Newsletter Spring 2019

Spring into Constable Country

The Friends of the

Brand & Cover Design: We look Forward to Firebrand Creative Promote the Past FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019

Friends of the Ipswich Museums Annual General Meeting Wednesday 10 April 2019 7pm for 7:30pm, Lady Deben will preside

AGENDA 1. To receive apologies for absence 2. To approve the minutes for the AGM of 11 April 2018 3. To consider any matters arising from those minutes 4. To receive the Chairman’s report 5. To receive the Trustees’ report and annual accounts. Appointment of an Independent Examiner 6. To receive a report from the Membership Secretary 7. To receive a report from CIMS on the Ipswich Museums for the year 2018/2019 8. To receive the President’s address 9. To elect officers and committee members of the Charity for 2019/2020 (i) Chairman (ii) Vice Chairman (iii) Treasurer (iv) Secretary (v) Members of the Committee 10. To vote on the adoption of a revised constitution changing FoIM’s status to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Please see page 12 to for more details of the proposed change. 11. Any other business

After business, Dr Frank Hargrave, new Museums Manager will address the meeting

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Chairman’s message Roodhouse on Valentine’s Day. We have more to come, A very warm welcome to our including a quite splendid trip to spring newsletter, and what an London in July (see page 15 for exciting time to be involved details). with the Friends! We have the We have also helped CIMS HLF bid on the go, with a number of important and two outstanding exhibitions acquisitions, from the railway in progress. Kiss & Tell has poster on the front cover (see been exceptional – not only for the whole picture on page 13) the sheer quality of what Emma to other works that will be on Roodhouse and her team have display at our AGM on 10 April. put together, but also for the Do come along to find out more reception it has received. about what we have done, and Meanwhile Women 100 over at what we plan to do in the the Art Gallery has not only coming year, to promote the been an important display of past and look to the future. great art, but through the work of Eleanor Root and her team, Richard Wilson it has also encouraged young people to engage both with art Contents and with the importance of 2 AGM Agenda voting. Don’t forget, it is the 3 Chairman’s message grant from the Government 4 Wolsey portrait Equalities office to you, the 7 Women 100 report Friends, which made this all 10 Restoring a painting happen. We’ve recently held a 12 Constitution change couple of hugely enjoyable 14 Events events – our Christmas party 17 News from our Museums featuring the highly entertaining 19 Tom Gondris and informative Stephen 20 Conservation corner Calloway, and then a 26 Events booking slips marvellous talk by Emma 27 New members, welcome

!3 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Wolsey’s portrait – the recurring image Philip Wise describes a piece of exciting fine art detective work around the Mansion’s Wolsey portrait

An unexpected outcome of the in learning, and accompanied by exhibition Thomas Wolsey – his coat of arms. Several of the Ipswich’s Greatest Son has college buildings in the been the opportunity to continue background of the painting are the conversation about Wolsey still recognisable today. with Christ Church, the college I am indebted to Jacqueline that he founded in in Thalmann, the curator at Christ 1525. In particular, interest has Church for providing further focussed on the painting of information on the original Wolsey in the Ipswich collection portrait and an explanation of that I have named the ‘Oxford the likely date of the Ipswich Portrait’ because a view of version. Jacqueline explains Christ Church appears in the that the painting is a background (right, below). combination of the college This original version of this buildings and Wolsey’s portrait. portrait was painted, long after The appearance of the buildings Wolsey’s death in 1530, by a is probably based on a print Dutch artist called Sampson whilst Wolsey’s portrait could Strong (c. 1550-1611). In 1610 either be taken from a print or or 1611 Strong was one of the smaller, older commissioned by the Dean and portraits of the cardinal also at fellows of Christ Church to paint Christ Church. These were a portrait of their founder. Today, produced after his death, when it still hangs in a prominent it was acceptable again to have position in the hall at Christ a portrait of Wolsey, and are all Church next to the college’s very similar, based on a lost other benefactor Henry VIII. prototype in which Wolsey is Wolsey appears in his cardinal’s shown in his cardinal’s red scarlet robes holding a scroll, robes, either blessing or holding perhaps symbolising his interest a scroll. Portraits of this kind

