Fun art conservation resources (that are also informative and reliable), part 1.
Since I want to cry with rage every time I think about the millions of subscribers following the youtube channel of that hack restorer B@um g@rtner, unwittingly thinking that’s the pinnacle of conservation and restoration, I figured I should do my part in introducing better, more ethically sound alternatives to whoever stumbles onto this tiny tumblr in search of art conservation content.
This is part one out of however many until I run out of steam/righteous indignation/professional despair.
The Mauritshuis playlist “Restauraties” on their youtube channel and Girl in the Spotlight pages are fantastic for those interested in the conservation of paintings, especially from the Dutch Golden Age.
I like this video that covers the process of conserving a Jan Steen painting, from examination, documentation, imaging, solvent testing, and finally, treatment by conservator Sabrina Meloni. Notice that she TESTS the solvents with small cotton swabs in inconspicuous areas to decide on the most appropriate combinations for removing the old varnish before going in on the other parts of the painting. And she uses ultraviolet to check the completeness of the varnish removal during her solvent tests. Before retouching, she applies a reversible barrier layer to keep her carefully applied additions to the painting separate from the original.
Abbie Vandivere’s blogs about the technical examination of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring at the Mauritshuis in the Netherlands are excellent. Dr. Vandivere is a paintings conservator and was head of the research team responsible for taking an in-depth look at the painting’s materials, the techniques used to create it, and past restorations and conservation treatments, which will then inform future care of the painting. She gave this wonderful and comprehensive talk at Yale University Art Gallery in 2018.
An important part of conservation is documentation and technical research into the objects you will be treating. One must know (preferably in as much detail as possible) what one is dealing with to be able to know which materials should be chosen to conserve it. Of course most objects won’t be scrutinized to the degree that Girl with a Pearl Earring was, but it’s an interesting look at what types of materials analysis are possible when something needs to be evaluated in greater detail, because these techniques are also applicable to anything from totem poles to space suits to taxidermy.
Some shorter bite-sized videos about findings from the project, if you don’t want to watch an hour-long (and absolutely fascinating!) lecture.
This one’s about the pigments Vermeer used, sourced from all around the world:
This one’s about changes in the paint over the centuries and how that has affected current interpretations:
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