Skip to content

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Cleaning an Enamel Tray

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

10/3/2024

CAMConservation, objects conservation, Cloisonne Tray, Qing Dynasty

The dark grime on its surface is thick and unevenly embedded in the layers of a degraded wax coating.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Cleaning Mercury’s Landing Pad

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

8/8/2024

CAMConservation, objects conservation, Giambologna, Mercury, bronze, marble, scuplture

This week in objects conservation, we are cleaning marble.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Removing Tarnish from Two Art Deco Lamps

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

7/11/2024

Art Deco, CAMConservation, Joseph Urban, 1920s desk lamps, brass, tarnish, objects conservation

This pair of art deco lamps, designed by Joseph Urban, was last on view in 2022 as part of the exhibition Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Reconstructing a Japanese Teapot Spout

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

4/18/2024

Miss Mariko Okinawa, objects conservation, CAMConservation, teapot, Japanese Art, tea set

In our last post about the Miss Mariko Okinawa doll’s tea set, we discussed re-joining all of the tiny ceramic fragments.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Micromosaic Jewelry

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

2/22/2024

objects conservation, CAMConservation, micromosaic jewelry, fashion

This week in objects conservation, we are working on several pieces of micromosaic jewelry made in Italy during the late-19th century.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Reconstructing a Shattered Glass Shade

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

1/25/2024

CAMConservation, objects conservation, glass lamp shade, rejoining fragments

This iridescent green shade came to the lab in a box of fragments. Piece by piece, I built the individual fragments back into a shade.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Reconstructing a Japanese Doll’s Tea Set

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

12/28/2023

CAMConservation, objects conservation, tea set, Japan, Japanese Art, Miss Mariko Okinawa

These tiny ceramic fragments are part of a Japanese doll’s tea set. I am working on putting these pieces back together so that they can be displayed with their doll in the future.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Revealing the Details of an Egyptian Scarab Ring

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

11/9/2023

CAMConservation, objects conservation, ancient egypt, scarab ring, bronze, bronze disease

Several small copper alloy objects, pieces of jewelry and articles of adornment, are all showing signs of bronze disease.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Repairing an Ancient Egyptian Jar

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

10/12/2023

ancient egypt, ceramic jar, objects conservation, challenging repair, CAMConservation

In the Conservation Lab, we are working on this large ceramic jar from Dynasty I Egypt (3100–2900 BCE).

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Jain Shrine—Now on Display!

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

9/14/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

If you’ve been following our Conservation blog posts, you may have seen several updates as we carried out treatment over the past two years.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Jain Shrine Nearing Completion!

by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

5/18/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

The treatment on our Jain Shrine is (finally!) nearing completion!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Shell & Barnacle Covered Bowl

by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

4/20/2023

CAMConservation, Celadon Glaze, Chinese bowl, Marine life, Saltwater, objects conservation

This fifteenth-century Chinese ceramic bowl presents some intriguing features that tell a fascinating story of its past. Shells and barnacles cover the bowl’s surface. These unusual attachments are commonly seen on objects that have spent time in ocean environments, in this example, possibly the result of a shipwreck.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Filling-in Areas of Loss

by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

3/23/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation

After removing all the old adhesive and over paint, we revealed several areas of loss to the painted scene on the glazed surface. This loss was likely caused by the same incident that damaged the foot causing the piece to break into multiple fragments.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Conserving and Displaying a Palampore

by Obie Linn, Associate Conservator of Textiles

3/2/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Palampore, South Asian Art, textile conservation

Are you a pal of Indian textiles? Then be sure to see the palampore currently on display in the South Asian Gallery!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Jain Shrine—Revealing Multiple Layers of History

by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

2/23/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

While cleaning and conserving our Jain shrine, we discovered several layers of paint from different periods of its history. The carved wooden designs would have been repainted several times during its use as a devotional object.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Preparing a Vintage Child’s Dress for Display

by Obie Linn, Associate Conservator of Textiles

2/2/2023

conservation, CAMConservation, behind the scenes, objects conservation, Kehinde Wiley, vintage dress

Getting beautiful objects on display is a multi-stage process that often includes a stop (or several!) in Conservation. This week we installed some new objects in the Forecourt Gallery of the museum, including this child’s dress.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Cleaning Up the Jain Shrine—Work Continues!

by Kelly Rectenwald, Associate Objects Conservator

1/26/2023

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

We are working on conserving a new piece of the shrine—which is cleaning up very well—revealing beautiful bright red and yellow pigments underneath the coating.

Ivory Shrine: Tiny but Mighty

by Kelly Rectenwald, Objects Conservator

12/21/2022

CAMConservation, behind the scenes, objects conservation

Many of the carved items (such as the bow held in the hand of the figure on left side of the archway) had broken and required repairs to be carried out under a microscope.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Jain Shrine Update

by Conservation

11/17/2022

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

This week in objects conservation: Almost 12 months from when we first started the treatment, half of the Jain shrine has been conserved, and a new batch of pieces has moved into the lab to begin treatment.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: A Pair of Ceramic Jars

by Conservation

10/20/2022

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, permanent collection

These large jars are in rough shape and are currently in the lab for some major repairs.

Behind the Scenes in the South Asian Galleries

by Conservation

9/29/2022

CAMConservation, Palampore, textile conservation, South Asian Art, objects conservation

Take a peek into preparations for the reopening of the South Asian Galleries, December 2023.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Jain Shrine Reveal

by Conservation

7/28/2022

CAMConservation, Jain Shrine, Reveal, objects conservation, behind the scenes

This week in objects conservation: We have finished coating removal and cleaning of one of the 44 pieces of our Jain Shrine!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: The JoLynn and Byron Gustin Gallery

by Conservation

6/30/2022

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about their treatment progress and enjoy seeing them back in the galleries on your next visit!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Small But Mighty

by Conservation

5/5/2022

behind the scenes, CAMConservation, objects conservation

This week in objects conservation: In contrast to our very large Jain shrine, this week we are working on a very tiny shrine!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Shrine Time

by Conservation

4/7/2022

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine

This week in objects conservation: We take another look at the progress being made on our 17th C Jain Shrine.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 17th Century Jain Shrine

by Conservation

3/10/2022

behind the scenes, CAMConservation, Jain Shrine, objects conservation

This week in objects conservation: another large architectural object has entered the conservation lab!

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Wooden Cabinet Inlaid with Ivory and Brass

by Conservation

2/10/2022

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, Mughal

This week in the objects conservation lab: A beautiful wooden cabinet inlaid with ivory and brass.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Ancient Middle East Gallery

by Conservation

12/16/2021

behind the scenes, Nabataean art, Nabataean Shrine, stone conservation, objects conservation, archaeological conservation, CAMConservation, Nabatea

This week in objects conservation, we’re doing the finishing touches to the 100+ objects being installed in our newly renovated Ancient Middle East Gallery, opening Saturday, December 18.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Nabataean Pottery

by Conservation

10/14/2021

objects conservation, CAMConservation, ceramics conservation, archaeological conservation

Catch this object on view later this year when our Nabatean collections return to the galleries.

Behind the Scenes in Conservation: 19th Century Silver Bowl

by Conservation

9/15/2021

behind the scenes, objects conservation, CAMConservation, silver conservation

In the objects conservation lab this week: we have a beautiful, though heavily tarnished, 19th C silver bowl in the lab being treated before going on display next year.