!4 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 were rarely unique objects and, portraits. However, if the person in the age before photography, concerned had fallen from were placeholders scattered in power, all memory of him or her every place that the sitter felt would have to be erased, until it they had to be represented. became interesting or Alternatively, others might feel fashionable again to be that they had to show their associated with that person and association with a prominent then a new round of posthumous person and consequently would portraits would be produced. commission a replica of the Jacqueline suggested that the ‘official’ image (some of them Ipswich example of the ’Oxford amusingly bad). At the same portrait’ is probably a 19th- time there were always prints in century copy which would make circulation after the official sense in view of the gradual rehabilitation of Wolsey which began at this time. To many Victorians, Wolsey was both an example of ‘a great man’ and one of the founders of Britain’s imperial destiny as revealed by a closer academic study of his foreign policy. As such he was a worthy subject for a portrait and various places associated with Wolsey wanted his image because it added lustre to their status. As to how many copies

!5 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 of the ‘Oxford Portrait’ are in Castle (County Durham) and existence, my curiosity was the Bishop’s Palace, Wells aroused because of a visit to (Somerset). Wolsey was a Southwell Minster in fellow of Magdalen between Nottinghamshire. The medieval 1497 and 1502 and also held archbishops of York had a the offices of Bishop of Bath palace at Southwell and it was and Wells from 1518-23 and here that Wolsey lived for four Bishop of Durham from months in the summer of 1530 1523-29. These copies vary in following his fall from power in size; at 49 x 40 cm the Ipswich the previous autumn. This stay version is about half that of the is commemorated by a copy of Christ Church original (109 x the ‘Oxford Portrait’ hanging in 92 cm) and supports the the State Chamber. theory that it is a latter copy. Following this unexpected As a result of this collaboration discovery, I searched for the with Christ Church it has been portrait on the Art UK website possible to add new and found that as well as information to this portrait, Ipswich and Southwell there which is arguably our single are also copies at Magdalen most important item College in Oxford, Auckland associated with Wolsey.

An Exhibition ‘NATURE NOTES’ pictures by GEORGE THOMAS ROPE OF BLAXHALL 1846-1929 George Thomas Rope was an Artist and Naturalist, who observed nature through sketches, oil paintings and the written word. Subjects include landscapes, animals, and farming. March 22 – April 20. Open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 11-4pm EAST ANGLIAN TRADITIONAL ART CENTRE 48, High Street, Wickham Market, nr Woodbridge, IP13 0QS 01728 747050 [email protected] 07960 274 139 eatac.co.uk !6 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019

“I’ve got the vote and I’m going to use it” Collections and Learning Curator Eleanor Root reports on the Women 100 project

On 16 February we threw the Gainsborough Library Girls doors of the Ipswich Art Gallery Group and the 29th Ipswich wide open and welcomed Guides to create artwork friends, families and visitors to exploring how women first won explore the colourful, creative the vote, and the importance of and challenging artwork voting today. created as a part of the Women The project’s journey was often 100 project. inspiring and heart-breaking in Artist-in-residence Lisa Temple- equal measure. Many of Cox and I had supported the Ipswich’s young people feel YMCA, 4YP ( Young excluded and disengaged from People’s Mental Health the democratic system. When Project), Northgate High questioned, they often said School, Thomas Wolsey they wouldn’t know how to vote Ormiston Academy, or simply didn’t care, which sits

4YP creating their artworks at Ipswich Art Gallery !7 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 at odds with their articulately rights was a common theme in expressed beliefs in the the workshops. When first importance of greater asked if they voted, the YMCA opportunities, caring for the residents said yes but only for environment and support for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of people at risk of homelessness. Here! As the weeks progressed, For the young people these the young people began to issues were disconnected from express their views. politics and they described After much debate, the YMCA feeling powerless to effect residents painted their banner. positive change. to read: “I’ve got the VOTE and A 14-year-old 4YP participant I’m going to use it for… cleaner memorably said she wasn’t oceans, less pollution and more interested in voting and never recycling, affordable housing, would be. However, by the end homeless shelters and support, of the session she presented cheaper entertainment, funding me with a badge inscribed with for mental health, free college ‘Votes for 16+’ and said she education until you’re 25, free would definitely be voting when universities, more activities in she could. the local area, more funding The 4YP participants created for government programmes boxes that represented their like Ipswich Museums, YMCA minds as modern women. They and 4YP.” asked for this label to Afterwards Ryan Hickey, accompany their work: “Our Positive Behaviour Coach at boxes represent ourselves as the YMCA said: people. The boxes on the “I’d just like to say a huge thank outside are all the same but you for allowing us to inside are different. A participate in the project! representation of ourselves as Seems to be something they strong women.” are really enjoying!” The journey from disinterest to The YMCA residents have now hotly debating equality and been invited to the Mayor’s

