£2.50 @ point of sale onservation Journal onservation Spring 2005 Number 49 C

Published by V&A Conservation ISSN 096702273 V&A Conservation Journal No.49 Head of Conservation PA & Dept Secretary Conservation Department Contents Fiona Campbell Sandra Smith Staff Chart Spring 2005

Editorial Board 1 Editorial Science Furniture, Textiles Paper, Books & Sculpture, Metals, Administration Sandra Smith Sandra Smith, Head of Conservation & Frames (FTF) Paintings (PBP) Ceramics & Glass & Information Head of Department (SMCG) Systems 2 Dating Alhambra stuccoes Nigel Bamforth Lucia Burgio, Object Analysis Scientist, Science Conservation Graham Martin Albert Neher Pauline Webber Alan Derbyshire Senior Furniture Conservator Boris Pretzel Furniture Paper Sculpture Tim Carpenter Lucia Burgio 4 Conservation of Houghton Hall textiles and Brenda Keneghan Christine Powell Merryl Huxtable Charlotte Hubbard Laura Jiggins Object Analysis Scientist furniture Lucia Burgio Shayne Rivers Victoria Button Sofia Marques Michelle Murray Sandra Smith, Head of Conservation Eoin Kelly Tim Miller Michael Wheeler Victor Borges Charlotte Hubbard Nigel Bamforth Susan Catcher Head Sculpture Conservator Lisa Nash (RIBA) Metals 7 Funding a collaborative conservation project: Textiles Diana Heath Fi Jordan the Mazarin Chest Lynda Hillyer Mounters Joanna Whalley Senior Ceramics Conservator Shayne Rivers, Senior Furniture Conservator Marion Kite Clair Battisson Sophy Wills Val Blyth Simon Fleury Donna Stevens Albertina Cogram Chris Gingell Katia Viegas Wesolowska Graham Martin 8 The Safavid Cope Frances Hartog Jon Privett Head of Science Marion Kite, Senior Textiles Conservator Susana Fajado-Hunter Books Gates Turner Elizabeth-Anne Haldane Jane Rutherston Michelle Murray Anja Bayer Karen Vidler Ceramics & Glass Conservation Administrator 11 The – a new perspective Annie Kwaspen Anne Greig (RIBA) Victoria Oakley Lynda Hillyer, Head of Textiles Conservation, Fi Jordan Mike Wheeler Boris Pretzel, Materials Scientist Frames Paintings Juanita Navarro Senior Paper Conservator Zoe Allen Nicola Costaras Amanda Barnes 14 Encounters with Paper Conservation: the treatment Designed by V&A Design Stained Glass of a Chinese painted dress Sherrie Eatman Photographs are credited individually Elizabeth-Anne Haldane, Textile Conservator Ann Marsh Daniella Peltz All enquiries to:- 17 An insight into the craftman's techniques Conservation Department Katia Viegas Wesolowska, Metals Conservator Victoria and Albert Museum Internships Visiting Researchers SW7 2RL, UK Furniture Titika Malkogeorgou Telephone +44 (0)20 7942 2133 20 William Blake’s only surviving palette? Dr Joyce H Townsend, Senior Conservation Scientist, Tate, Miho Kitagawa Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 2092 Paintings e-mail [email protected] Dr Bronwyn Ormsby, Conservation Scientist, Tate, Lara Wilson Dr Julia Jönsson, formerly Conservation Scientist, Tate, The V&A Conservation Journal is an Dr Mark Evans, Senior Curator of Paintings, Victoria and informal publication and references in Albert Museum Students articles are discouraged. Readers may Surface Studies Sculpture Natural History contact authors for further information Marie Vest, PhD Anna Kagiadaki, MA Melissa Gunter, MA via the e-mail address above 22 New Staff and Interns (with Natural History Historical/Technical Study Conservation Science Museum) Staff Chart Allyson McDermott, MPhil Konstantinos Ntanos, MA RCA/V&A Conservation Timea Tallian, MPhil (with British Museum) Ethnographic Materials William Lindsay (RCA) Naomi Luxford, MA Heidrun Gassner, MA Alison Richmond (V&A) Modern Jewellery (with English Heritage) (with Horniman Museum) Alison Bracker (RCA) Cordelia Rogerson, PhD Tsing-Young Dora Tang, MSci Vincent Daniels (RCA) (with Imperial College) Paper Joanna Baden (RCA) Books Clair Walton MA Furniture Harriet Standeven (V&A) Karen Vidler, MPhil (with Theatre Museum) Katja Tovar, MA Textiles Barbara Schertel, MA Metalwork (with other Alice Cole, MA materials) Hazel Arnott, MA History, Ethics & Management Louise Parris, MA Key (with Historic Royal Palaces) Helen Evans, MPhil Front Cover image: Chinese painted silk dress Photography by Elizabeth-Ann Haldane Senior Management Team & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

Editorial Dating Alhambra stuccoes Sandra Smith Lucia Burgio Head of Conservation Object Analysis Scientist, Science Conservation

A New Year and new challenges ahead! Pigment analysis was requested by Victor Borges, The end of 2004 saw a rush to complete galleries: Every new year offers new challenges, but with no V&A Senior Sculpture Architecture, Domestic Metalware, The Gilbert Bayes appreciable increase (in real terms) of the Grant in Conservator as an aid to Sculpture Gallery; the closure of Dresser and Aid that the Museum receives, this year will dating. Samples of the Encounters; the couriering of Westwood to Canberra; certainly be more challenging than the last. Finding pigmented areas of the the opening of Art Deco in Boston and a major loan ways to deliver work from exhibitions, loans and stuccoes were first of exquisite Diaghilev ballet costumes conserved gallery displays whilst also allocating time to analysed by Raman and mounted for display in Groningen, Netherlands. preserving the reserve collections, is causing us to microscopy, a non- Barely had we all drawn breath, taken part in the in- look increasingly for external funding to support destructive, non-intrusive house and traditional pantomime (with Conservation conservation projects. This is bringing new skills to technique which is taking starring roles) and imbibed at the Museum the Department but making an application involves Borges Victor by Photography particularly suitable for the Christmas party then we were hurtling along into a considerable amount of preparation, preliminary identification of pigments the new year. Preparation is now underway for the work, and negotiation to meet funding criteria and Figure 1: (Figures 2 and 3). The stucco panel Jameel Gallery of with the Ardabil carpet the timescales and deadlines within ones own A.171-1919, Subsequently, the samples in the process of being redisplayed horizontally for institution, without any assurance of ultimate size 17 x 34 cm. were mounted as dispersions and the first time in over 110 years (Hillyer & Pretzel); success. Happily, the Department has been examined by polarised light Conservation scientists, conservators and art 2 the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass gallery will successful in securing funds for the conservation historians can often obtain useful clues for the microscopy. The identification of the pigments contain many beautiful objects and will challenge of the Mazarin Chest (Rivers) and Houghton Hall dating and authentication of art objects by present on the stucco fragments as well as the traditional methods of stained glass display within collections (Smith). Both are long term projects, identifying the materials used on them. For example, evaluation of the shape and size of the pigment the Museum; preliminary work has already begun which bring with them opportunities of partnership particles provided clues about the date of the when pigment analysis is carried out on a museum 3 for the Medieval and Renaissance galleries. and new relationships with other conservation object, it can reveal the presence of date-marker fragments (Table 1). professionals. They have also resulted in stronger This Journal picks up on some of the interesting compounds, i.e. materials which have a first date of Traditional materials were detected on four stucco relationships within the V&A as different departments challenges and discoveries presented to the manufacture or, for other reasons, are unlikely to fragments supposedly still covered by the original have come together to support the application. have been used for the decoration of a work of art Department at the close of last year. Elizabeth- decoration. When mercury(II) sulfide (HgS, also called produced at a particular time and place. This concept Anne Haldane discusses how one painted dress The progress of these projects, together with that vermilion or cinnabar) was detected and identified is exemplified by the analysis of five painted stuccoes brought together skills of both textiles and paper of the Messel collection (Theatre Museum) and the by Raman microscopy, its particles examined by from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection of conservators. Research into an object for the Daily Mail Archive which are two other projects polarised light microscopy showed an irregular medieval Hispano-Islamic panels (Figure 1). The Architecture Gallery (Burgio), highlights the which have attracted external funding, will be distribution of shape and size, as well as the presence stuccoes are from the Alhambra Palace in Granada, invaluable role that conservation scientists make tracked through the V&A website over the next few of striations on some of the biggest particles. These Spain, and supposedly date from the fourteenth in verifying, or challenging, perceived opinions years. In all instances the projects will result in a 1 features indicate that the red pigment is either of century. of parts of the collection, whilst the article by collection becoming more accessible and more fully mineral origin, in which case it is more accurate to refer to it as cinnabar, or it is of synthetic origin, Townsend highlights that science alone will understood and some will move professional Panel museum not give definitive answers of authenticity. conservation practice forward and build skills for number A.9-1913 A.171-1919 A.10-1913 A.12-1913 A.176-1919 by means of the so-called dry process. Similarly, the future. the particles of lazurite, seen under the optical Traditional Lazurite Gypsum Gypsum Gypsum Gypsum microscope, showed the characteristics typical materials Gypsum Chalk Lead white of a ground pigment, i.e. irregular size and present Quartz Carbon black Cinnabar Red lake shape, broken edges and non-uniform colour. This indicates that the pigment was obtained Modern Prussian blue from lapis lazuli, and it is not the synthetic materials Wet-process present Vermilion material called ultramarine blue, which was first Chrome yellow synthesised in 1828. As expected for stuccoes, gypsum and occasionally calcite were detected Table 1. Materials identified on the Alhambra stucco panels. in the mortar samples.

