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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Silk Dress

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Conserving Pinocchio

by Conservation

5/28/2020

Jim Dine , Pinocchio , behind the scenes , conservation

This week in Objects Conservation we are outside with Pinocchio!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Quarantined in traction!

by Conservation

5/21/2020

paintings conservation , painting stretcher , Robert Frederick Blum , canvas tension

Here’s a conservation treatment that has continued during the stay-at-home period for our paintings conservator.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Time Well Spent

by Conservation

5/14/2020

paper conservation , stained print , stained paper , Paul Albert Besnard

Our paper conservator has not been in the lab since March, but she is still working on the collection.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: The Padded Headboard Doppelganger

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Record Keeping

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?

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Some forensic findings

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Installing Unframed Prints

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Take Color for a Spin

by Conservation

4/9/2020

textile conservation , behind , fiber art , textile art

What is a “textile” anyway? Take Color for a Spin is a fiber sculpture made of crocheted forms stiffened with a coating and strung together with wire.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 19th Century Cup and Saucer

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Nineteenth Century American Landscape

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Recording Watermarks

by Conservation

3/19/2020

Martin Schongauer , beta radiography , watermarks , paper conservation , transmitted light

Our paper conservator has been in the darkroom capturing images of watermarks from some of our Old Master prints.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Day Dress

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.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 19th Century Lacquered Chest

by Conservation

3/5/2020

behind the scenes , conservation , objects conservation , lacquered chest , concealed objects , hidden objects

This week in objects conservation we open up the 19th C Lacquered chest.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Yellow quashes violet!

by Conservation

2/27/2020

sisley , Impressionism , paintings conservation , varnish removal , yellowed varnish , behind the scenes , conservation

This beautiful landscape by Impressionist Alfred Sisley was recently being cleaned of its varnish by our paintings conservator.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: New to Women Breaking Boundaries

by Conservation

2/20/2020

conservation , photography conservation , Camera Work Magazine , Photogravure , Photomechanical reproduction , Gertrude Käsebier

The objects in the Women Breaking Boundaries exhibit in the galleries across from the café are examples of wide-ranging media, including light-sensitive objects.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 1920’s Porcelain Bowl

by Conservation

2/6/2020

objects conservation , ceramics , Pottery

This week in objects conservation: this early 1920’s porcelain bowl is in the lab for cleaning and repair.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: The perks of being a conservator!

by Conservation

1/30/2020

hassam , Impressionism , impressionist , conservation , paintings conservation , behind the scenes

One of the perks of being a conservator is of course spending many hours up-close-and-personal with great art.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Installing New Fashion Acquisitions

by Conservation

1/16/2020

textile conservation , Comme des Garcons , behind the scenes , conservation , fashion , textiles , recent acquisitions , new at cam , jacket , dress , tank top , clothing

In a few weeks, we are installing some recent acquisitions from CAM’s fashion collection in Gallery 150.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 1740’s Rococo Gilt Table Returns

by Conservation

1/9/2020

gilt furniture , furniture conservation , rococo , art conservation , behind the scenes

This week in objects conservation we return to the 1740’s Rococo gilt table.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Overpainting vs. inpainting

by Conservation

12/12/2019

Thomas Wilmer Dewing , Maria Oakey Dewing , inpainting , overpaint , retouching , paintings conservation , conservation , behind the scenes

Conservation of this painting on wood panel by the Dewing husband-and-wife team was undertaken because the retouching on the painting had discolored.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: From One Artist to Another

by Conservation

12/5/2019

Robert Blum , William Merritt Chase , paper conservation , conservation , behind the scenes

This drawing recently came to the paper lab to have some old paper remnants removed. The drawing is on the back of a letter, and some of the writing was obscured.