!8 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 parlour to discuss their views be nurtured and grown. You can and advise local councillors on do your part by visiting the how to encourage more young Women 100 exhibition (at the people to engage with the High Street Art Gallery until 5 democratic system. May) to see what the young Women 100 has built a have to say, and to leave a foundation on which further response on the feedback discussion and awareness need wall. This project was a to be built. The participants partnership with the FoIM showed passion and courage in who were generously funded expressing their beliefs and we by the Government need to find ways that this can Equalities Office.

YMCA residents at work on their colourful banner

!9 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Making great progress John Day describes his work conserving a painting by John Moore from the Packard bequest to be unveiled at the AGM

The first stage of the process had restoration work carried out involves removing the to the surface. Fortunately prior discoloured varnish layers from to this work not all of the older the surface. John Moore was varnishes had been removed, not always dutiful about waiting so with solvents the varnish to varnish his paintings until the layers and old restoration can paint had hardened (which may be removed, the objective being take up to six months). The to clean down close to the paint result is that the paint layer surface without disturbing the discolours as the varnish artist’s glazes. yellows. A similar effect can be Other condition problems are a seen if the artist resorts to slackness of the canvas support mixing quick-drying varnish with and a shrinkage of the paint his final glazes to get a work surface in some areas. The left finished more quickly. hand sail edge shows this badly. Over the years the painting has Now, most of the varnish removal is complete and the paint surface has been assessed for damage. Some of the glazed/restored varnish has been left as the chance of damage to the original surface is just too high when removing it. The sky is responding well to cleaning with good clear cloud formations now showing. Cracking in the sky has previously been restored and overpaint is visible under the un- cleaned cloud. The sky behind the distant boats to the right is glazed with a thin layer of paint

!10 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 or varnish and will not be along the bottom edge, disturbed. The discoloured sails considerable later overpainting to the left will clean well with due was removed with vigilance and regard for the rigging details care. The lower right of the work which are easily damaged. On had a lot of flaking paint, which larger areas this type of damage had led to the overpainting. It can be heat-treated but in this was unlikely a signature would small area the background will have survived there. Fortunately be glazed to tone down the the bottom left corner was bright ground showing through undamaged apart from an area so it blends with surrounding of frame abrasion, which had colours. On the lower edge it is been painted over by a previous possible to discern black restorer. Upon removal, a lettering. When the painting was signature was found which is first examined there was no 80% intact. With more careful signature showing and John work it will be clearly legible and Moore generally signed his is a satisfying addition to the exhibited works. Whilst cleaning story of this interesting picture.

This is the painting at the start of the process. The restored painting will be on display at the AGM with John Day on hand to explain the process !11 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Proposed change to our Constitution Our Secretary Gary Butler explains the reasons behind the changes we are proposing and explains where to find out more

The Friends of the Ipswich become involved. Museums is a charitable The committee has looked at the unincorporated organisation. It various structures open to was registered as a charity in organisations that wish to April 1978 and it currently has a register as a charity. There are written Constitution covering numerous small charitable four sides of A4 paper. unincorporated organisations An unincorporated organisation like ours, so in 2013 the Charity is not a legal entity, which Commission introduced a new means it cannot own property, structure called a Charitable enter into contracts, lend or Incorporated Organisation borrow money etc. “So, what!” I (CIO). Being a CIO would give hear you cry. The downside of us legal status for no set up or an unincorporated organisation annual cost, and without the is that it has no corporate additional work or administration responsibility, so the Trustees demanded by other types of are personally responsible for structure. any contracts or orders that they sign. Any financial loss by or Our Proposal legal claim against FoIM would The committee has decided to be borne initially by the Trustees seek the approval of the personally, and secondly by the membership to apply to the individual members. This is not a Charity Commission for FoIM to desirable situation for anyone, become a CIO. To set this in especially in the light of the motion we have drafted a new larger cash balances that we Constitution. This is of necessity have seen recently and an a much more complex document increase in business activity than our existing Constitution. (such as the recent Women100 It is a legal document and project) in which we have follows closely the model