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Conservation of Houghton Hall textiles and furniture Sandra Smith

The analysis of pigments and Head of Conservation materials found on these stucco panels from the Alhambra Palace in Houghton Hall, Norfolk, was built and furnished in tenders’ standards of treatment, quality of work and Granada, Spain, gave sufficient clues 1722-1735 for Sir Robert Walpole, the first British Prime documentation, and emphasised the need for the to hypothesise that one of the panels Minister, by the innovative and leading designer appearance of the conserved items to be appropriate was not from the fourteenth century, William Kent. Many of the state rooms retain their to the ambience of the Hall. as originally thought. Gypsum, and in original furnishings. one instance, calcite were detected in Completing all conservation within a five year time the stucco mortar, and traditional In 2002, under the Government Acceptance-in-Lieu scale was a challenge, particularly for complex and materials such as lazurite, cinnabar, (AIL) system, the V&A acquired two state beds, three time consuming work involved in the treatment of and carbon black were detected on sets of tapestries and two suites of gilded seat the Embroidered Bed and tapestries. Treatments were stucco fragments supposedly still furniture, to be preserved in situ at Houghton Hall broken down into smaller packages to enable two or covered by the original decoration. for the nation. These items have fragile original more studios to work on items simultaneously. The Pigments such as Prussian blue and hangings and upholstery and are in urgent need ‘lead studio’ was responsible for ensuring quality Figure 2: Raman spectra of a) lazurite from a blue area and b) vermilion from a red area on panel A.9-1913. lead chromate were found on one of conservation. A conservation survey, prior to and consistency of method and materials for all Reference spectra of known samples of lazurite and cinnabar are also shown for comparison purposes. stucco fragment, which was therefore acquisition, identified over a million pounds worth the studios conserving the the King’s and Queen’s thought to be either an original of conservation work. This extensive conservation tapestries and the curtains of the Embroidered Bed. fragment repainted at some point in project could not be undertaken by the V&A In total for the five items/groups of furniture and the nineteenth century or a copy Conservation Department and external studios textiles to be treated, thirteen packages of work made in the nineteenth century. The needed to be commissioned to undertake the work. were defined (Table 1). latter hypothesis is supported by The DCMS provided £250,000 toward the costs of observations collected during the this project and in 2004 an application was made conservation treatment of the stucco Object Description Conservation Work Packages 1 to the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) fragments. for further funding. Submission of the application involved the planning of conservation work, Venus and Adonis Acknowledgements Tapestries 4 Panels & Borders Package 1 I am grateful to Professor Robin J.H. identification of appropriately skilled studios that could undertake the work within the five year Clark, University College London, for Seated Furniture Full Conservation timescale suggested by the NHMF and consideration kindly granting access to his Raman Upholstery Package 1 of the impact of this work on the staff and visitors spectrometer for pigment analysis. Gilding Package 2 (V&A) to Houghton Hall. Preventive Work Figure 3: Raman spectra of a) Prussian blue from a blue area and b) lead chromate from a yellow area on panel A.10-1913. Reference spectra of known samples of Prussian blue and lead chromate are also shown for Two factors, fragility (conservation) and historical Netting Package 3 comparison purposes. significance (curatorial) were used to prioritise the Gilding Package 4 collection. The Embroidered Bed (Figure 1) and the In contrast, modern pigments such as Prussian blue References King’s and Queen’s tapestries (Figure 2) followed by 1 and lead chromate (also known as chrome yellow) were 1. Borges, Victor, Nasrid plasterwork: symbolism, Embroidered Bed Headboard & Valances Package the Venus and Adonis tapestries (Figure 3) were in 2 detected on stucco fragment A.10-1913 (Figure 3). This materials and techniques, V&A Conservation Counterpoint Package most urgent need of conservation, followed by the 2 3 indicates that either the whole fragment is a modern Journal 48, Autumn 2004. Curtains Package (lead) replica or the fragment is original, but was re-painted Kent Bed counterpoint and the two suites of seat 2 Curtains Package 4 at some point in the nineteenth century.This terminus 2. Burgio, Lucia, Microscopy analysis of Hispano- furniture. The Bacchus tapestries were sufficiently 2 Curtains Package 5 post quem derives from the fact that Prussian blue was Moresque samples from the Alhambra, V&A robust not to be included in the NHMF fund first synthesised in 1704, but it was not commercially Science Report 04.27.lb, June 2004. application. King’s and Queen’s Tapestries 3 Panels Package 1 (lead) available until the 1720s; on the other hand lead 3. Burgio, Lucia, Clark, Robin J.H., and Borges, Victor, Conservation method statements were written for 2 Panels Package 2 chromate, was first synthesised at the beginning of the Paper in preparation for submission to the Journal the tapestries by Lynda Hillyer, Head of the Textile nineteenth century. One of the fragments (A.10-1913) of Cultural Heritage. Conservation Studio, and furniture by Christine 1 also shows traces of synthetic, wet-process vermilion, Powell and Nigel Bamforth of the Furniture Kent Bed Counterpoint & Valances Package characterised by uniformly sized, small, rounded Conservation Studio. These specified for external Table 1: Packages of work for the Houghton Hall Conservation Project. particles.

