Bonita A. Flood ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ART COMMISSION YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1993 Paula M. Kozol Peter L. Walsh Katherine B. Winter
The Massachusetts Art Commission respectfully submits the Annual Report for the year ending June 30, 1993. The Art Commission enjoyed another successful year of conservation actjvities and is pleased to report that we have passed the "half- way" mark in our comprehensive program to care for the State House art collection. Although we experienced budget reductions at the close of the year which forced the postponement of routine sculpture maintenance, competitive bids enabled us to complete all of the remaining programs planned for the year, as described below.
Painting Conservation
The Art Commission provided for the conservation of all thirteen easel paintings slated to receive treatment this year, and their frames. Contracts were awarded to two painting and three frame conservators for a total cost of $22,169. Paintings were treated by Carmichael Conservation of Methuen, and Kermit G. Cederholm Conservation of West Townsend. Frames were repaired and regilded by the conservation center of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in Waltham, Paul McDonald of Brookline, and Trefler & Sons, Needham.
We wish to report the generous sponsorship by Robert B. Severy, Weymouth, of the conservation of the portrait of Governor John A. Andrew in memory of his father, Robert Pease Severy (1899-1992). On behalf of the Commonwealth, we are most grateful to Mr. Severy and hope that his gift will set a precedent for other admirers of the Commonwealth's art collection to contribute toward its preserva tion.
This year's work brings the total number of easel paintings treated to 51, including all portraits of governors from the Constitution through the Civil War (now installed in the third floor west corridor). Please refer to the Appendix for a complete list of objects treated to date.
Mural conservation
After many delays over the past several years, the Art Commission was at last able to conduct conservation of the Veterans of the Sixth Regiment Memorial mural, painted by Robert Andrew in 1931, on the third floor of the State House.
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Annual Report of the Art Commission Year ending June 30, 1993 - page 2
Repeated water damage from roof leaks and recent budg~t cuts deferred treatment of the mural until this year. After successful repairs to the roof the bid was re-issued, and Gianfranco Poco bene, of Malden, was contracted to clean and repair the mural during the month of June. He and assistant Catherine Rogers stabilized insecure paint and canvas. and removed the old, discolored varnish layers to reveal the original brilliant colors with which the panels were painted. The canvasses were revarnished and areas of damage inpainted to reintegrate the images.
Treatment of these prominent murals, located in the center of the building just outside the House Chamber, received much notice by building tenants and visitors alike, many of whom returned frequently during the month to watch the trans formation of the panels from darkened hazy images to distinctly colorful and detailed images. The total cost was $24,731.
Artifacts and Decorative Arts
At the request of the executive office, the Art Commission directed the cleaning of the chandelier in the Governor's office. This elaborate lighting fixture, originally an oil-lamp, was converted first to a gasolier, and later to electric power at the turn of the century. Made by Cornelius and Baker of Philadelphia, it is believed to date from the mid-nineteenth century, and is composed of many different types of metals. It is richly decorated with fruit motifs, acanthus leaf scroll work, gilded finials, and four three-dimensional figures atop a spun metal globe inlaid with brass stars. This chandelier was cleaned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.
State House renovations
Art Commission yauft. The Art Commission's vault in the sub-sub-basement of the west wing underwent climate control renovations in conjunction with HV AC improvements in the basement and mechanical room areas by the State House Project Office, Division of Capital Planning and Operations. The contents of the vault have been moved to another storage location while the system undergoes testing over the next several months.
Corridor construction. The Art Commission reinstalled all portraits in Block B (east corridors) in August 1992 upon completion of construction in that area. Renovation of Block E commenced March 1993, and the Art Commission again moved and relocated many objects from their usual spaces in the second and third floors west corridors. As in the past, we endeavored to keep as many paintings as possible on display. Some were temporarily reinstalled in other corridors, many were sent out for conservation, and the rest placed in storage until construction was completed. All paintings were moved back to their permanent installation locations by the close of the fiscal year. Annual Report of the Art Commission Year ending June 30, 1993 - page 3
With many paintings off display the Art Commission took the opportunity to replace many of· the broken glass nameplates and their frames. The new nameplates were gold-leafed on glass, instead of painted, in keeping with tradition established years ago.