!12 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 provided by the Charity financial or legal claims. Commission. It contains all the The committee will ask for “whys” and “wherefores” of all approval from FoIM members to the things that we as a CIO adopt the new Constitution at the would be allowed to do, whether next AGM on 10 April 2019. or not we wish to do them. It If it is approved, we shall then contains all our aims and rules of apply to the Charity Commission conduct that are written into our to change our status. In the existing Constitution. meantime, the draft Constitution It gives FoIM greater powers, can be seen on our website should it wish to use them, while (www.foim.org.uk). Anyone not changing what we do or how without access to on-line facilities we do it. Most importantly, it may view a printed copy at either protects the Trustees and the Museum in the High Street or members personally against at Christchurch Mansion.

The full poster from our front cover. It will be on display at our AGM

!13 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Future FoIM Events, Talks & Exhibitions To see the latest information about FoIM events, please visit our website: www.foim.org.uk When booking, please use a booking slip (p26) and, where appropriate, enclose a cheque made out to “FoIM”. If you wish to receive confirmation, please provide your email address or enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You can also pay by bank transfer to: Friends of the Ipswich Museums, Royal Bank of Scotland, Account Number 11557799, Sort Code 16-22-17. If you pay by this method please use your name as the reference and confirm your booking by emailing [email protected]. For more information, email [email protected] or send a stamped envelope to Jean Attenborrow, 3 Holly Road, Ipswich, IP1 3QN.

The AGM of the Friends of the Ipswich Museums Wednesday 10 April 7pm for 7.30pm at Christchurch Mansion Members are encouraged to attend our AGM to hear about our activities, discover how we've been supporting the Museums over the past year, and help us to shape our future. We will also be unveiling some new acquisitions that have been supported by the Friends, including items from the Packard bequest and the splendid Constable poster (front cover image). Minutes of last year’s AGM can be found on our website. This year your committee are recommending the adoption of a new Constitution so that we can better face the challenges and opportunities of the future (please see page 12 for details). After the business part of the evening, Frank Hargrave, Colchester and Ipswich Museums Manager, will share with us his insight, with special focus on the developments to the High Street Museum. Refreshments (coffee, tea and biscuits) will be available. Free, no booking required.

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Friday, 21 June – Friends' Summer Party and Quiz 6.30pm for 7pm Christchurch Mansion £12 for members and £15 for guests, to include strawberries & cream and a glass of wine or Pimm’s. Booking is required for this event. We are hoping for fine weather so that we can be in the Mansion courtyard to enjoy some good conversation enriched by summer refreshments. This year we are delighted to be hosting a lighthearted and culturally focussed quiz from our Portfolio Holder, Carole Jones.

Thursday, 11 July – Friends’ trip to London Following last year’s extremely successful London visit, we have a very special day planned for this summer: a chance to view the extraordinary collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, lunch at the home of our Patron, Lady Deben, an exclusive lecture on Van Gogh and then a visit to Van Gogh and Britain at the Tate. All travel is to be organised independent of the Friends, but for information, the first main off-peak Ipswich-London train arrives Liverpool Street at 10.10am. The outline of the day is as follows:

11.15am: Assemble at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace to view Leonardo da Vinci: a life in drawing. This exhibition, the largest in over 65 years, marks the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance master’s death, and brings together more than 200 of his greatest drawings. Acquired in 1519 during the reign of Charles II, these provide an unparalleled insight into the workings of Leonardo's mind, reflecting the full range of his interests including painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, engineering, cartography, geology and botany. 1.15pm: Gather at the home of Lord and Lady Deben for drinks on the terrace (weather permitting) and a sandwich lunch. Their home is a short walk from the Palace (details to be given on the day). 2.45pm: Make your way (on foot, by bus or taxi) to Tate Britain. 3.30pm: An exclusive talk about Van Gogh’s relationship with Britain. Did you know that he was a teacher in Ramsgate, was strongly

!15 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 influenced by and was infatuated with reading Dickens? So much more about the artist’s love affair with Britain will become clear during our lecture. 4.30pm to 6pm: Enjoy 45 of Van Gogh’s works including Sunflowers, Self-Portrait (below, from the National Gallery of Art, Washington), Starry Night on the Rhône (Musée d’Orsay), and his only image of London, Prisoners Exercising (Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow) plus works by Constable, Millais, Francis Bacon and others who inspired, or were inspired by, this great artist.

