecongress
poster display.
We will be opening booking inFebruary 2012, and the full details
of theCongress will be available from theCongress section of the
IIC web-site aswell as regular updates in News inConservation. We
very much lookforward to seeing you there!
Call for postersPoster presentation is particularly wellsuited
to material with a strong visualimpact. Posters are
displayedprominently throughout the meetingand during the week
there will be adedicated session, giving delegates the �
opportunity to speak to poster authors.An extended abstract will
be publishedin the conference papers to provide apermanent record
and point of contact.A pdf-format file of your copyright-cleared
poster would also be welcome ata later stage to enable display on
the IICwebsite.
If you would like to present a poster,please go to the Congress
websitehttp://iiconservation.org/congress/where you submit your
proposalelectronically. You can also find the linkto the Congress
website on the first pageof the IIC websitewww.iiconservation.org.
The deadlinefor electronic submission of proposals is3 February
2012. One image may beincluded at this stage, and in printedposter
abstracts. With an imageincluded, the total word count for
theprinted abstract will be 600 words.Without an image, the total
word countwill be 800. The choice of posters fordisplay will be
made by 2 March 2012and final texts and image will berequired by 30
March 2012. See the IICCongress
websitehttp://iiconservation.org/congress/ forguidelines.
Call for Student Posters IIC is delighted to announce that
the2012 IIC Vienna Congress will continuethe innovative Student
Poster Session,
IIC News
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 14
first run as a part of the 2010 IstanbulCongress. The aim of
this session is toprovide a peer-reviewed platform forresearch and
work on conservationprojects being undertaken by studentsand
emerging conservators. This is anopportunity for those who are
startingout in the conservation arena to takepart in conservation’s
internationalshowcase. Student Posters will bedisplayed prominently
throughout themeeting and, as with the main postersession, there
will be a programmedsession giving delegates the opportunityto
speak to poster authors. A pdf-formatfile of your copyright-cleared
posterwould also be welcomed at a later stageto enable display on
the IIC web-site.The abstracts are not published in thepreprints of
the conference however.
We invite current students and recentgraduates to submit
proposals forinclusion at the 2012 IIC Congress. Ifyou would like
to present a poster, pleasesend your provisional summary of
theposter content (200–800 words, oneimage may be included)
to:[email protected] by 3 March 2012. The choice of
posters fordisplay will be made by 5 May 2012 andfinal texts will
be required by 30 June2012. See the IIC conference
websitehttp://iiconservation.org/congress/ forproposal and abstract
submissionguidelines.
IIC is glad to announce theelection of Jerzy J.
Kunicki-Goldfinger as new IIC Fellow. Jerzy J. Kunicki-Goldfinger
graduated inthe conservation of art from theNicolaus Copernicus
University inToruń, Poland, taught conservation andreceived his
doctorate in conservation atthe same university. He has over 25
yearsof practice in conservation, focusing oninorganic material,
such as stone,ceramics and glass. For the last 15 years,he has
worked as a conservator andresearcher mostly on glass. He was ahead
of research on historic glass at theInstitute of Nuclear Chemistry
andTechnology in Warsaw, Poland (1999–
2007), a researcher on historic glass atthe Micro- and Trace
Analytical Centre,University of Antwerp, Belgium, wherehe worked
within a team led byProfessor Koen Janssens and lastly spentthree
years at Cardiff School of Historyand Archaeology, Cardiff
University, UK(2008-2011) working within a team ofProfessor Ian C.
Freestone. He is anHonorary Research Fellow at CardiffUniversity.
He has received a number ofPolish and international scholarshipsand
individual grants; among others hewas Fulbright Senior Scholar at
TheCorning Museum of Glass, Corning, NYand received the Rakow Grant
for GlassResearch. He has also led several Polishand international
projects concerned
with glass conservation andarchaeometry.
His current research interests are inprovenance and
technological studies ofvessel and window glass, glass
corrosionprocesses and conservation of glass withspecial emphasis
on unstable glass. Hehas experience in the application of awide
range of analytical methods. Hehas recently been involved in
theapplication of synchrotron techniques toresearch the structure
and technology ofmedieval flashed red windows. Hisongoing projects
deal with centralEuropean vessel glass from late-medievaltimes to
the end of the preindustrial era,medieval stained glass and glass
fromAmsterdam’s glasshouses. �
IIC Has Moved!As announced in the August issue, after 36 years
of residency in BuckinghamStreet, IIC has moved and has now a new
address:Room 209, 3 Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H 9JH, UK (entrance
from 1 Birdcage Walk)Tel: +44 (0) 20 7799 5500 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7799
4961The office is located in the same building as the Institution
of MechanicalEngineers (ImechE) and is conveniently situated in
central London, just offParliament Square.
