2009 Fall Schedule of Events
September 30
Tony Sigel, Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museum
Deconstructing Bernini's Modello for the Fountain of the Moor.
Tony will describe his conservation treatment of the Kimbell museum's terracotta modello for Fountain of the Moor, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Along with practical treatment materials and methods, he will discuss why the treatment was necessary and some of the technical and analytical studies that were undertaken. He will also illustrate discoveries that describe how the modello was originally made, and some of its previous life and adventures.
After his presentation, there will be a tour of the new Straus Center labs.
This meeting will be held at 5:00 pm at the new Somerville site of the Harvard Art Museum. 200 Innerbelt Rd., Somerville, MA. Parking is available behind the building. See this online map below:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=200+Innerbelt+rd.+somerville+ma&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&ei=-fqoSuH0A5aJtgfEzKSlCA&z=15
October 21
Dan Kirby, Andrew W. Mellon Associate in Conservation Science, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museum.
Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry: a new tool in the conservation laboratory.
Dan and the Straus analytical lab have been developing the use of Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry (LDMS) to characterize modern paints and pigments. Long a mainstay of the biological sciences, LDMS, based on experience analyzing works by modern artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Paul Cezanne and Marcel Duchamp, is also well suited for use in the conservation laboratory. LDMS used alone is a valuable tool for the conservation scientist, but its greater strength is its application in combination with complementary techniques, especially Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The characterization of proteinaceous layers in works of art is a difficult analytical challenge. The approach to this problem is to utilize LDMS in its more traditional form, MALDI, to characterize enzymatic digests. Results from these analyses will be shown, and, together with results from the paints and pigment analyses, provide an overview of the emerging role of LDMS in the conservation laboratory.
This meeting will be held at 6pm at Northwest Building on Harvard University campus, 52 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA in one of the second floor meeting rooms, detailed directions to follow.
November 18 Reception at 6:00 Lecture at 6:30 Paul Messier, Conservator of Photographs and Works on Paper Materials & Techniques of Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres Part of a "surreal legacy," photographs by Man Ray have been shrouded by suspicion since his death in 1976. The custody of key prints, negatives and stamps used by the artist over the course of his career have roiled the market; most famously in 1998 when the discovery of a large group of fakes attracted worldwide press coverage. Paul Messier, a Boston-based conservator, will discuss new research into Man Ray's papers and techniques, especially focusing on his investigation into an early print of the iconic Le Violon d'Ingres. This meeting will be held at the Worcester Art Museum. Free parking is available on Lancaster Street across the street from Worcester Art Museum entrance. After you park the car, please proceed to the Lancaster Street entrance of the museum and follow the sign for Higgins Education Wing. This talk will be held in the conference room. There will be signs also to direct you to the conference room. Guards are also available there to give directions. Please RSVP to Babette Gehnrich at BGehnrich@mwa.org by November 13th
September 30
Tony Sigel, Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museum
Deconstructing Bernini's Modello for the Fountain of the Moor.
Tony will describe his conservation treatment of the Kimbell museum's terracotta modello for Fountain of the Moor, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Along with practical treatment materials and methods, he will discuss why the treatment was necessary and some of the technical and analytical studies that were undertaken. He will also illustrate discoveries that describe how the modello was originally made, and some of its previous life and adventures.
After his presentation, there will be a tour of the new Straus Center labs.
This meeting will be held at 5:00 pm at the new Somerville site of the Harvard Art Museum. 200 Innerbelt Rd., Somerville, MA. Parking is available behind the building. See this online map below:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=200+Innerbelt+rd.+somerville+ma&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&ei=-fqoSuH0A5aJtgfEzKSlCA&z=15
October 21
Dan Kirby, Andrew W. Mellon Associate in Conservation Science, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museum.
Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry: a new tool in the conservation laboratory.
Dan and the Straus analytical lab have been developing the use of Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry (LDMS) to characterize modern paints and pigments. Long a mainstay of the biological sciences, LDMS, based on experience analyzing works by modern artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Paul Cezanne and Marcel Duchamp, is also well suited for use in the conservation laboratory. LDMS used alone is a valuable tool for the conservation scientist, but its greater strength is its application in combination with complementary techniques, especially Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The characterization of proteinaceous layers in works of art is a difficult analytical challenge. The approach to this problem is to utilize LDMS in its more traditional form, MALDI, to characterize enzymatic digests. Results from these analyses will be shown, and, together with results from the paints and pigment analyses, provide an overview of the emerging role of LDMS in the conservation laboratory.
This meeting will be held at 6pm at Northwest Building on Harvard University campus, 52 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA in one of the second floor meeting rooms, detailed directions to follow.
November 18 Reception at 6:00 Lecture at 6:30 Paul Messier, Conservator of Photographs and Works on Paper Materials & Techniques of Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres Part of a "surreal legacy," photographs by Man Ray have been shrouded by suspicion since his death in 1976. The custody of key prints, negatives and stamps used by the artist over the course of his career have roiled the market; most famously in 1998 when the discovery of a large group of fakes attracted worldwide press coverage. Paul Messier, a Boston-based conservator, will discuss new research into Man Ray's papers and techniques, especially focusing on his investigation into an early print of the iconic Le Violon d'Ingres. This meeting will be held at the Worcester Art Museum. Free parking is available on Lancaster Street across the street from Worcester Art Museum entrance. After you park the car, please proceed to the Lancaster Street entrance of the museum and follow the sign for Higgins Education Wing. This talk will be held in the conference room. There will be signs also to direct you to the conference room. Guards are also available there to give directions. Please RSVP to Babette Gehnrich at BGehnrich@mwa.org by November 13th
