Art i facts summer 2016

Researching Ungilded Daguerreotype Treatment

The 1830s were a dynamic time in photographic experimentation. On either side of the Atlantic, scientists and amateur hobbyists alike traded techniques and guarded discoveries as they sought to capture the world around them in a still image. The first widely-used method of photography was introduced in Paris in 1839 by a man named Louis Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. The type of photograph he invented bears his name to this day: the daguerreotype. A daguerreotype is made on a light-sensitive, silver-plated sheet of copper. When this sheet is exposed to a sunlit subject and a discrete amount of mercury vapor, an image is created on top of the mirror-like surface. The publication of Daguerre’s discovery in August 1839 sent a shockwave across the burgeoning photography community. In Philadelphia, a young man named Robert Cornelius began experimenting. Cornelius worked in his family’s lamp and chandelier shop and had a keen interest in science. In October 1839, in the backyard behind his family’s store, Cornelius took what is today heralded as the first “selfie”—the world’s first photographic self-portrait,

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WHAT’S INSIDE page two The Fellowship Year at CCAHA Letter from the Executive Director As this issue of Art-i-facts goes to press, one of the world’s top training programs. page five CCAHA Fellow Rémy Dreyfuss-Deseigne Fresh from his Masters-level training at Preventive Conservation Fellow: Gillian Marcus has just returned to Paris to present the the French National Institute for Cultural findings of his research project on nanocellulose Heritage, Dreyfuss-Deseigne began his one- page six at an international conference for year National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Questions for Jessica Silverman conservators. He is working in a long Fellowship at CCAHA in September 2015. tradition of utilizing CCAHA’s state-of- As a key part of their year in the laboratory, page seven the-art conservation laboratory to contribute CCAHA Fellows are encouraged to dedicate High Watermarks to conservator education and cutting-edge some time to an in-depth research project, page eight research in the field. taking advantage of the professional staff Calendar of Events According to CCAHA records, Dreyfuss-Deseigne and resources available at CCAHA. Generous is the 62nd conservator-in-training to gain funding from places like NEA, the Andrew hands-on experience in the laboratory since W. Mellon Foundation, and the Samuel ABOVE RIGHT / CCAHA Photograph CCAHA’s founding in 1977. As the profession Kress Foundation allows the Fellows to Conservator Rachel Wetzel poses with has changed, these positions have variously attend conferences, consult with leading Robert Cornelius daguerreotypes owned been called apprenticeships, internships, authorities at and universities, and by the American Philosophical Society and now fellowships. They provide extensive closely examine items relevant to and William F. Stapp’s Robert training for the new conservator, as he or she their study. Cornelius, Portraits from the Dawn enters into the field after graduating from (continued on page 3) of Photography. LETTER SUMMER 2016 / STAFF & BOARD

from the executive director BOARD George Blood George Blood, L.P. Stewart R. Cades Overseas Strategic Consulting, Ltd. V. Chapman-Smith 1 Walter L. Crimm Walt Crimm Associates Stephen J. Driscoll Saul Ewing, LLP Dear Friends, Jean Elliott JPMorgan Chase & Co. CCAHA may be described in many ways. It is a Alison Gilchrest Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Gregory M. Harvey Montgomery, McCracken, cutting-edge conservation facility, a digital imaging lab, Walker & Rhoads, LLP and a resource for preservation guidelines, education Derek Jones Atelier Art Services and Storage Bruce Katsiff Board Chair programming, and grant planning. In this issue of Art-i-facts, Larry Massaro we discuss another aspect of CCAHA’s identity: that of Debra Hess Norris University of Delaware Elisabeth Perez-Luna WHYY conservation laboratory—a place of scientific research and Michele Stricker New Jersey State Library discovery. At CCAHA, seasoned conservators and first-year Page Talbott

