An Introduction to Authenticity in Preservation

PAMELA JEROME, GUEST EDITOR

The meaning of authenticity The very first paragraph of the pream materials or restoration that is based on continues to be debated decades ble to the Venice Charter (1964), in conjecture) is not permissible and that reference to historic monuments, says, only anastylosis (the reassembly of the after the drafting of the Venice "It is our duty to hand them on in the dismembered original parts) can be Charter and the World Heritage full richness of their authenticity."1 So permitted (Fig. I).4 Furthermore, the Convention. what is authenticity? And why do we Venice Charter notes that new interven care? tions should occur only when absolutely In 1972 UNESCO adopted theWorld necessary and that the new materials a Heritage Convention, and five years used in preserving historic structure later theWorld Heritage Committee should be distinguishable from the defined criteria for inscription of proper original construction (Fig. 2).5What is ties on theWorld Heritage List.2 The additionally implied is that the acquired World Heritage Convention's Opera layers of history forming a palimpsest tional Guidelines originally stated that have value and are the object to be in order to be designated, cultural prop considered: the corollary belief is that a erties must "meet the test of authenticity there may be certain loss of authentic are in design, materials, workmanship, and itywhen the lacunae of missing parts a setting."3 More recently the attributes of filled in to produce coherent unified authenticity have been expanded to interpretation of a structure.6 But what include use, function, traditions, lan about Warsaw, then, reconstructed after guage, spirit, and feeling. itsWorld War II destruction and in The Venice Charter states that for scribed on theWorld Heritage List in monuments recon as culturally significant 1980? It has been described possess to struction (rebuilding using mostly new ing "authenticity in relation its tern

- y.aatfir

wm.

Fig. 1. The ongoing restoration of the Parthenon follows the Venice Charter Fig. 2. Dutchmen inserted at the Propylaia, one of the monuments of the and is a prime example of anastylosis. All photographs by the author Athenian Acropolis, follow the exact geometry of the voids but are carved unless otherwise noted. to the original exterior profile of the stonework, rather than the existing weathered profile. By this means the new material, although from the same marble quarry, is easily distinguishable from the original.

3

This content downloaded from 142.104.240.194 on Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:26:08 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 4 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 39:2-3, 2008

tive cultural domains. Among the fifty regional and national meetings on that topic held since 1994, the Inter-Ameri can meeting convened in San Antonio, Texas, resulted in the Declaration of San Antonio (1996), acknowledging the multi-cultural identity of the Americas and acceding that "authenticity is a concept much larger than material integrity."16 The recognition of cultural land scapes under theWorld Heritage Con new vention has also raised questions on authenticity. As in historic cities, the ongoing dynamic processes involved in places of living heritage challenge some of the traditional definitions and criteria

for authenticity. The properties on theWorld Heritage List are unevenly distributed interna Fig. 3. The Fantoft Stave Church is a 1995 Fig. 4. An extraordinary level of detail was tionally, with the overwhelming major reconstruction erected after the original church replicated in the reconstruction of the Fantoft ity of sites located in Europe or con was burned to the Satanists. The Stave as seen in this end. How ground by Church, pew structed following European traditions. original church, dating to 1150, was relocated ever, the overwhelming smell of new wood in At the request of theWorld Heritage from Fortun, Norway, to Bergen in 1882, bring the interior belies the reconstruction. ICOMOS researched this ing into question authenticity of setting. Committee, imbalance and subsequently published a report entitled "The World Heritage poral context."7 And does the Fantoft ence took place inNara, Japan. The - ? List, the An Action Plan Stave Church constructed around Nara Document on Authentic Filling Gaps resulting for the Future."17 What is clear from this 1150 in Fortun, Norway, relocated to ity (1994) addressed various views of investigation is that many of the gaps in 1882, and reconstructed in within different cultures.11 Bergen authenticity are in the locations where 1995 after itwas burnt to the was keen on the defini geographical ground Japan revisiting are ? construction materials ephemeral three years earlier by Satanists not tion of authenticity because of its timber and less permanent. evoke authenticity of memory (Figs. 3 In Japan buildings. maintaining signifi In has a at cant practice, authenticity signifi and 4)? Think also of the bridge wooden temples involves periodi cant effect on our choices of conserva Mostar in Bosnia.8 Do these reconstruc them to deteri cally dismantling replace tion interventions. The two tions not the ultimate act of orated fabric and then following represent rebuilding using case studies are from the office of bravery, the revival of the spirit of place? the original construction technology. WAS A/Studio A (also known asWank One difficulty with the Venice Char This practice dates back centuries. Is this Adams Slavin Associates LLP), wherein I ter and, extension, the versions not then of tradition? by early authenticity am the partner in charge of the Preserva of the Operational Guidelines for the Should that continuity not be recognized tion Group. World Heritage Convention has been as truly remarkable and of outstanding In 2003 WASA completed the the identification of cultural as universal value (OUV)?12 Is heritage authenticity restoration of the Road monumental aWestern not also a cultural construct? Hunterfly architecture, Houses of Weeksville. This of construct. era group But in the post-modern of At Nara the concept of "progressive ? four vernacular, wood-frame, clapboard preservation, the anthropological view authenticities" recognizing the legiti cottages represents the only of cultural has super macy of standing heritage gradually layered authenticity, evoking remnant of one of the first free African seded that of the monumental.9 This successive adaptations of historic places ? American communities in shift broadened the defini over time was reaffirmed.13 Authen Brooklyn, substantially New York. After much research a ? tion of cultural heritage to incorporate ticity of tradition a type of intangible ? docu was as (archival, archaeological, physical wide range of tangible and intangible heritage recognized having mentation, materials and oral of value. The need for when de analyses, expressions authenticity. flexibility the have been re was histories), buildings Recognizing the challenge of defining fining authenticity recommended.14 stored and are being interpreted as authenticity, the Government of Japan As David Lowenthal writes in one of the house museums of African-American and ICOMOS, working with theWorld Nara conference papers, "Authenticity is 5). a con in never rela history (Fig. Heritage Committee, sponsored practice absolute, always discovered in the mid-1960s was Initially ference.10 A preparatory workshop tive."15 Subsequently ICOMOS encour by a history professor from Pratt Uni held inNorway early in 1994, and then aged regional meetings to the explore one of the four houses was lost same versity, later during the year, the confer context of authenticity in their respec to arson before the buildings could be