There are only 30 tickets available. Prices are £65 for members, £75 for non- members, which includes access to both of the exhibitions, the lecture and the lunch with wine. Members of the Tate or Art Pass members are asked to contact Jean Attenborrow (01473 213025) before booking.

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■ Company and business law 32 Lloyds Avenue ■ Litigation Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3HD ■ Employment www.kerseys-law.co.uk Design & Brand www.frebrandcreative.com !16 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 News from our Museums James Steward Ipswich Museums Manager reports on exciting new funding and Spring’s “Blockbuster” exhibition

A few years ago there was a lot the main artwork, on loan from of talk in the museum sector the Tate, I expect very few of the about the end of Blockbuster 20,000 visitors will have exhibitions prompted in part by experienced any problem seeing disquiet amongst visitors to it in what has become one of the Tate’s Gauguin exhibition who region’s “must see” shows. complained at the number of visitors crowding their view of Funding win the artwork. For some museum We began the year with the directors this was not the way fantastic news that we had that great art should be seen but secured National Heritage for many institutions these Lottery Fund (NHLF) support of exhibitions were used to drive almost £500,000 to develop the museum’s economy by ambitious proposals to inspire a increasing visitor numbers. new generation of visitors to I’m pleased that Kiss & Tell: Ipswich Museum. The funding Rodin and Suffolk Sculpture at will help the museums team and Christchurch Mansion (until 28 Ipswich Borough Council April 2019) has not been prepare detailed plans to apply burdened with the title for a Round Two NHLF award in “blockbuster”. However, the Summer 2020. response has been This £8.6 million project aims to unprecedented, and the Wolsey carry out essential conservation Art Gallery has also been work to the building in High thronged with visitors, many of Street, stripping the interior back whom are not only visiting to the 19th-century original, Christchurch Mansion for the creating additional gallery first time but also Ipswich. space, refurbishing existing Given the monumental scale of galleries, creating new learning

!17 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 spaces and providing a new national reputation. Many of cafe, shop area and toilets. The those people were at the heart main Grade II* listed museum of the debate about in building was built by Ipswich the years before On the Origin Corporation to house the of Species was published and collection from the earlier the displays were set up to private museum founded in illustrate the revolutionary new 1847 and the Schools of Art and ideas about evolution. Science. Its founders were at Therefore, Ipswich Museum the cutting edge of scientific was in the vanguard of debate and generations of museums, at the heart of benefactors filled the museum scientific study and debate with with outstanding collections of an important national natural history, archaeology, reputation. On that astonishing geology and ethnography for foundation, we now have an “wonderment, learning and opportunity to rethink the scientific advancement”. The museum’s relationship with our initiative for the museum came audiences and develop a from George Ransome, a museum that truly represents member of the Ransome the diverse community of engineering industrial family Ipswich, and tell their stories in that helped build Ipswich’s a museum offering consistently wealth in the 19th century. Over engaging, meaningful, and 60 leading scientists lent their memorable experiences to a support and it soon acquired a broad range of visitors.

!18 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 A Friend who will be much missed Rowell Bell remembers Friend of the Ipswich Museums and friend to Ipswich Tom Gondris MBE who died in February

“I said goodbye to my parents in Seventy years from his arrival Prague and expected them to Tom received his MBE for join me in England. They only services to Conservation and made it to Poland before the war Heritage in 2009. Tom was caught up with them.” chairman of the Ipswich Nine-year-old Tom Gondris Buildings Preservation Trust and arrived in London on the very the Suffolk Architectural Heritage last Kindertransport train out of Trust as well as the Ipswich Prague. He would never see his Society’s River Action Group. parents again. After doing his National Service In 1992 Tom commissioned a during the Suez campaign, Tom memorial to them (below) for the joined a drinks equipment Wolsey Garden by Bernard manufacturing company and Reynolds (1915-1997), moved to Ipswich with his wife which Tom felt symbolised “the Pat when the company relocated continuous resurgence of life”. to Hadleigh in the 1960s. He worked his way up to become chairman before his retirement in 1995. Tom also served Ipswich in the capacity of a Labour Councillor in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In retirement, he and his wife Pat supported, encouraged, and donated both time and money to many voluntary bodies including the Ipswich Historic Churches Trust, the Friends of and FoIM.