fellows alike actively contribute to the field of conservation STAFF knowledge, writing papers and presenting at conferences. Administrative Amy Heuer Manager of Marketing & Engagement As leading experts in the field, CCAHA’s conservators Laura Hortz Stanton Executive Director 2 consult with specialists at other facilities. In Researching Della Keyser Records Coordinator Ungilded Daguerreotype Treatment, we discuss CCAHA Mary Anne Manherz Director of Administration & Operations Photograph Conservator Rachel Wetzel’s recent Jen Nugent Registrar collaboration with experts at institutions like the Library Lee A. Price Director of Development of Congress and the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Preservation Services Stephenie Bailey Education Program Manager 1 / CCAHA Photograph Institute to develop a method for treating fragile Dyani Feige Director of Preservation Services Conservator Rachel daguerreotypes. This issue’s “High Watermarks” includes Samantha Forsko Preservation Specialist Emily Polhamus Preservation Services Assistant resources for those interested in learning more about Wetzel removes Tamara Talansky Preservation & Imaging photographs from a daguerreotypes. Project Coordinator The Fellowship Year at CCAHA highlights CCAHA’s Documentary Heritage and 1918 photo of graduates Preservation Services for NY Project of Gammon Theological legacy of training the next generation of conservators Jason Henn DHPSNY Communications Assistant Anastasia Matikjiw DHPSNY Project Coordinator Seminary from the through grant-funded fellowship programs. Fresh from graduate-level conservation programs, fellows embark on Conservators Robert W. Woodruff Jungohk (Theresa) Cho Senior Book Conservator new research projects at CCAHA, often presenting their Library of the Atlanta Tessa Gadomski Book & Paper Conservator findings at national and even international conferences. Heather Hendry Paper Conservator University Center. Richard Homer Book Conservator “Questions for Jessica” is an interview with our Senior 2 / CCAHA Fellow Barbara E. Lemmen Senior Photograph Conservator Paper Conservator & Preservation Consultant, who began Mary Schobert Director of Conservation Marianne de Bovis her career at CCAHA as a graduate fellow eight years ago. Jessica Silverman Senior Paper Conservator & Preservation Consultant uses a microscope to I’m proud to share CCAHA’s legacy of contribution to Rebecca Smyrl Book Conservator consolidate flaking the field of conservation scholarship with you. Rachel Wetzel Photograph Conservator media on a medieval Technicians Heather Godlewski Conservation Assistant Persian manuscript Sincerely, Amber Hares Conservation Assistant belonging to Bucknell Keith Jameson Anna C. Yates Krain Senior Conservation Assistant University Special Jilliann Wilcox Senior Conservation Assistant

Collections. Fellows Laura Hortz Stanton Marianne de Bovis Mellon Fellow Both of these Executive Director Rémy Dreyfuss-Deseigne NEA Fellow photos are from our Gillian Marcus NEH Preventive Conservation Fellow Instagram account, Brook Prestowitz Kress Fellow

@conservationcenter. Housing & Framing Services Zac Dell’Orto Manager of Housing & Framing

Imaging Services Andy Pinkham Manager of Digital Imaging The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) is a nonprofit conservation facility specializing in the treatment of works on paper, photographs, and through conservation and state-of-the-art digital imaging services. Founded in 1977, CCAHA serves nonprofit cultural institutions, private Designer Danielle L. Lyons individuals, and other organizations. CCAHA’s preservation services staff present educational programs, conduct preservation assessments, and Editor Amy Heuer develop emergency preparedness plans. CCAHA also offers fellowships, fundraising support, and disaster assistance. 1 2 1 / CCAHA Kress Fellow Brook Prestowitz uses gellan gel to remove a backing from a photograph. 2 / CCAHA NEA Fellow Rémy Dreyfuss-Deseigne mixes wheat starch paste, a commonly-used material in the lab.