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The V&A conservators made the final decision on The curtains of the Embroidered Bed will be rotated In October 2004 a grant of £500,000 was secured proposed treatments, methods and materials. As a to ensure that the base of the bed is always dressed, from the NHMF. This, together with the DCMS result, all studios working on the Embroidered Bed and a silk coverlet will be placed over the mattresses funding and support from the V&A (salary cost, will use the same materials and techniques (where whilst the counterpoint is being conserved. A insurance, materials and equipment) will secure the possible); one type of lining fabric and thread will tapestry from the V&A Collection will replace the conservation of the Embroidered Bed, the King’s and be used throughout and the V&A will commission King’s and Queen’s tapestries in the state room Queen’s tapestries and three out of the four Venus and purchase the replica braid to ensure historical whilst it is out of the house being conserved. and Adonis tapestries (funding for the remaining accuracy. Similar treatments will be used for both panel is currently being sought). Information panels will inform the public of the sets of tapestries; all will be wet cleaned in Belgium conservation project and progress reports on the Work on this project began in October 2004 with the and re-hung in a manner that will ensure the ability V&A website (linked to the Houghton Hall website) dismantling of the Embroidered Bed and the removal to be rapidly removed in the event of a disaster. will help to forewarn visitors that those collections of the Venus and Adonis tapestries. The work will be As far as is reasonably possible the conservation work are not accessible. undertaken by five different conservation studios, and was programmed for October – March, when the will take five years to complete. house is closed to the public, particularly important My thanks go to the following people, without when the work has to be undertaken in situ at whom this project would not have got off the Houghton Hall. Disruption during the conservation ground: DCMS and the NHMF for their generous of the Embroidered Bed and the tapestries is support (in particular Ellen Dempster); the V&A unavoidable.Work by the different studios is being co- ‘Houghton Team’, conservators, curators, ordinated to minimise the effect on the House staff, Development, ISSD, Learning and Interpretation, and steps are being taken to minimise its impact on Contracts, Finance and in particular Michael the visitor experience. Casartelli; to all the studios who tendered for the work and raised our standards even higher!; Lord Cholmondeley and the Houghton Hall staff, for their help and (continued) patience as we invade Photography by V&A Photographic Studio V&A Photographic by Photography Figure 1. Embroidered State Bed. their beautiful property and disrupt their lives. Studios with a proven track record of working on comparable collections (e.g. National Trust and English Heritage) were invited to tender for one or more individual packages/items. The studios were encouraged to apply their considerable experience and suggest materials and methods which would best fit the method statements. A selection panel identified preferred studios for each of the packages; quality of work, consideration of risk and timetabling were of primary importance, and cost being a secondary consideration. Some studios Photography by V&A Photographic Studio V&A Photographic by Photography successfully secured a number of packages. Further Figure 3. A panel from the Venus and Adonis Tapestry. negotiation clarified costs and timetabling as well as the responsibilities of Houghton Hall, the V&A and the studio in undertaking various aspects of work. Discussions between lead studios and their partners clarified roles and responsibilities which in turn led

to further adjustments in costs and timetabling. Studio V&A Photographic by Photography Figure 2. A panel from the King’s and Queen’s Tapestries.

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Funding a collaborative conservation The Safavid Cope project: the Mazarin Chest Marion Kite Senior Textiles Conservator Shayne Rivers Senior Furniture Conservator

conservation project. I will be working with Yoshihiko Yamashita, for three to four months a year, cleaning the Chest and consolidating loose decoration. We will discuss and critically evaluate Western and traditional Japanese materials and techniques in order to choose those that are most appropriate for each given problem. The second strand is a scientific research project by Brenda Keneghan that will investigate three traditional Japanese conservation treatments – the treatment of a photo-degraded lacquer surface using the urushi-gatame process, the consolidation of

Photography by V&A Photographic Studio V&A Photographic by Photography foundation layers using mugi-urushi and the use of Figure 1. Detail of a hunting scene from the left side of the Chest that shows the fine detail with which the Chest was decorated. The boar are approximately 4cm in length. kokuso as a filler. The urushi-gatame process aims to strengthen the surface of light damaged lacquer without changing its appearance by impregnating The Mazarin Chest (412-1882) is an extraordinary the microcracks with dilute urushi, but removing all object of major cross-cultural significance, renowned excess urushi from the surface of the lacquer. Mugi- Figure 1. The Safavid Cope (477-1894). as one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer Photography by V&A Photographic Studio urushi is a consolidant whilst kokuso is a traditional to have survived from the late 1630’s (Figure 1). What urushi-based filler. This research is intended to allow The redevelopment of the main Islamic Middle East The cope had been last conserved about fifty years ago, makes the Mazarin Chest truly exceptional is the the project team to make well-informed, ethical Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum has but full conservation of the object was again necessary. range of different techniques and the extraordinarily decisions about the treatment of the Mazarin Chest provided an opportunity to study and carry out The colours of the cope were remarkably fresh but the fine workmanship with which the lavish decoration and, by extension, similar lacquer objects in Japan materials analysis on a silk knotted– cope which support crepe fabric had faded and the darned repairs was executed. Conservation is urgently needed to and in the West. has long been recognised as one of the most were visually distracting and causing distortion. Small stabilise the poorly adhered lacquer and decoration important examples of Safavid (Safavid empire, areas of weakness and loss of pile were apparent in in which much of the artistic, aesthetic, historical and The Getty has awarded the project a grant of £84,000, 1502-1736) pile-weaving of the seventeenth century many areas and although stitching was holding these technical value of this object is located. At present primarily to meet the costs of Mr Yamashita’s time (Figure 1). Dating from about 1605, the cope combines areas to the crepe support there was no cohesion of the Mazarin Chest is not stable enough for display in the UK. The Toshiba International Foundation will Christian iconography together with the typical structure to the cope fabric and many knots were or transport and is at some risk of further loss even also support the project. The V&A is making a Safavid floral motifs and is unique in that it was loose. if it simply remains in storage. substantial commitment of resources of photography, clearly woven as a cope rather than being made into conservation, scientific research, curatorial input and It was clear that stitching the fragments to a new Although the Mazarin Chest is artistically and a vestment from some other textile. Its history is website development. The Mazarin Chest project support fabric would not prevent loss of knots over historically important in both Japan and the West, unknown but it came to the Museum as fragments. team are Fiona Campbell (website), Rupert Faulkner, time. The current conservation strategy would what is valued about the Chest in each culture differs. There have been differences of opinion with regard to Julia Hutt, Brenda Keneghan, Lucia Burgio and Shayne therefore need to incorporate additional support to This in turn effects how the conservation of this the religious community for whom the vestment was Rivers, all from the V&A, and Yoshihiko Yamashita, a secure loose knots and supplement the stitching object would normally be approached. In the West, made, but the most recent technical examination freelance lacquer conservator based in Tokyo, Japan. method chosen. conservators use a variety of materials and aim to and conservation research has provided new evidence work within the ethical principal of reversibility. Acknowledgements which enlarges existing knowledge about the cope. In the previous conservation the cope was mounted in Japanese conservators usually utilise traditional The project team is grateful for the ongoing support Discoveries made during the conservation have its cropped form. The orphrey (border) of the cope was urushi-based materials and techniques that are of Albert Neher, Graham Martin, Sandra Smith and enabled new conclusions to be drawn which define for the most part missing and space had not been non-reversible but maintain cultural continuity, Carolyn Sargentson. We would also like to thank more clearly the origins of this vestment. allowed to indicate where the boundaries of the integrity and authenticity. Jonathan Ashley-Smith, who supported this project analysis, metal thread analysis and other technical orphrey would have been. No sense was therefore from its inception in 1999. examination have also completed the documentation given of the original dimensions of the cope nor the The Mazarin Chest conservation project has two of this object. positioning of the Virgin and Angel Gabriel figures in strands that will run over three years (Dec 2004 – Dec relation to the orphrey boundaries and rest of the cope. 2007). The first is an Anglo-Japanese collaborative