New Acquisitions
The Art Commission is pleased to announce one new addition to the State House art collection during FY'93. A bronze plaque honoring Massachusetts Ex-Prisoners of War was unveiled on the south wall of Nurses Hall on December 16, 1992. This plaque has been catalogued into the collection as object #1992.3
Public outreach
The Art Commission office continues to serve as a resource on the art collection, public art, conservation issues, and other art related matters. Heightened public awareness of the collection and the Art Commission's programs continues to precipitate correspondence and other inquiries. This year the office responded to over one hundred requests for images and research information from in-house personnel, visitors, scholars, cultural institutions, publishers, and film media.
Membership and staff
There were no changes to membership during FY'93. The Art Commission received funding again this year through the Bureau of State Office Buildings, under State Superintendent David B. Balfour, Jr. Susan Greendyke Lachevre continues to serve as Art Collections Manager for the Commission four days per week. Although its office was relocated to Room 27 in March, the Commission retains the Room 10 mailing address.
At the suggestion of several advisor over the years, the members adopted formal By-Laws for the Art Commission in March 1993. These By-Laws will be supplemented with a Comprehensive Collections Management Plan currently being drafted.
It has been a pleasure to serve the Commonwealth again this year. We look forward to another active year of preservation programs on behalf of this valuable collection.
Respectfully submitted, ULc/Z cp -6 #~--/4 Arlene E. Friedberg r Chairman tuqt QIOIDIDoufnta1t4 of ~assat4usttts MASSACHUSETTS ART COMMISSION STATE HOUSE - ROOM 10 BOSTON, MA 02133 (617) 727-2607
Arlene E. Friedberg Chainnan SUMMARY OF
Bonita A. Flood CONSERVATION PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR Paula M. Kozol Peter L. Walsh Katherine B. Winter 1985 COLLECTION SURVEYS: In ven tory of collection Photographic documentation Easel painting condition evaluation Sculpture condit.ion evaluation Mural condition evaluation Historical survey
1986 STATUE: George Washington (Funded by the Doric Dames, Inc., Bulfinch Restoration Foundation)
PUBLISHED: Art in the Massachusetts State House, fully illustrated catalogue of collection
1987 EXTERIOR BRONZE STATUES: Mary Dyer Joseph Hooker Anne Hutchinson Henry Ca bot Lodge Horace Mann Daniel Webster
MURALS: Memorial Hall: Pilgrims on the Mayflower John Eliot Preaching to the Indians Battle at Concord Bridge Return of the Colors to the Custody of the Commonwealth Third floor: Marching Through Baltimore (repair only)
EXTERIOR SCULPTURE MAINTENANCE: Daniel Webster Horace Mann
FLAG STORAGE PROJECT: removal of 480 historic battle flags from Memorial Hall to State House basement storage vault. SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR - page 2
1988 APPRAISAL: Paintings, sculpture, frames
EASEL PAINTINGS: FRAMES, from the portraits of: Francis Bernard Thomas Hutchinson William Burnet John Leverett Richard Coote William Shirley Thomas Hutchinson Charles Sumner John Leverett Artemas Ward Leverett Saltonstall Emory Washburn William Shirley Charles Sumner Increase Sumner William Tailer Artemas Ward Emory Washburn