(The Fellowship Year at CCAHA, continued from page 1)

In Dreyfuss-Deseigne’s case, he chose to focus on something Most Fellows look back on their time at CCAHA as being a new in the field of conservation: the use of nanocellulose films as critical part of their education in the art and science of mending materials. His research subject is typical of the tightly conservation. Samantha Sheesley, a 2007 NEA Fellow now serving focused research projects generally developed by Fellows, who as the first-ever Paper Conservator at the Virginia Museum of Fine truly receive opportunities to follow their passions. CCAHA Arts, collaborated with the Smithsonian American Art Museum Director of Conservation Mary Schobert—who herself served as on preservation guidelines for their collection of mixed-media art an apprentice at CCAHA in the mid-1980s—remembers two by Joseph Cornell. She remembers, “I found that every discovery particular past research projects that both inspired the Fellows triggered additional questions and possible research avenues… and ultimately benefited the field of conservation. It was a wonderful feeling to be a part of something so big and In 2002, NEA Fellow Erin Murphy investigated the odd so important.” deterioration patterns visible in a group of 22 Diane Arbus For her research project, Laura Wahl, a 2005 NEA Fellow photographs, part of Arbus’ Untitled series. Murphy’s detective now serving as Library Conservator at the Hagley Museum and work led her both to the Museum of Modern Art for consultation Library, developed a set of foundational recommendations that and analysis with their photograph conservator and to the New were subsequently used in establishing CCAHA’s digital imaging Jersey State Museum, the owner of the photographs. While her studio. Wahl pursued her interest in the rapidly-changing field of analyses ultimately didn’t yield a simple solution for reversing digital imaging at a transitional time when CCAHA was still using the problem, they provided a needed set of guidelines for long- traditional slide images for the “before and after” documentation term preservation of the classic photographs. required for professional conservation treatment. After Wahl’s As Murphy remembers, “My research project at CCAHA has fellowship, CCAHA Photograph Conservator Rachel Wetzel and really been one of the highlights of my career so far... It helped others built upon her work in realizing her dream of a fully-equipped me look and think more critically at preservation problems and digital imaging studio at CCAHA working in tandem with the keep an open mind.” Today, Murphy brings her expertise—partially conservation laboratory. honed in the CCAHA laboratory—to her job as the Paul M. and Current work by Brook Prestowitz, the 2015-16 Kress Fellow, Harriet L. Weissman Senior Photograph Conservator at the and Marianne de Bovis, the 2015-16 Mellon Fellow, may sound Weissman Preservation Center at Harvard University. extremely technical to the layperson yet is of potentially great Schobert is also regularly reminded of the stellar work of 2001 importance to the field and the CCAHA lab. Brook is exploring NEA Fellow Maurizio Michellozi. His project involved the assembly the use of gellan gum gels in paper conservation and Marianne of a very practical sampling of ways to mend and insert parchment, is preparing a set of guidelines based on the latest findings about demonstrated through the use of expendable parchment pieces. humidification of iron gall inks. And in Paris, an international His experimentation with a broad range of techniques—enjoying cohort of conservators has benefitted from Dreyfuss-Deseigne’s the freedom to occasionally venture outside the confines of findings that link new conservation techniques with the latest normally approved treatments—proved to be of both immediate research into nanotechnologies. Visionary work like this is solidly and long-term value to CCAHA staff. During a subsequent in the 39-year tradition of nurturing talent, insight, and creativity fellowship at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Michellozi continued in the CCAHA treatment laboratory. his investigations into parchment mending techniques, eventually publishing his findings inThe Paper Conservator. Today, he works —LEE PRICE as a conservator in Italy, and is currently involved in a major treatment of Raphael’s preparatory cartoon for The School of Athens at the Ambrosiana Museum in Milan.