!19 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Conservation Corner by Bob Entwistle, Senior Conservation Officer The FoIM have donated some has always had a close money to help myself and association with the Museum. Eleanor Root put on a small Some years ago, she costume exhibition in the Music redisplayed all the uniforms in Room at Christchurch Mansion. the Duxford American Airforce The money from the Friends Museum. helped us to buy materials and, This exhibition was to show the most importantly, to employ various stages of underwear Anna Peck, a textile conservator that a Victorian lady would have who brought her professional to wear before she could be expertise to bear on the thought of as decently dressed. costumes. Anna, when a Together with the volunteers we student, carried out her chose the drawers, chemises, university conservation work corset and crinolines that would placement in Ipswich and she make up the exhibition. We then

The various layers being selected for the exhibition !20 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 chose a blue dress to finish off hoops are hard to come by in the exhibition. Anna, Eleanor 2019. I eventually hit on the and the volunteers, sewed idea of using cut down lengths padding onto the mannequins, of plastic cladding. There was a made arms and legs from bit of confusion in Jewson’s wadding, and carried out quick when I told the Polish chap repairs. working the band-saw exactly My contribution seemed to what I was using it for. There consist of running to various was no Polish translation for shops for materials and supplies crinoline on his phone app and I (including milk) and trying to rather regretted starting the stiffen a crinoline which had conversation. However, we also been specially made for the added a bonnet, shoes and exhibition. Strangely crinoline stockings to finish it all off.

The exhibition of Victorian dress in Christchurch Mansion !21 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 Conserving a cast of Michelangelo’s Taddei Tondo

The Tondo marble relief by vacuum cleaner, brushes, and Michelangelo in the collection of wet cleaned with cotton wool, the Royal Academy of Arts is melamine sponges, and an A7 the only original Michelangelo Synperonic non-ionic detergent. carving in Britain. Ipswich It was decided to join the museum has a cast made by separate pieces, recreate the D Brucciani and Co, bought for missing area, and reinforce the £2 10 shillings in 1898. back using an epoxy resin It was used by art students until foaming system. This would the middle of the last century, add support and reduce weight. then relegated to a damp cellar Casting resin directly on the where it sustained substantial rear and painting the front damage, and later placed in a caused us pause for thought. museum store. The main concern was safety. The cast was chosen for display The Tondo was heavy and it at the Kiss & Tell exhibition at was intended to display it high Christchurch Mansion and on the gallery wall. A good needed conservation to make it strong bond was essential. safe and presentable for A 20% solution of pH neutral display. It was chipped, PVA was painted on the inside cracked, broken and a large of the cast before the resin was area was missing. It also had applied. This was to consolidate black mould stains, and the surface and act as a ingrained dirt and was attached potential separator. to a heavy wooden backing with Joining the 2 separate pieces of long corroded iron screws. The the large and heavy plaster cast backing had rotted and was was difficult. The pieces were structurally unsound. The Tondo placed together and levelled was removed from its backing with a large spirit level and and came away in 2 large Plastazote (a type of foam) sections. supports. The cast was cleaned using a To allow the cast to be turned

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Left to right, top to bottom: the original; removed from its backing; cleaning; the mould for the missing piece; all together; a new backing to make it secure

!23 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 over to apply the backing, a and least likely to cause any plaster of Paris support was damage to the resin RA cast. made of the front using cling The alginate cured quickly. As film as a separator. The cast the alginate mould was very held the unattached pieces in flexible the rear was backed their correct positions whilst with polyurethane foam to work was undertaken on the prevent it distorting when the rear. replacement part was cast. The cast and its temporary The missing area was then cast support were turned over and in fine casting plaster, and the 3 loose pieces were re- attached to the Tondo using a attached using the resin and further thin layer of plaster. chopped strand fibreglass The Tondo was turned over and matting. The back of the cast the rear of the new cast piece was later in-filled with the resin was treated as above with weld into which the foaming agent mesh, bolts and foaming epoxy was added as a support. resin, (bottom right). Strips of stainless steel weld Display mesh were sunk into the After speaking with colleagues foaming epoxy resin during the and curatorial staff it was process for added strength. decided to paint the whole cast Long steel bolts and plates were a uniform colour. The cast was set into the resin beneath the un-accessioned and could not weld mesh. be shown in its original Recreating the missing area condition. This was primarily a A resin cast of the original curatorial decision. Tondo was supplied by the Chalk paint was chosen as it Royal Academy (RA) and a was most akin to the plaster and negative cast was made of the was chemically similar. It was area using alginate, a water- also water soluble and could be soluble material (pictured thinned to ensure no definition middle row, right). This was was lost. Various other thought to be the safest material coverings were considered, but