The move is something of a wrench, but we are enjoying the
light, bright newspace into which we have moved. We are having our
post re-directed to the newaddress, but please note that the new
address is in effect from the start ofSeptember 2011.Graham Voce,
Executive Secretary
IIC October 2011:Layout 1 12/10/11 08:38 Page 14
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 15
Calls for papersDeveloping Knowledge for EconomicAdvancement in
Africa: 2ndInternational Conference on AfricanDigital Libraries and
Archives (ICADLA-2)University of the Witwatersrand,Johannesburg,
South Africa14–18 November 2011Submission deadline: 30 October
2011
Climate for Collections: Standards andUncertaintiesDoerner
Institut, Munich, Germany7–9 November 2012Submission deadline:
October 31, 2011Info:[email protected]
Imaging in Conservation: Looking atArtefacts under new Light 1st
Announcement and Call for Speakers STFC Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory,Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK10–11 November 2011
Info and abstract submission: EvelyneGodfrey [email protected]
For provisional bookings, please
contact:[email protected]
Meetings and ConferencesInternational Conference on
PreventiveConservation of Architectural Heritage 29–30 October,
2011 Southeast University, Nanjing, China
Info:http://www.precoach2011.org/Default.html
New Zealand Conservators of CulturalMaterials (NZCCM) 2011
annualconference 02–04 November 2011Wellington, New Zealand Info:
www.nzccm.org.nz
Asia-Pacific Regional Conference onUnderwater Cultural Heritage
08–12 November 2011 Asian Academy for Heritage Management,Manila,
PhilippinesInfo: www.apconf.org
III Latin-American Symposium onPhysical and Chemical Methods
inArcheology, Art and Cultural HeritageConservation
(LASMAC)Universidad Nacional Mayor de SanMarcos 08–10 November 2011
Lima, PeruInfo: Dr. Martha Barriga, [email protected]
International Scientific Colloquium onthe Factors Impacting
UnderwaterCultural Heritage Royal Library of Belgium13–14 December
2011 Info: Contact Ms Egger [email protected] or Ms. Caressa
Cornelis [email protected]
17th ICOMOS General Assembly andScientific Symposium ‘Heritage,
Driverof Development’ UNESCO27 November 02 December 2011 Paris,
France Info: www.icomos-paris2011.com
Remote Access to World Heritage Sitesfrom St Kilda to Uluru – “I
Know WhereI'm Going” Edinburgh, UK23–24 November 2011 Info:
Isabelle Uny, Project Manager Email: [email protected]
Website:http://inspace.mediascot.org/beholder/iknowwhereimgoing
Mobile: +44(0) 777 380 8912
Courses, Seminars and Work-shopsDigital Imaging for Conservators
andMuseum Professionals Softek training facility, 1156 15th
Street,Washington, DC, USA8–11 November, 2011 Info: Abigail
Choudhury [email protected]
www.conservation-us.org/courses
The Treatment of Pressure SensitiveTapes and Tape Stains on
Photographs National Conservation Training Center28 November – 02
December 2011 Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA Instructors: Elissa
O’Loughlin (The WaltersArt Museum),Linda Stiber Morenus (Library
ofCongress), and Barbara Lemmen,(Conservation Center for Art and
HistoricArtifacts)Info: Abigail Choudhury
[email protected]
Understanding and preserving audiocollections 7–9 November 2011
Preservation Advisory Centre Course, The British Library, London,
UKInfo and Bookings: Preservation AdvisoryCentre, The British
Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, UKTel: +44 (0)20 7412 7612
Email: [email protected]
The Conservation Guest ScholarProgram Getty Conservation
Institute Application Availability and Deadline:Complete
application materials are nowaccepted online only
athttp://www.getty.edu/foundation/funding/residential/conservation_guest_scholars.htmThe
next deadline for this grant isNovember 1, 2011Info: Conservation
Guest Scholar Grants, The Getty Foundation, 1200 Getty Center
Drive, Suite 800 LosAngeles, CA, U.S.A. E-mail:
[email protected]
�
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News in Conservation No. 26, October 2011 16
Conservation Forum 2011: Disasters:Prevention and Management
Seminar Southwark Cathedral, London, UK 22 November 2011Info: David
Knight [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898
1874
Introduction to Feather ConservationNorfolk Museums and
Archaeology ServiceWorkshop9–11 November 2011 Norfolk, UKInfo:
Helen Rush [email protected]
Eastern Analytical Symposium:Celebrating Innovation in
AnalysisGarden State Exhibition Centre14–17 Nov 2011Somerset, New
Jersey, USAInfo: www.eas.org/symposium/
Campbell Center Collections CareCourse: Care of Paintings
ICampbell Center for Historic PreservationStudies 21–22 Nov 2011203
East Seminary, Mount Carroll, IL, USAInfo:
http://www.campbellcenter.org/
For more information aboutthese conferences and courses,see the
IIC website:www.iiconservation.org.
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