Summer 2016 / 3 (Researching Ungilded Daguerreotype Treatment, continued from page 1) in which a hazy, off-center Cornelius looks down lens. (To view When conservators are brought ungilded daguerreotypes—those this image, visit www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004664436/) made prior to 1841 that have no protective coating—they have few Cornelius experimented with scientist Paul Beck Goddard, options. Currently, there are no safe methods for reversing damage significantly improving the daguerreotype process. Their on ungilded daguerreotypes. discoveries enabled shorter exposure times, which allowed Therefore, when the American Philosophical Society (APS) them to use daguerreotypes for portraiture as well as landscape brought two ungilded daguerreotypes taken by Cornelius in 1839 photography. Keeping this development secret, Cornelius quickly and 1840 to CCAHA, Wetzel had limited options. Both of the set up Philadelphia’s first photograph portrait studio. For the next daguerreotypes had been thiourea-cleaned in 1978, a treatment three years, he honed his techniques, emerging as the foremost that had left white residue and corrosion stains on the plates, American daguerreotypist of the time. Daguerre himself sent obscuring the images. daguerreotypes from France in exchange for examples of Cornelius’ Conservation is a collaborative field; conservators often consult photographs. After this relatively brief period, however, Cornelius one another on complex treatments. When considering options returned to the family business, where he worked for the rest of his life. for the ungilded Cornelius daguerreotypes, Wetzel reached out The daguerreotypes that have survived into the modern era to Adrienne Lundgren, Senior Photograph Conservator at the are often plagued with deterioration due to the corrosive nature Library of Congress. Lundgren is experienced with daguerreotype of silver. Early attempts at cleaning daguerreotypes in the 19th treatment and also has access to the Library’s Cornelius and early 20th centuries involved either cyanide or thiourea daguerreotypes, including the aforementioned “selfie.” (a sulfur-based chemical). While the results seemed effective Wetzel and Lundgren decided to collaborate to fully explore initially, these early interventions are now known to be very treatment methods for ungilded daguerreotypes that have been damaging to daguerreotypes, as they leave behind corrosive thiourea- and/or cyanide-treated. They created a research spots and hazy residues. team that includes Edward Vicenzi, Research Scientist at the When faced with treating a daguerreotype today, photograph Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute; Mike Robinson, a conservators must ascertain if the photograph is gilded—taken modern-day daguerreotypist; and William Stapp, former after 1841 and coated with gold chloride. If so, there are several of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery and author of a treatment options. book about Cornelius. Wetzel will be presenting the first phase of For example, the University of Louisville recently brought several the research at the International Council of Museums-Committee gilded daguerreotypes to CCAHA for treatment. The photographs for Conservation’s Photographic Materials Working Group Annual had been cleaned with cyanide and showed signs of corrosion. Meeting at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in September 2016. Since they were gilded, CCAHA Photograph Conservator Rachel Until the project is completed and the team can devise a safe Wetzel was able to carefully wash the plates to remove the corrosive treatment method for ungilded daguerreotypes, Wetzel provided stains and cyanide residues and ensure the longevity of the APS with two baseline condition reports of their Cornelius daguerreotypes. daguerreotypes. These included written documentation of the damage and marks on the plates and photographic documentation, which provided visual confirmation of the daguerreotypes’ current state. These reports allow conservators and to monitor any changes that may occur to the daguerreotypes over the next few years.

1 1 + 2 / Daguerreotype of Paul Beck Goddard taken by Robert Cornelius. The white ring around the image is the result of the cleaning that occurred in 1978 noted on the back of the image. (American Philosophical Society) 3 / CCAHA Photograph Conservator Rachel Wetzel and Bob Cornelius, the great-great-grandson of Robert Cornelius, with the second 2 daguerreotype the photographer made.

Alongside Wetzel’s research into the treatment of these daguerreotypes, she deepened her interest in the life and work of Cornelius himself. “Cornelius worked at a pivotal moment in