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This time the cope would be conserved and mounted Taking the crucifixion scene on the centre back as the but this would put unacceptable tension on all the in such a way as to indicate its original size and measuring point, the design of the two halves of the conservation stitching when the RH returned to shape and to give a better understanding of it as cope are predominantly worked as mirror images of the more usual 35% level or less. This illustrated a complete object. The conservation would involve each other. The figures of the Angel Gabriel and of undeniably the need for strict environmental control for removing all previous conservation and , the Virgin Mary are symmetrically placed so when the this object, as it was due to travel to a multi-venue then remounting the cope fragments in their correct cope is worn these figures face each other. Logically, exhibition. It was agreed that the best solution would alignment on a fabric marked out to the original size it would follow that there should also be a line by be to seal the cope in an environmentally controlled of the cope. the feet of the Mary figure and that the text could frame. Time did not permit for this to be done before therefore be defined within the boundaries of these shipment to Washington, the first venue of the It was decided that the first phase of the conservation two lines. More of the orphrey was missing by the exhibition, but it was agreed that it would be done would need to support the fragile pieces on an Virgin Mary figure so there was no remaining before the object was shipped to the second venue. adhesive treated film in order to prevent knots falling evidence of this line. away and to give an overall support to the fragments. While the cope is on exhibition, work is ongoing Although it would still be necessary to carry out The first phase of supporting the cope was carried to complete the reconstruction of the text and to couched repairs, the adhesive support would enable out using a vacuum hot table. Once supported, the recreate digitally the missing areas of the cope. A the to be kept to a minimum and limit the fragments were placed upon the prepared double full article expanding the conservation details and visual distraction of surface stitching. A mixture of layer of linen and aligned in their correct position. discussing the history, iconography and significance Lascaux 360 and 498 was chosen as the most suitable They were tacked in place to help prevent creep and of the text is in process and should be ready for adhesive and Stabiltex as the fabric on which to cast any misalignment occurring as the cope was being publication by early 2005. the film. couched. The fragments were couched to the support linen and the excess adhesive film support was When removing previous stitching, care was taken trimmed away back to the fragment edges as work to avoid disrupting loose knots. Those which fell away progressed. Split areas were couched, although it were collected to be used for dye analysis. A few loose was possible to keep this to a minimum due to the metal threads were also collected for analysis. overall adhesive support. Sufficient linen was prepared and dyed to colour match. A second piece of linen was prepared for use The size of the cope and boundary line was calculated behind the dyed linen to give an additional backing by taking measurements from various points where and make the combined weight of the two closer to small fragments of the outside edge of the border that of the cope fabric. Once all the old repairs had remained. This was marked with a line of tacking. been removed and there were no surface distractions The linen support was turned back to this line and Photography by V&A Photographic Studio V&A Photographic by Photography the cope was examined and areas of distortion noted. Figure 2. A detail of the cope, showing the Angel Gabriel. herringbone stitched. The cope was then stitched to a fabric-covered Hexalite board which had been cut On the orphrey, around the Angel Gabriel figure, to the shape of the cope. The cope was intended to (Figure 2) faint areas of loss were noticed which had text remains were recognisable as an abbreviated be displayed in a sealed case so it was not framed at originally been shapes worked in black silk. Most of form of the Magnificat. It was now possible to fit the this time. the black silk had degraded and fallen away leaving characters forming the complete text into a digital poorly defined worn areas. It was not immediately image of the reconstructed cope. The conservation work was carried out in the Textile clear what these represented but examination of this Conservation Studio over a period of six months. A tracing was made of all that remained of the orphrey. area from the back of the cope revealed that these During this time the relative humidity (RH) was The remains of a curved red line worked into the areas appeared to be part of a script. A tracing of generally low, averaging no more than 35%. Coinciding design were noted. This line, situated beneath the feet the shapes was taken, and this was compared to the with the time of mounting the cope, the museum of the Angel Gabriel figure, was not part of the floral back in order to make certain the tracing recorded heating was turned off and there was a severe design and served to delineate a change of colour in the shapes correctly. The script was incomplete but rainstorm. The RH rose to 55%. Consequently the cope the metal thread used on the orphrey ground. It also clearly formed a part of a larger text. Dr Vrej reached equilibrium with this and sagged on the appeared to mark a boundary to the text. Nersessian, an Armenian scholar from the British mounting board. This caused a dilemma. It was a Library, was consulted and confirmed that the simple matter to release the stitching holding the characters were Armenian. Although incomplete, the cope to the board, re-stretch the cope and re-stitch it,

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The Ardabil carpet – a new perspective Lynda Hillyer, Head of Textiles Conservation Boris Pretzel, Materials Scientist

The Ardabil carpet will form the centre piece of the on display until 1974, when it became obvious that new Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art at the V&A which the repairs were failing and that the carpet needed opens in July 2006. This most famous of Persian further support. Furthermore it was very dirty and has been the subject of endless copies lacked the clarity of its sister carpet in Los Angeles ranging in size from small rugs to full scale carpets. which had been wet cleaned. The Museum had no There is an “Ardabil” at and even facility to clean an object of this dimension and it 1 Hitler had an “Ardabil” in his office in Berlin. The real was taken to Birmingham where it was washed Ardabil was first seen in London in 1892 when it was outside on a specially constructed ramp using local exhibited in a dealers showroom in Wigmore Street. water which comes directly from the Welsh described it as “a remarkable work of mountains and is low in mineral and chlorine art . . the design is of singular perfection . . its size and content. After its support and repair it was attached splendour as a piece of workmanship do full justice to a secondary support of Terylene sheeting which to the beauty and intellectual qualities of the design”. was lashed to a new twelve section metal frame It was Morris, in his capacity as one of the V&A’s Art using pre-shrunk Terylene ropes around all four Referees, who persuaded the Museum to raise, with sides. A series of ties connected the carpet and the 3 the aid of public subscription, the then vast sum of sheeting to the frame at regular intervals. £2000 to purchase the carpet in March 1893. The work carried out on the Ardabil in 1974 ensured The Ardabil carpet measures 10.51m x 5.34m (34’ 6” x its safe display for thirty years. However, the real 17’ 6”) and is thought to be one of the largest carpets beauty of the Ardabil carpet has never been seen in in the world. Unknown to the Museum at the time, the Museum. The glazing which protected it had a there was a second Ardabil, more finely knotted, slightly green tinge and obscured the vibrancy and which is now in the Los Angeles County Museum harmony of its ten colours and the brilliance of its Photography by Paul Robins, by Paul Photography Studio V&A Photographic of Art. This carpet has lost its borders and part of design. The carpet was designed to be seen flat; the Figure 1. Pulleys and ropes in position ready to lower the Ardabil carpet. its central field; a portion of the missing areas are difference in size between the two lamp motifs is thought to have been used to repair the carpet deliberate and counteracts the foreshortening of 2 gradually transferred with new lacing to a two part Gallery will ensure that it can be viewed from all owned by the V&A. Occasionally fragments originally the design along its length. This was achieved at a baton made of wood faced with aluminium. Eight sides. The canopy forms the top of the case which taken from the Los Angeles carpet have appeared time when the use of perspective in Safavid art was ropes were threaded through the pulleys, attached to will enclose the Ardabil and will thus protect the on the open market. The two carpets were almost uncommon. Low cushions would have been placed on the top of the baton and tensioned on eight anchor carpet from general gallery lighting. Glazing will be certainly a royal commission and would have taken the end of the carpet where the weaving began; thus points on the Gallery floor. The remaining lacing on of low-iron glass with an anti-reflective coating about four years to weave. Their origins remain the carpet would have been viewed against the pile, the sides and bottom of the Terylene was undone applied to both sides. Adjustable fibre optic lighting unclear but they are said to have come from a making the colours appear even more luminous. so that the carpet and support were then totally will illuminate the carpet but extensive testing is complex of shrines and mosques at Ardabil in North suspended from the baton (Figure 1). Slowly and necessary to determine the level of lighting. The Jameel Gallery will allow the Ardabil to be seen West Persia, burial place of Shaikh Safi al-Din, gently this huge and very fragile object was gently horizontally for the first time since 1892. The carpet Given the size of the carpet, its prominence in the new ancestor of Shah Ismail, founder of the Safavid lowered by a team of technicians under the expert was de-installed in June 2004 and was the last object Gallery, and its importance to the collection, it will not dynasty. At one end of the Ardabil carpet, a cartouche and appropriate guidance of Marion Kite (Marion had to be taken out of Gallery 42 to clear the space for its be possible to rotate this artefact or take it off display contains an inscription which dates it to 1539/40 AD. been involved in the installation of the carpet thirty refurbishment. The whole operation was filmed just after a few years. It is therefore essential that the The large central medallion is characteristic of years earlier) (Figure 2). The carpet was moved safely as its installation had been filmed thirty years earlier. Museum is aware of the long term consequences for carpets woven in Tabriz (North West Persia) and to a larger central space in the Gallery on a large Preparatory work in the first half of June released the carpet of continued illumination and the likely the fantastic design of the ground of the carpet polyester floor cloth, made specially for the de- the ties which secured the carpet and its Terylene benefits that might be gained by different lighting consisting of two layers of swirling leaves, stems installation by a sail maker. The stitching which support to the multiple section frame. On de- proposals. The response of four of the ten colours and flowers is typical of the art of the early Safavid attached the carpet to its Terylene support was installation day, the frame carrying the carpet was present in the carpet will be established using the dynasty. released and the carpet was rolled and taken to pulled out on its runners to the east side of the equipment originally designed to determine the the Textile Conservation Studio. After its acquisition the Ardabil carpet was given a Gallery. Eight pulleys had been attached to the high response of William Morris’s Bullerswood carpet, 4 linen support and repairs were carried out in silk framework supporting the runners. The lacing which The Ardabil carpet will be one of the star objects of presently on display in the British Galleries. The thread. It was attached to a three fold frame and held the Terylene support to the top of the frame was the Jameel Gallery. It will be displayed flat under a equipment consists of a dual beam UV-visible-near placed behind glass in Gallery 42 where it remained undone and the carpet and its support were suspended canopy. Its central position in the new infrared spectrometer coupled to an external