BUSTS: INTERIOR STATUES and BASES: Senate Chamber: John Albion Andrew George Boutwell Army Nurses Memorial Benjamin Franklin William Francis Bartlett Marquis de Lafayette Roger Wolcott/Spanish War Memorial Abraham Lincoln Samuel Francis Smith Charles Sumner Gardiner Tufts George Washington INTERIOR BRONZE PLAQUES: Henry Wilson Thomas Dudley Nelson Appleton Miles Second floor: John Adams Oliver Ames Frederic Greenhalgc Henry Cabot Lodge EXTERIOR SCULPTURE MAINTENANCE: Samuel McCall Daniel Webster William Russell Horace Mann George Washington
Third floor: Theodore Roosevelt
FILM: "The Art of Saving History: documenting conservation projects 1986-1987. SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR - page 3
1989
EASEL PAINTINGS: FRAMES, from the portraits of: Jonathan Belcher Jonathan Belcher Anson Burlingame Anson Burlingame Benjamin Butler Benjamin Butler Frederic Cook John Davis John Davis William Douglas William Douglas Eben Draper Eben Draper William Eustis William Eustis Spencer Phips Eugene Foss George Robinson Spencer Phips Samuel Shute George Robinson Samuel Shute William Washburn
MURAL: Decoration of the Colors of the l04th Infantry
SCULPTURE: George Washington Winged Victory (crating and storage) Anne Hutchinson plaque
EXTERIOR SCULPTURE MAINTENANCE: fall 1988: Mary Dyer Anne Hutchinson Henry Cabot Lodge Joseph Hooker spring 1989: Mary Dyer Anne Hutchinson Henry Cabot Lodge Horace Mann Daniel Webster Joseph Hooker
1990
SCULPTURE: Beacon HIll Monument bronze eagle (funded by the Division of Capital Planning and Operations)
1991 Art Commission funding expropriated - no conser va tion conducted. ..
SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR - page 4
1992
EASEL PAINTINGS: FRAMES from the portraits of: Samuel Adams Samuel Adams Oliver Ames Oliver Ames Edmund Andros Edmund Andros James Bowdoin James Bowdoin John Q. Brackett John Q. Brackett John Brooks John Brooks John Clifford John Clifford Winthrop M Crane Winthrop M Crane Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley William Dummer William Dummer Joseph B. Ely Joseph B. Ely Edward Everett Edward Everett Levi Lincoln, J r. Levi Lincoln, J r.
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SCULPTURE CONSERVATION: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (head) Louis Brandeis (head) Norman Prince plaque Curtis Guild Memorial plaque Logan Memorial plaque Congressional Medal of Honor: WWI plaque COngressional Medal of Honor: Sp-Am War plaque Hancock House marker John Winthrop on the Arbelia plaque Grand Army of the Republic plaque Charles Duryea plaque Beacon Hill Monument plaque English High School plaque
EXTERIOR SCULPTURE MAINTNANCE: Henry Cabot Lodge Anne Hutchinson, plus plaque Mary Dyer John Kennedy Horace Mann Daniel Webster Joseph Hooker SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION PROJECTS BY FISCAL YEAR - page 5
1993
EASEL PAINTINGS: FRAMES from the portraits of: John Andrew John Andrew Nathaniel Banks Nathaniel Banks Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet George Briggs George Briggs George Boutwell George Boutwell Henry Gardner Henry Gardner Elbridge Gerry Elbridge Gerry Christopher Gore Christopher Gore John Hancock John Hancock Charles Hurley Charles Hurley Marcus Morton Marcus Morton Caleb Strong Caleb Strong James Sullivan James Sullivan
MURALS: Veterans of the Sixth Regiment Memorial: Introduction and Record of Duty I Marching Through Baltimore Landing in Porto Rico Record of Duty II
DECORATIVE ARTS: Gasolier, Governor's Office
TOTALS total number total trea ted Paintings 120 51 Frames 120 42 Sculpture 42 33 Plaques 48 12 Murals 25 9 • - ./.)
~ AFTER TREATMENT ;~ ------
State House portrait of ChristoptlE'r Gore, Gover'nor of t IlE ' CorrJI,orI WE:(dttl 1809-18'10. Painted by Marie D. Page, 1899 . Conservation treatment by Carmichael Conservation, Methuen, Massachusetts , 1993.