the history of photography,” she says. In the first three years after the process was invented and during which Cornelius ran his portraiture studio, the daguerreotype process changed rapidly. “Since Cornelius was instrumental in many of these changes, you can gain a sense of the development of the daguerreotype through his body of work,” Wetzel says. Records of Cornelius’ work are few and far between—there are scant mentions of him in scholarship and literature on the history PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION FELLOW GILLIAN MARCUS of photography. He left behind no notebooks of his working methods or client lists. By piecing together the fragmentary In 2015, the National Endowment for the allusions, however, Wetzel has been able to locate several Humanities (NEH) approached CCAHA about undocumented Cornelius daguerreotypes. piloting a new kind of fellowship, one that draws One such photograph belongs to a direct descendent of Robert on our strong Preservation Services Office. Cornelius. Wetzel reached out to Bob Cornelius, the photographer’s Therefore, we’re proud to announce our innovative great-great-grandson, who came to CCAHA with a family heirloom: new fellowship in preventive conservation. the second daguerreotype Cornelius ever made. Wetzel was able to Gillian Marcus is CCAHA’s inaugural Preventive examine the photograph, which provided valuable insight into the Conservation Fellow. A trained paper conservator workings of Cornelius’ early portraiture. with experience working in institutions in the Conservation is often described as a mix—a mix of science and US and the UK, Marcus works with institutions art, a mix of technique and craft. Along with a passion for the so that they can better protect their collections. scientific aspects of their jobs, conservators love the history and She conducts preservation needs and risk stories behind the objects they treat. It is perhaps no surprise, assessments, assists with preservation planning, then, that while Wetzel worked on the daguerreotypes, her interest in Cornelius’ life and work was piqued. and is updating many of our technical bulletins. Her research from this project has many possible resonances. Wetzel is contributing to the field of conservation science with her research on the treatment of ungilded daguerreotypes. Simultaneously, her work piecing together the timeline of Cornelius’ work contributes to the history of photography and of Philadelphia more broadly. Wetzel’s work is far from over, however. “We’re just getting started,” she says, “I can’t wait to see what we find next.”

—AMY HEUER

Here are some snapshots of the conservators highlighted in this issue.

3 FOLLOW CCAHA ON INSTAGRAM! Last summer, we launched an Instagram page. We’re eager to share what’s new in the lab and feature old favorite projects.

Follow us @conservationcenter or visit online at instagram.com/conservationcenter.

Summer 2016 / 5 QUESTIONS for Jessica Silverman

Education: Education: M.S., Winterthur / University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, Winterthur, DE; B.A., Art History and Chemistry Minor with a certificate in Museum Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL / Years at CCAHA: 8

How did you get into You also serve as a Preservation even a letter from a young attorney named conservation? Consultant. Can you speak a Thomas Jefferson to a College of William I was taking a course in Art History little about that work? & Mary classmate, talking about girls for my Associate’s degree in Fine Art, and Sure. Partway through my first fellowship that he fancied! I have to say some of the a professor spoke about the conservation year, I did a survey with CCAHA’s consulting work I’ve done has been the of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. I was Preservation Services Office (PSO). most exciting though. It’s hard to beat mesmerized by the combination of fine We learned about preventive conservation actually touching Francis Scott Key’s art, history, science, and ethics. during graduate school but seeing the “Star-Spangled Banner” manuscript. impact that could be made by consulting How did you start at CCAHA? What is the most challenging with institutions and finding out that I project you’ve done at CCAHA? What were some of your first still had much to learn about preservation projects? was eye-opening. When I was hired as a I once did a lead white conversion on a I started as a post-graduate fellow permanent staff member, I was hired with privately-owned gouache painting. This in 2008. One of my first treatment the idea that I’d split my time between particular pigment, lead carbonate, can projects was a William Penn indenture PSO and the lab. For many years I was turn black when exposed to pollutants in on parchment—an entirely different doing both—I wrote some emergency the environment. We can’t actually revert beast than paper, pun intended! I preparedness plans, co-taught workshops, the compound back to lead carbonate but also worked on a series of Louis Kahn did surveys and consultation as well as we can convert it to another compound, architectural drawings from the University paper conservation work. lead sulfate, which also appears white. of Pennsylvania, French Nouveau posters Finding a method that would deliver the belonging to the Virginia Museum of What are some of your favorite chemical I was using without dissolving Fine Arts, and fine art from private projects from your time at the paint was particularly complicated collections—an Audubon print, a Renoir CCAHA? for this piece. print, and a 19th-century Micah Williams A 16th-century Persian miniature that How have your responsibilities pastel. Those are just some of the treatments I worked on always stands out—the detail changed since becoming the from my first year. I also helped with a on them is amazing. We are working on a lab’s Senior Paper Conservator? condition survey of manuscripts from large collection of stunning 19th-century the Sol Feinstone Collection of the David watercolors right now for a museum. Through Now that I’m Senior Paper Conservator, Library of the American Revolution. our observations, we’re identifying some I supervise the postgraduate Fellows and My boxes for the survey contained the of the artist’s techniques and gathering help the Director of Conservation keep correspondence of John Adams, including information about the papers he used everything moving in the paper section letters to his wife, Abigail. I love how through noting watermarks in the papers. of the lab. Working with the Fellows he signed letters to her, “I am with all We’ve been sharing what we’re finding with is rewarding. They ask such insightful tenderness yours,” …sigh. the curator and adding to the institution’s questions and keep us on our toes by knowledge of their collection. I’ve also bringing new developments in the field had the opportunity to work on some into our lab. beautiful Pennsylvania-German frakturs, —AMY HEUER works by Andrew Wyeth, a lottery ticket that was signed by George Washington,