11 12 & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

Encounters with Paper Conservation: the treatment of a Chinese painted silk dress Elizabeth-Anne Haldane Textile Conservator The experiments will take place over the course of the next three months and will feed directly into Encounters - the meeting of Asia and Europe 1500- Painted silk is a rather impractical dress fabric and not the decisions on how best to 1800 was one of the V&A’s major exhibitions of 2004. surprisingly the silk showed signs of a certain amount illuminate the carpet. As it will A diverse selection of artefacts was chosen to of damage through wear. The paint on the bodice had not be possible to take the carpet illustrate the exhibition themes of ‘discoveries’, worn away completely in places exposing the warp off display once the Gallery has ‘encounters’ and ‘exchanges’. The subject of this threads and at some point repair patches had been opened, it is also the intention to article, a mid-eighteenth century sack back dress used to fill in holes under the arm. Parts of the costume, provide means to blackout the and petticoat made in England from silk imported such as the skirts of both dress and petticoat, which carpet in its new display case, from China, epitomised the theme ‘exchanges’, which were not fitted so closely to the body and less subject allowing the illumination to be explored the influences of the trade in luxury goods to wear from abrasion, were in much better condition restricted if this should become and the fascination with each other’s diverse cultures although there were many small splits in the silk, all necessary. (Figure 1). Appropriately the conservation of this in green painted areas. A detailed assessment of the costume has been about exchanges of ideas, condition revealed that the costume had been altered methods and techniques between paper and textile at least twice in its lifetime causing further damage to Technical details conservation resulting in an unusual but successful the silk. There had been a number of attempts to repair Warp: cream or undyed silk. 35 treatment. the splits in the silk over the life time of the costume threads per square inch ranging from stitching to adhering patches to the Weft:cream or undyed silk. 3 paired reverse using a dark brown resinous adhesive. All of shoots after each row of knots these treatments had both failed and caused further Knot: asymetrical; 340 per sq. inch damage to the silk. This article focuses on finding Pile: wool, 3 shades of blue, 3 shades a new, safer and visually less intrusive method of of red, yellow, green, black and supporting these areas of damage. Adhesives were white. chosen as the main method of attaching support Photography by Paul Robins, by Paul Photography Studio V&A Photographic Figure 2. Lowering the carpet onto the Gallery floor. patches to the silk in order to avoid stitching through the painted surface. Fortunately the paint surface was integrating head using optical fibres. The external Acknowledgements not actively flaking, so consolidation was not deemed integrating head is used both to concentrate intense We are grateful to Jennifer Wearden for advice and necessary. illumination (from a Schott microscope illuminator information. A review of literature on Chinese painted silk costume fitted with a tungsten halogen lamp) on to selected had revealed that splitting of the silk ground fabric in 1 areas of the carpet and, periodically, to measure the areas painted green was a common problem. This has reflectance spectrum of the area under consideration References been attributed to the use of the copper-based mineral to determine colour changes as a function of 1. Wearden, Jennifer The Surprising Geometry of the malachite to produce the characteristic bright green exposure. The equipment was designed specifically Ardabil Carpet, Abstracts from the Ars Textrina colours in Chinese painted . There was concern that to allow the response to illumination at levels likely Conference, Leeds, 1995. an aqueous treatment would exacerbate the problem to be encountered in the Museum to be determined by creating an environment where copper ions would from the exposure trials with a high degree of 2. Wearden, Jennifer, The V&A Ardabil: The Early Repairs, Hali, Issue 80, 1995, pp 102-107. be released promoting further degradation of the silk. precision, thereby allowing extrapolation of data It was therefore necessary to identify formally the green well beyond the exposures actually used in the 3. Landi, Sheila, The Textile Conservators Manual, pigments present. Lucia Burgio, of the V&A Science experiments. Although the process does induce some Second Edition, 1992, pp 277-285. Section, analysed paint samples from both the dress limited damage to the selected areas (as they are 4. Pretzel, Boris, Determining the Lightfastness of and petticoat by Raman microscopy and optical exposed to up to 8 mlx.h of illumination), judicial microscopy to determine their composition. The light choice of measurement areas (in the present the Bullerswood Carpet in: Roy, A., and Smith, P., (Editors), Tradition and innovation: Advances in green samples were identified as malachite and the instance, on the back of the carpet) limits the dark green samples as a mixture of malachite and damage to the artefact. Measuring the response Conservation, Contributions to the Melbourne Congress, IIC, 10-14 October 2000, pp 150-154. indigo. The white pigment used was lead white. All of actual areas on the carpet guarantees that the the pigments were found to be in good condition

results are applicable to it in its current condition. Haldane by Elizabeth-Anne Photography Figure 1. Detail of the back of the dress, after treatment. and showed no sign of degradation.