!24 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019 these were found to result in board which was then attached loss of detail. to the gallery wall using a A colour most resembling the batten as a support and metal original plaster was used and clips. The project had limited applied by brush. The paint was time, resources and funds and coated with a layer of the conservators had to work microcrystalline wax to which a towards an exhibition deadline, little pigment was added to tone giving us just two weeks to do down the colour. The whole was the project, then buffed with a soft cloth. For display purposes it was We would like to thank FoIM for decided to attach the cast to a their funding and support of the lightweight aluminium project, and the Royal honeycomb resin board. This Academy, primarily Dan was to reduce weight and to Bowmar and Maurice Davies, protect the cast. for facilitating the loan of their The Tondo was bolted to the resin cast of the Tondo.

The finished Taddei Tondo is on display at the Kiss & Tell exhibition at Christchurch Mansion until April 28. For more information on the restoration, see: https:// cimuseums.org. uk/conserving- the-tondo/

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Friends’ Summer Party and Quiz on Friday, 21 June

Name: ......

Address: ......

Telephone: ...... email: ......

Special Dietary, Access, Mobility needs, if any: ......

Tickets: Friends at £12 each ..... Guests £15 ...... I enclose a cheque for £ ………….

Please return this form to: Jean Attenborrow, 3 Holly Road, Ipswich, IP1 3QN

Trip to Buckingham Palace and Tate Britain for Leonardo and Van Gogh on Thursday, 11 July Name: ......

Address: ......

Telephone: ...... email: ......

Special Dietary, Access, Mobility needs, if any: ......

Tickets: Friends at £65 each …. Guests £75 …. I enclose a cheque for £ ……………

Please return this form to: Jean Attenborrow, 3 Holly Road, Ipswich, IP1 3QN

!26 FoIM Newsletter - Spring 2019

Want to know what we are doing? We like to keep you updated with news of our events and activities, if you have an email address but haven't yet told us, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. See the Privacy Information Notice on our website for how we keep your information safe in accordance with the 2018 GDPR legislation.

A very warm welcome to our new members

Peter & Jackie Sheila Jeffery Karen Smith Bateman Barbara Leeson Tim & Sally Joan Brookes Wendy MacNab Voelcker Mr & Mrs P Brooks Lana Mott Jane & Luke Walsh Sherree Cooper Pam Pelling Jean Withers Colin Ebdon Roger & Gloria Michael & Peggy Susan Groom Theobald Woods

Would you like to be a Mansion Guide? Our guides raise money for the FoIM and enhance the visitor experience. All new guides will be given training which will vary according to the commitment they can put in and what knowledge they come with. The training is mostly informal, but the new guide is expected to learn the core story of the Mansion, the collections on display and be able to put the story over to visitors in a friendly and interesting manner. If you think you would like to join our welcoming team, email: [email protected]

!27 There’s still time to see our two spectacular exhibitions…

Spring is in the air, but don’t let the sunny weather prevent you from visiting our two Ipswich exhibitions. The hugely successful Kiss & Tell is only with us until Sunday, 28 April: don’t miss this once in a lifetime experience to get up close and personal with Rodin’s iconic work of art in the congenial atmosphere of the Mansion. Appropriately it was on International Women’s Day that the Women 100 exhibition dates at the High Street Art Gallery were extended to Sunday, 5 May. Enjoy this collection of beautiful and powerful images, such as Lime Tree Shade by Amy K. Browning, before they are dispersed.

The Friends We welcome new members to help us support our excellent museums. of the Ipswich Museums Visit our website: www.foim.org.uk Find us on Facebook: We look Forward to www.facebook.com/ipswichmuseums Promote the Past Twitter: @FoIpsMuseums

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