by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

11/25/2020

behind the scenes , green team , go green , sustainability

The Green Team was founded in early 2019 by an interdepartmental team of museum staff dedicated to creating sustainable practices within the museum.

by Conservation

11/19/2020

CAMConservation , behind the scenes , conservation , stone conservation , archaeological conservation , objects conservation

This stone relief dates to 883-859 BCE and depicts a divine figure wearing a horned headdress.

by Cynthia Amnéus, Chief Curator and Curator of Fashion Arts and Textiles

11/2/2020

behind the scenes , Ann Lowe , African American Fashion Designer , curatorial , dress , belt , fashion

Born in Clayton, Alabama in 1898, Ann Lowe was an African American fashion designer, but few know her name.

by Conservation

10/22/2020

behind the scenes , objects conservation , decorative arts , art conservation , gilding conservation , aluminum leaf , CAMConservation

This week in objects conservation we return to the 1920’s Paul Theodore Frankl mirror. The aluminum leaf on the base and frame is easily abraded and during its use, suffered from normal wear and tear.

by Conservation

10/15/2020

CAMConservation , behind the scenes , conservation , Lorenzo Zaragoza , paintings conservation , retablo , restoration , retablo of saint peter , altarpiece

While the paintings conservation studio is under renovation, we thought you might like a look at an example of the choices that conservators can face.

by Conservation

10/8/2020

behind the scenes , Lorna Simpson , Women Breaking Boundaries , waterless lithography , CAMConservation

In September the light sensitive objects that had been on display in the Women Breaking Boundaries exhibit were returned to storage.

by Conservation

10/1/2020

CAMConservation , 1950s Shoes , 1950s Fashion , textile conervation , behind the scenes

In textile conservation this week, we are carrying out condition checks for a checklist of 27 pairs of women's shoes from the 1950s.

by Conservation

9/17/2020

Lining paintings , conservation science , conservation research , behind the scenes , CAMConservation

Along with many other areas of research, conservation scientists test the materials that conservators use in treating works of art.

by Conservation

9/3/2020

Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal… , textile art , textile conervation , light damage , behind the scenes

This huge quilt and its neighbors in CAM’s new exhibition "Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal" are lit up brighter than you might be accustomed to seeing museum textiles.

by Conservation

8/20/2020

behind the scenes , conservation , Decorative Arts , furniture conservation , gilding conservation

This large decorative mirror was designed by Paul Theodore Frankl in the late 1920’s.

by Conservation

8/13/2020

Varnish removal , paintings conservation , Nicolas Lancret , French Rococo , rococo pastoral , 17th century French painting , ultraviolet , UV light , behind the scenes

Conservation of “The Swing” by Nicolas Lancret is moving along.

by Conservation

8/6/2020

paper conservation , conservation , behind the scenes , 20th century , Marcel Duchamp , conservation internship , stained print , stained paper

In celebration of his 133rd birthday, let’s take a closer look at Duchamp’s intaglio print of a cubist-style coffee grinder currently undergoing conservation in the Paper Lab.

by Conservation

7/30/2020

textile conervation , costume conservation , behind the scenes , dyed to match , 1930s fashion

A bird's eye view in the textile conservation lab workbench this week brings us these pajama bottoms and a little of the mid-conservation chaos that goes into making them look their best.

by Conservation

7/22/2020

objects conservation , lacquered box , hidden objects , conservation , behind the scenes , conservation internship

The objects conservation lab is happy to welcome summer intern Nicole Schmidt, a graduate student from the Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State in her third year of training.

by Conservation

7/16/2020

behind the scenes , paintings conservation , Varnish removal , Nicolas Lancret , French Rococo , rococo pastoral , 17th century French painting

These days, our paintings conservator is working on a painting that, as you can see, is long overdue for cleaning.

by Conservation

7/9/2020

paper conservation , Order of Cincinnatus , Eleventh Cincinnati Exposition , Panorama print , CAC Cincinnati , behind the scenes

This year the Cincinnati Art Museum is again supporting the Contemporary Arts Center by lending a book to their newly opened exhibit, “Tania Candiani: Sounding Labor, Silent Bodies”.

by Conservation

7/2/2020

objects conservation , textiles , behind the scenes , fashion , storage , padded hangers

Want to store your treasured fashion objects safely at home? If your objects are safe to hang, you can make your own padded hangers.

by Conservation

6/25/2020

behind the scenes , objects conservation , conservation , Lacquerware , chinese lacquer , chinese furniture

This week in objects conservation we are working on a 18thC Chinese lacquer table with shell inlay.

by Conservation

6/18/2020

Conservation , behind the scenes , Kita Kizuki , Tale of the Bamboo Cutter , Japanese painting , paper conservation , japanese scroll

Staff members have been very active in the museum galleries for the past month. One of the cases that was due for its regular rotation is the hanging scroll case in Gallery 138.

by Conservation

6/4/2020

conservation , behind the scenes , evening dress , textile conservation , silk dress

It’s working! In the textile conservation lab this week, our textile conservator has been working on preparing this silk dress for an upcoming exhibition.

by Conservation

5/28/2020

Jim Dine , Pinocchio , behind the scenes , conservation

This week in Objects Conservation we are outside with Pinocchio!

by Conservation

5/7/2020

textile conservation , behind the scenes , uphostery conservation , headboard , furnture

This padded headboard insert has a doppelganger. It is being prepared for an exhibition next year and came to the textile conservation lab for treatment.

by Conservation

4/30/2020

behind the scenes , objects conservation , korean lacquered chest , object conservation , record keeping

Did you know that one of the most important parts of conservation is keeping a detailed and thorough record of every treatment?

by Conservation

4/23/2020

Bonnard , paintings conservation , behind the scenes , oil sketch , technical art history

When this landscape by Pierre Bonnard went out on loan to another museum a few years ago, our paintings conservator only had time to surface-clean it, to remove the dust and grime that was on the surface.

by Conservation

4/16/2020

Lorna Simpson , women breaking boundaries , waterless lithography , light sensitivity , behind the scenes , conservation

For those of you who saw Women Breaking Boundaries before the museum had to close its galleries, you would have seen the wall-sized piece by Lorna Simpson, Wigs.

by Geoff Edwards

4/6/2020

behind the scenes , Mary R. Schiff Library and Archives , World War I , Art Academy of Cincinanti

Although the Cincinnati Art Museum is currently closed due to the coronavirus crisis, like museums across the region and across the nation we are looking for ways to help in the fight against the pandemic.

by Conservation

4/2/2020

ceramics conservation , objects conservation , porcelain , capillary action , behind the scenes , cup , saucer

This set is made of porcelain with very thin, translucent walls and a gilt fruit and vine design.

by Conservation

3/26/2020

paintings conservation , behind the scenes , american art , landscapes

This painting is a nineteenth century American landscape that has suffered multiple tears in the course of its lifetime, probably due to the poor quality of the canvas.

by Lea C. Lane, Curatorial Assistant for Decorative Arts and Design

3/24/2020

behind the scenes , Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance 1850–1970 , Rookwood Pottery Company , Curatorial Blog , Decorative Arts

Keen-eyed visitors to our current exhibition, Gorham: Designing Brilliance, will notice a familiar Cincinnati name on two of the objects: Rookwood Pottery.

by Conservation

3/12/2020

in pretty finery , textile conservation , historic dress , dunlevy , behind the scenes

Check out this behind the scenes look from our conservators.