13 14 & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

The use of heat-setting thermoplastic adhesives different weights of Japanese paper were selected for support was used instead. The silk would have avoided the use of moisture, however the the tests. Experiments included dissolving the and free film patches worked very support fabrics that are used with these adhesives adhesive in IMS (Industrial Methylated Spirits), or well to infill areas of loss and as a are very sheer and lightweight. As the costume was 50:50 IMS and water, or just water. The smoothest base to stitch loose threads to. The made from a heavy silk with the added weight of the film produced was with water alone. After initial tests free film of Klucel G® and the silk paint layers it was considered that a more robust three papers were chosen and tested with aqueous patches were more strongly support fabric would be required. There is a well- adhesive concentrations from 2% to 10%. The adhered to the object than the documented history of paper being successfully used adhesive was brushed onto a polythene sheet, then paper film but were not as as a support material for textiles. In this instance it the paper was gently laid on top and smoothed down flexible. Also the free film was would provide the strength and firmness required (Figure 2). Once dry, it was peeled away from the more difficult to prepare and as and could be attached with a variety of adhesives polythene. The samples were adhered to silk using a each patch was individually made including starch and modified celluloses. solvent re-activation technique common to textiles involving several processes they where IMS vapour is applied onto the silk through were much more time-consuming The Paper Conservation Studio at the V&A was Sympatex, a semi permeable membrane. This method to prepare. By contrast the paper consulted about the project. Following discussions on was very quick, requiring approximately two minutes film could be quickly prepared in the concerns about aqueous-based adhesives applied to activate the bond between paper and silk. The silk advance and water cut to size as to the malachite paint, it was agreed that although and paper samples were (subjectively) assessed for required. Although it was wheat starch paste would provide a stronger more peel strength and flexibility and checked for staining somewhat unusual to use a flexible bond, Klucel G® (hydroxypropyl cellulose) had of the silk by the adhesive. The lightest weight paper combination of different methods the advantage because it was soluble in both water tested, Tengujo, with Klucel G® at a concentration of and substrates on one object, each and organic solvents. either 8% or 9% worked best giving a smooth flexible Haldane by Elizabeth-Anne Photography was suited for the purpose and Figure 3. Inserting a patch of silk with Klucel G® free film on the upper side. The conservation of the dress was carried out as a sample. At 10% the adhesive stained the silk in places. the use of one adhesive provided a joint project with Gordana Car, intern in the Textile degree of consistency. The paper films worked well for the small splits in Sympatex. Supplementary stitching, (laid thread Conservation Studio. We were interested in a method the painted silk, but another method was required couching) was carried out in areas without paint to Acknowledgements used by Paper Conservation to produce a pre-prepared for areas with more extensive loss where silk was secure loose threads. Normally couching would begin With thanks to Gordana Car, Lara Flecker, Frances paper film that could be solvent re-activated in situ. required to infill holes; or where there were loose and end in strong undamaged areas. In this instance Hartog, Pauline Webber, Mike Wheeler, Merryl Extensive tests were carried out to find a threads which needed to be stitched to a support. couching was only possible in the damaged areas so Huxtable and Lucia Burgio from the Conservation combination of paper type and adhesive A combined adhered and stitched technique was the adhesive film performed the function of securing Department and curators Susan North and Verity concentration that would work for textiles. Five devised by modifying a technique previously the patch. In the case of very large splits where there Wilson. developed to adhere textile infills to a Tudor were areas of plain silk, couching was carried out 2 References in the V&A’s collection. A free film of where possible in order to maintain the flexibility of 1. Paulocik C., Flaherty S.,(Editors), The Conservation Klucel G® (3% w/v in 75% IMS: 25% water) was cast the patch rather than using large areas of free film. of 18th Century Painted Silk Dress Published by The onto polythene. Once dry the film was carefully There were pros and cons to both methods described. Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of peeled off and attached to one side of the textile The paper patches blended in very well and were Art and the Graduate Program in Costume Studies, infill/support with IMS solvent vapour to make a one- scarcely visible on the reverse but they worked best New York University, 1995. sided adhesive film. In this project selected areas of where there was little flexing of the fabric. Splits the support fabric needed to be free of adhesive 2. Haldane E-A., The Conservation of an Appliquéd along the front pleats of the bodice were supported where it was filling an exposed area of the object. To and Embroidered Tudor Cushion Cover. with paper patches. The advantage was that the do this a template was made of the patch and tissue SSCR Journal, Vol 12 No 3, 2001, pp 10-14. patches were thin and didn’t add much bulk to the shapes were stitched to the support to mask off the pleats but the paper was inclined to peel off when chosen areas when the adhesive was applied. Once the fabric was manipulated in order to treat different the tissue was removed a partial adhesive patch was areas or to re-pleat the fabric. In some instances extra made (Figure 3). These patches were also adhered to Klucel G® was added as a free film to adhere the the object with IMS vapour applied through paper, or a combined stitched and adhered silk Photography by Elizabeth-Anne Haldane by Elizabeth-Anne Photography Figure 2. Gordana Car preparing paper and Klucel G® films.

15 16 & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

An insight into the craftsman’s techniques Katia Viegas Wesolowska Metals Conservator

This article describes the conservation Once complete the silver pieces were mercury gilded. Treatment proposals were discussed with a metalwork of a seventeenth century Dutch In this process it is possible to gild on selected areas curator. The treatment began with the removal of the monstrance (Museum no 303-1874), of the metal. Pieces were gilded only where the metal old lacquer using acetone. The heavy tarnish was and the manufacturing can be seen to reduce the amount of gold required. removed using Goddard’s Long Term Silver Foam. techniques used to produce it. The method of mercury gilding involves applying an Where this was not effective, Duraglit ‘Silvo’ Silver Recognition of the amalgam of gold and mercury onto a degreased Polish Wadding was used. The surface was degreased techniques and the surface, usually silver or copper. The surface is then with acetone and a coating of Frigilene nitrocellulose materials from which an heated until the mercury evaporates, leaving behind lacquer was applied with a brush to protect the object is made allows for the gold layer bonded onto the surface. This surface from further tarnishing. The crown was the selection of technique allows various layers of gold to be applied, decorated with gem stones and pearl simulants. appropriate conservation and creates a tight bond with the substrate metal. Some gems were held in position with adhesive treatments and a better To further confirm that this process was used on the which had broken down and the gems had become appreciation of the monstrance, one of the pieces was analysed using loose in their settings. Once dismantled the adhesive craftsman’s work for x-ray fluorescence. The results showed a residual was removed mechanically. Originally the gem settings both the conservator amount of mercury on the surface. would have been bolted into the crown and secured

and the museum visitor. Wesolowska Viegas by Katia Photography with a nut. The original pin was worn, so it was re- The same set of four hallmarks was found on Figure 2. Dismantled object. threaded and a nut made to secure the setting. The The term “monstrance”, various parts of the monstrance, proving these to new pieces were carefully identified with a V&A logo from the Latin Previous unrecorded treatments may date back to the be all of the same provenance and maker (Figure 3). micro stamp for future record. Further treatment monstrancia mid 1950s. Since then the surface has become heavily The first mark, a crowned lion, is of the Provincialen options were discussed with a curator and it was (monstrare = to show), tarnished. The tarnish was concentrated in areas gekroonden Leeuw, which guaranteed a higher 1 decided to re-shape the distorted cross. The was originally used for any where the gilding had blistered, exposing the silver content of precious metal (875/1000) in Holland. monstrance was then carefully re-assembled using the container made by gold or beneath. There were areas of distortion that were The second mark, the town mark, is of the town of digital photographs as a guide. silversmiths to display either the considered disfiguring to the object; and an old Haarlem (as noted in existing Museum records). Sacred Host or the relics of a saint. adhesive which secured two stone settings to the The date letter was found to be of a later date than The bright lustrous pearls were in a fragile state. They Today, the term is used specifically to crown had broken down. After careful examination, the one in the Museum’s records. It is from 1674. The were examined under the microscope for identification. refer to vessels displaying the it was decided to dismantle the object for treatment maker’s mark had not been previously identified It appeared that the pearls were made of thin glass Blessed Sacrament. They are (Figure 2). By doing so the object could be seen from because the only visible mark was indistinct. A clearer filled with a waxy substance (Figure 4). The pearls used only in the Catholic the inside which would aid in the identification of stamp was found when the monstrance was were identified as pearl simulants in the form of Church, mainly for the the maker and the methods and date of construction. dismantled. It was identified as the stamp of Jan Van small glass beads coated internally with a material ceremony of Corpus Christi. Once dismantled each part was recorded using deer Pille from Haarlem, Holland. He was a goldsmith called ‘essence d’orient’ and then filled with wax for working mainly on church metalwork during the mid internal support. This particular technique originated The monstrance (Figure 1) was digital photography. The monstrance is made of silver, seventeenth century. The Museum records have been in France. Essence d’orient is a material made from made in Haarlem, capital of the Province of a metal that can be formed by cold-working and/or modified according to the findings. ground iridescent fish scales (from the bleak fish) North Holland, in the late seventeenth century. It is casting. In this case, there is evidence of both. Lost mixed with a lacquer. The time scale of this project made of silver which has been partially gilded (parcel wax casting was used for the figures, scrolls and did not allow for the possibility to treat the pearls, gilt), decorated with white enamel, garnets, columns, and the central images of the Ascension but a sample pearl was stored for future research. turquoises, rock crystal and pearl simulants. The and the Fall of Manna were cold-worked from a sheet imagery on the foot includes the symbols for the of silver. They are examples of repoussé work which Evangelists and representations of three Apostles, has been chased (engraved). Repoussé refers to a Peter, James and John, looking up at the container for method of tracing the design on the front and raising the host (representing the Transfiguration). Above the relief from the back. Chasing work is done on the and below the host are scenes which symbolise the front of the metal piece. The tool marks from punches Eucharist, Passover and the Fall of Manna from and tracers are visible on the inside. Chased, repoussé Heaven. and cast pieces were joined with solder and also by mechanical means using screws and pressure fitting.