6 / ARTIFACTS HIGH WATERMARKS

In each newsletter, CCAHA highlights several books or websites we think will be of interest to collectors, conservators, and collections managers.

ROBERT CORNELIUS, DAGUERREOBASE PORTRAITS FROM THE Daguerreobase is an DAWN OF PHOTOGRAPHY online repository for users WILLIAM F. STAPP to upload and catalog William Stapp is one images of daguerreotypes. of CCAHA Photograph It currently contains Conservator Rachel Wetzel’s images from many major collaborators with good European institutions. reason: his Robert Cornelius, Visitors can browse over 15,000 images Portraits from the Dawn of organized by keyword. Photography is the only biography of Cornelius. At >> www.daguerreobase.org 152 pages, it’s a thoughtful, thorough overview of the life and work of the pioneering photographer. THE EARLY AMERICAN >> Smithsonian Institution Press | 152 pages DAGUERREOTYPE: CROSS-CURRENTS IN ART AND TECHNOLOGY THE IMAGE PERMANENCE SARAH KATE GILLESPIE INSTITUTE’S “GRAPHICS ATLAS” A recent publication, Gillespie’s The Early The Image Permanence American Daguerreotype Institute, a nonprofit discusses the rise of associated with the American daguerreotypey. Rochester Institute of While there is an entire chapter devoted to Technology, has created Cornelius and the Philadelphia photography “The Graphics Atlas,” an online resource/tool scene, much of the book focuses on the New for learning about all types of images, from the York City photography culture. The cover earliest daguerreotypes to cutting-edge digital features a daguerreotype of Cornelius himself imagery. Check out their timeline of photography mixing chemicals! for an overview of photography through the ages. >> MIT Press Books | 213 pages You can also browse the site by image type.

>> www.graphicsatlas.org

Summer 2016 / 7 264 S. 23RD STREET PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19103

t 215.545.0613 f 215.735.9313 www. CCAHA.ORG

Throughout the year, CCAHA offers a number of programs to provide staff at collecting institutions with the knowledge and skills to support their collections care efforts. To register for CALENDAR any of these programs, please visit our website at of events www.ccaha.org/education/program-calendar.

OCTOBER OCTOBER + DECEMBER NOVEMBER GIVING VOICE: : DESIGNING A DIGITAL INTERPRETING PLANNING AND IMAGING PROJECT: PLANNING & PRESERVING ORAL COLLABORATION FOR AND FUNDRAISING HISTORIES SMALLER INSTITUTIONS November 16, 2016 October 5, 2016 October 28 and The Rosenbach of the Denver Public Library December 16, 2016 Free Library of Philadelphia Denver, CO Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA

THE NEXT CHAPTER: RARE BOOKS IN MODERN TIMES October 19-20, 2016 Newberry Library Chicago, IL Register online at www.ccaha.org!