Figure 1. Monstrance (303-1874) before treatment

Photography by Katia Viegas Wesolowska Wesolowska Viegas by Katia Photography Figure 3. Set of hallmarks revealed after dismantling.

17 18 & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

William Blake’s only surviving palette? Dr Joyce H Townsend, Senior Conservation Scientist, Tate Dr Bronwyn Ormsby, Conservation Scientist, Tate Dr Julia Jönsson, formerly Conservation Scientist, Tate Dr Mark Evans, Senior Curator of Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum

William Blake (1757-1827), whose literary output is The palette (Figures 1 and 2), not in the catalogue, widely studied today, was regarded primarily as an was evidently a late addition to the 1927 exhibition. artist and printmaker in his own lifetime. Its owner was a Blake dealer of some repute. Keynes was told that the palette had belonged to the dealer On 17th September 1927, the leading Blake scholar Francis Harvey, who handled numerous works by Geoffrey Keynes wrote to Eric Maclagan, then Blake during the 1860s, including some from the Director of the V&A: studio sale of Frederick Tatham (1805-78), another ‘Dear Maclagan, of The Ancients, who had inherited Blake’s studio contents from the artist’s widow. The American dealer, Gabriel Wells, recently bought the palette used by Blake The palette was received in a presentation case, today labelled Palette used by William Blake in 1780. Given Photography by Katia Viegas Wesolowska Viegas by Katia Photography during the brief period when he used oils. He Figure 4. Detail of damaged pearl simulants. put it in an exhibition at the Burlington F.A.C. by Mr. Gabriel Wells. There is paint on both sides and it is inscribed around the thumb-hole on the ‘reverse’ Figure 5 shows the reassembled monstrance after where it attracted a good deal of attention William Blake/28/Broad Street/1780. Blake submitted treatment was completed. The information revealed (tho’ relics of this kind do not excite me much!). his entry to the Royal Academy in 1780 from that by this treatment allowed records to be updated and It seems to have a good pedigree. address, and moved shortly afterwards. Basil Long, provided a valuable insight into the craftsman’s Wells has now gone back to the U.S.A., then Keeper of Paintings at the V&A, concluded that techniques. and wishing to give the object to some public ‘the authenticity of the relic appears reasonably Acknowledgments institution, has left it to my discretion. likely’, and recommended its acceptance as a gift. I am grateful to Simon Metcalf for being my mentor The Vict. & Albert seemed to me to be during this project and for encouraging me to look at the best place, tho’ Binyon suggests that the objects through the makers’ eyes. Also to Tonny London Museum might also have a claim. Beentjes for allowing me to make use of his extensive Would you express an opinion? It can go to personal library and to Joanna Whalley for identifying the Vict. & Albert if you wish. the gem materials. Yours sincerely References 1. Citroen, K.A., Haarlemse zilversmeden en hun Geoffrey Keynes’ merken, 1988. In the above quotation, Keynes referred to the 1927 exhibition at the Burlington Fine Arts Club commemorating the centenary of Blake’s death.

Of modest scale but superlative quality, this was Studio V&A Photographic by Photography Figure 1. Front of the palette. accompanied by a deluxe illustrated catalogue, and included a fragment of a copper plate for Blake’s America, and a plaster cast of the artist’s head formerly owned by the son of George Richmond (1809-96), a leading member of The Ancients, followers of William Blake who included Samuel Palmer (1805-81).

Figure 5. Monstrance after treatment

Photography by V&A Photographic Studio Studio V&A Photographic by Photography Figure 2. Reverse of the palette.

19 20 & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A & Conservation Journal No.49 V&A

New Staff

We analysed material from this palette towards 1837), in contrast, was using the modern, fine-grained the end of a research project on Blake’s temperas, form by the end of his life, as indeed was Turner (1775- 1 watercolours and colour prints, to compare them 1851). The Pre-Raphaelites used the modern form in with Blake’s painting materials. The analytical the early 1850s, and the traditional form has never methods used, namely polarising microscopy, energy- been identified on Tate paintings of later date. The dispersive X-ray analysis, FTIR microscopy and gas other pigments found on the palette (lead white, 2 chromatography, are described elsewhere. There was chalk, gypsum, barytes, bone black, umber, Mars Ann Marsh Daniella Peltz no evidence to suggest that the palette had been colours, vermilion, talc, kaolin, natural yellow ochre, Stained Glass Conservator Stained Glass Conservator re-used after a long interval, or that the paint was red lake and natural ultramarine) were available I was formerly a Marketing Communications I fell in love with stained glass as a twelve year old inconsistent with an eighteenth to nineteenth century throughout Blake’s lifetime and well beyond. These Manager for Marconi plc organising and managing when I took a stained glass class at summer camp. date. observations suggest a date of use of c.1834-45 for exhibitions, advertising, literature and other After graduating with a BA in Art History from the palette. It resembles oil paint, and because of the inscribed promotional material. Although I enjoyed the job, Vassar College in New York State, USA, I was working address it has always been assumed to date from The connection with Harvey implies that the palette after nearly twenty years I was ready for a different at a law firm in New York City when I realized I was c.1780, the brief period during Blake’s training when was in existence by the 1860s, a period when Blake creative challenge. Having been introduced to miserable. I came upon a stained glass course in he used oil, a medium he strongly criticised and had a small following, and his work fetched stained glass during a weekend course I decided to the catalogue for Parsons School of Design, took therefore avoided for the rest of his life. Analysis correspondingly low prices. Nevertheless, the go back to school and study full time for a BA (Hons) the course and decided to volunteer at the St. Ann confirmed that it includes linseed oil in many colours, possibility cannot be excluded that it is a deliberate in Architectural Glass at the Swansea Institute. Center for Restoration and the Arts. The St. Ann poppy oil in some, and a mixture of these, or possibly fraud, of mid nineteenth century date. If it has a Center was then in charge of restoring the oldest I was just about to start the final year of the course walnut oil, in others. These oil types are typical genuine connection to Blake, it could have been used ensemble of figural stained glass windows made in when the opportunity to work in stained glass of artists’ oil paint both hand-ground in the late by one of The Ancients, who had acquired it from the United States - from 1844-48. After volunteering conservation for twelve months arose at the V&A. eighteenth and earlier nineteenth centuries, and Blake’s widow, herself an artist. Our limited analyses at the Center for two years I was asked to join the This unique opportunity was just too good to miss, supplied in tubes later in the nineteenth century. of the paint used by Richmond and Palmer have apprenticeship program. I spent three years as an so I revised my plans and decided to complete the It is surprising that in this palette the poppy oil, shown that, like Blake himself, they used a mixture of apprentice in stained glass conservation and later rest of the degree course over two years. I will write known to yellow less than linseed oil, was not animal glue and plant gums in their paintings during received a Kress Fellowship to study stained glass my dissertation while working at the V&A and strongly associated with the white and blue paint his last years, in the 1820s. Few of their later works conservation at various sites in Europe for six return to Swansea to complete the practical that would have benefited most from it. have been analysed, but a Richmond Self-portrait months, including Cologne Cathedral and modules in October 2005. of 1853 is catalogued as in oil, so their use of this Canterbury Cathedral. At least one shade of yellow and one of orange lead medium is possible. The only certain conclusion is The experience gained in helping to prepare panels chromate were identified with optical microscopy, Since finishing my fellowship I have been working that the paint on the palette could not have been for the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass Gallery due and supported by EDX and FTIR results. These as a freelance conservator in New York City for six used by William Blake. to open in September 2005 will be invaluable in pigments could not have been used by Blake or years on projects that range from Tiffany to completing my degree and developing a future anyone else c.1780. Yellow lead chromate (also known Acknowledgements Whitefriars to LaFarge. career in stained glass. as chrome yellow) was patented in 1814, and a pale Nicola Costaras, Senior Paintings Conservator at the I am happy to be able to come to the V&A for yellow shade has been found in a Turner oil painting V&A, made the palette available for examination. twelve months to help with the preparation for the exhibited early that year, while the darker yellow and Dr Catherine Higgitt and Raymond White of the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass Galleries and look orange shades were probably available only later, in Scientific Department, National Gallery, London, forward to being able to increase my knowledge of the 1820s. These remain the earliest occurrences of gave valuable help in interpreting the GC results. European stained glass. lead chromate in the British collection at Tate, and References in the literature on British art. Zinc white was also 1. Townsend, J. H., (ed.), William Blake the Painter at detected on the palette. This pigment was produced Work, Tate Publishing, 2003. in a useful form for oil medium in 1834, the earlier variety being too transparent for the purpose. The 2. Townsend, J. H.,‘Analytical methods’. In Townsend traditional form of Prussian blue, found here, was 2003, pp.45-51. used by J.M.W. Turner c.1800-1840s. Constable (1776-

21 22 University, I also where

rd inued as a singer the training first in classics at was degree

fo intings Conservation Intern Conservation intings rr Institute in Cambridge. On nt as also able interestto indulge my in enaissance. onservation atonservation Spinelli. Palazzo I then ompletion of I was the course eturned to Oxford University to do a University eturned to Oxford Lara Wilson Lara Pa My Ox co which I had begun at school. After a career I began to develop graduating as a singer in Florence, Italy, I where w art. In 1999, decided having to switch in art,to a career I went on an in paintings course introductory c r in the historymasters degree of art, specialising in the Florentine R gained the necessary Having as a I began qualifications training at conservator paintings the Hamilton Ke c Studentship a Leverhulme awarded and spent in as an intern the year a Museum, Russian State the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in the Museum of ArtNational in Maputo, Mozambique. I hope to use my time atV&A to the my technical skills and improve ability my to work increase so independently that I will be in a as a position to begin a career in a museum at conservator paintings internship. the end of my 24 the present undertaking time I am an ter a course on Integrated Pest on Integrated ter a course ologne, Germany, to the returned and urniture Conservation Intern Conservation urniture onservation materials.onservation This has oo palace in Apeldoorn. Harrie Schuit F studentI am a final year at the Cultural Netherlands Institute for Heritage (Instituut Nederland, Collectie attending I am ICN) where in Amsterdam course. conservation furniture year a four Prior to I attended the this course cabinet school for Amsterdam making I undertookwhere the cabinet making programme.and restoration I had throughoutinternships 2004.January In in internship month I started with a four C Netherlands up a furtherto take at months three for internship the Het L At Conservation in internship the Furniture and AlbertVictoria Studio of the pleased Museum and I am very to have chance the unique been given be here. to gained an immense amountI have of knowledge working in such a large museum. first My built was experience ‘Encounters’ up around the exhibition, with the and I also became familiar in of the transportation issues involved different objects. types of fragile Af Management newly acquired my I applied knowledge by checking the insect traps around the museum. also worked I have objects which have interesting on very opportunityme the to test given c and has my thinking process broadened in confidence my allowed me to develop the art practice. of conservation I hope this wonderful my faithfully summary renders attime V&A, the to returning prior to I hope to graduate. where Amsterdam (ICKPAC), in South India, Bangalore

re o-workers on my return to India. return on my o-workers c

Bangalore University,Bangalore specialising in nt ysore and Thanjavur school,Thanjavur and ysore etchings and tachments attachments the British Museum and the aper Conservation Intern aper Conservation onservator. Madhu Rani P at career I started conservation my INTACH Art Parishath Chitrakala Conservation Ce Arts degree Fine year a five completing after at painting. as a conservation In 1997 I enrolled attrainee ICKPAC. a two year After internship, an MA during which I obtained in Art History, I began working as a full time c for centre is the sole conservation ICKPAC a wide variety Southern India and receives of art objectstreatment. for main My interest treatment is the based paper of objects. had the opportunity I have to work of South Indian paintings the on traditional M period to from the company lithographs present posters, day miniatures, drawings and watercolours. been the projectSince 2003 I have co- – under the Karnataka for ordinator Mission undertaken Manuscripts National by the Government of India, Department of of Manuscripts. the Preservation for Culture been to have fortunate extremely I feel Trust India Wallace the Charles awarded Grant by the award and also the UK travel TrustNehru atthe Indian Collections for the V&A. This has allowed me undertaketo the atinternship V&A as well as the at British Library. The spenttwo months at as an intern the me the opportunityV&A has given to work and to with experts in paper conservation of experience the conservation my broaden field as a whole. to I am looking forward knowledge and expertise with sharing my my

V&A Conservation Journal No.49

V&A Conservation Journal No.49 tinue to paint time. spare in my n ter graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art in Fine degree (Hons) a BA with ter graduating onservation Administrator onservation onservation Administration at Administration onservation V&A and also the ainting atainting Norwich School of Art and Design, I Michelle Murray C Af P at Officer as Information worked the Photographers’ whilst two years Gallery for with my continuing own work as a painter. artist as an I then worked on basis,a self employed to an returning before at role administrative firm Allies the architecture and Morrison. At this time I also began studying in Art an MA towards History with the Open University, pursuing, which I am currently and I co to working in much looking forward I am very C in the RCA/V&A Conservation being involved Programme. 23

en Vidler r damaged bookbinding leather: A decision- t ustralia. ollege. Two years later I walked away a qualified ollege. away I walked later years Two aper Conservator urning to the curator, of as to I enquired the fate ompletely happy with their work. don’t Why you bindings in leather work on decayed onservation ondon. This led to bookbinding studies at Guildford

or repair to various book restorers … but book restorers to various or repair I am not New StaffNew Interns Back in the 1980s, of big hair, during the era I went to Art School. study I undertook Later postgraduate a in Librarianship. as an assistant While working at and Special Collections Books in Rare curator the of Melbourne,University I had an epiphany. One day leather century eighteenth a late while removing bound book dripping with gold decoration, the front slipped from the book,board feet. landing by my T books that needed repair. He replied,‘we send books f c a book conservator?’ become So in 1998, the next for myself I found fifteen in North a book conservator working for months L C bookbinding in calf for bookbinder with a prize name.leather to my in I the conservation then worked Archives,The National bindery of Kew. to returned I at study in book conservation post-graduate West and in the summer of 2003 I startedDean College in the Book Conservation working with Jane Rutherston V&A.Studio of the an I commenced recently More atMPhil by research the RCA/V&A. into This research the treatment of red-rot was damaged book leather previous during my by questions raised prompted c and in both here collections and archive library A P “The treatment MPhil by research 2 year of red- ro Ka making framework”