This content downloaded from 142.104.240.194 on Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:26:08 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions AN INTRODUCTION TO AUTHENTICITY IN PRESERVATION 5

Fig. 5. The Hunterfly Road Houses of Weeksville represent the only surviving remnant of one of the first free African-American communities in Brooklyn, N.Y. They have been restored as a timeline (from left to right: 1960s, 1870s, 1900s, and 1930s) and interpreted as house museums of African-American history. The building at the far left is the reconstruction. The 1930s garage at 1698 Bergen Street is the masonry structure to the far right of the photograph. Photograph courtesy of Stephen Barker.

restored. It was reconstructed in the garage had purchased this house (as archival correspondence, this color early 1980s as part of the restoration of opposed to leasing it). The interior of appears to have remained on the build the houses at that time. The reconstruc the house still maintained the integrity ing for about five years; the first repaint tion, however, replicated only the exte of the remodeling the family had under ingwas a darker buff color, perhaps rior; the interior was left as an open taken in the 1930s as well, and there matching the soiled appearance of the to as a were numerous space be used classroom, with photo albums from the original color. An addition, designed by the location of out were was original partitions family's private collection that Wright's son-in-law Wesley Peters, lined on the floor. In this instance, the made available for the restoration (Fig. erected in 1968, at which time it seems reconstruction is totally honest on the 6). The New York City Landmarks likely the building was repainted. In interior because it does not attempt to Preservation Commission agreed with 1975 another alteration, designed by deceive interior the through conjectural project's approach. Consequently the Donald Freed, enclosed the original rebuilding. buildings were restored as a timeline driveway between East Eighty-ninth The work of the early 1980s had representing the 1870s, 1900s, 1930s, Street and Fifth Avenue, creating the gift restored the buildings to 1883, the first and 1960s (the latter referring to the shop, during which time the Guggen time the structures are shown on insur rediscovery of the site, civil rights move heim was probably repainted again. ance In so maps.18 doing so, additions ment, and reconstruction). In doing it By the time it became a New York ? in a was to appearing 1904 photograph necessary replicate many of the City-designated landmark in 1990, the a including porch, shed, enclosed elements that had been removed in the building had undergone at least four summer vestibule, dog house, and house previous restoration (Fig. 7). Thus, this repainting campaigns. Paint analysis ? were not removed because they did project demonstrates changing attitudes showed that a series of warm-colored conform to the restoration. a period of towards authenticity within 20-year paints had been applied over the original was This approach fairly typical of U.S. period. buff. These colors gradually changed at time. case preservation theory that The other study involves the over time: the first repainting was the Approximately 20 years later, the restoration of the Solomon R. Guggen darkest color, then the lightest, then the buildings needed restoration again. By heim Museum, located on Fifth Avenue pinkest, and finally the most yellow. this time notions of authenticity had inManhattan. Completed in 1959 this In 1992 most of theWesley Peters changed, affecting concepts of period iconic, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed addition was demolished, and an addi restorations. After analyzing the goals of building is recognized internationally as tion designed by Gwathmey Siegel and an interpretation with the stewards and exceptional example of theModern Associates erected in its place (Fig. 9). stakeholders, WASA/Studio A designed Movement (Fig. 8). The current work This alteration is arguably the most as a the restoration timeline: significant included the removal of up to 11 layers significant in terms of impact on the to to elements deserved be highlighted of paint in order expose, assess, and aesthetics of the original building (it from different periods, which could tell repair the original gunite, concrete, and was, however, described by noted New important stories and enrich the histori cement stucco substrates. York Times architectural critic Paul a was on cal narrative. For instance 1930s Paint analysis performed Goldberger as a respectful backdrop was garage still part of one of the build more than 100 samples. The analysis that improved the Guggenheim as a museum as as ings, 1698 Bergen Street (Fig. 5). An revealed that the original paint color well a piece of architec was African-American family that afflu corresponded to Benjamin Moore HC ture).20With the completion of the addi ent enough to own a car and build a 35, a buff yellow or light brown.19 From tion, which is clad with limestone, the

This content downloaded from 142.104.240.194 on Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:26:08 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 6 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 39:2-3, 2008

conservation? Why do we spend so much time worrying about this concept? ?^f^h: ? ? How does it help us or hinder us in conservation work? Definition of authenticity. What do we mean by authenticity} How can we define it inways useful for application in conservation decision-making? How do we distinguish it from other similar concepts such as integrity} Application of authenticity. How do we use authenticity in practical ways? How does use vary in different contexts? With cultural landscapes? With historic cities? With historic buildings? With archaeological sites?What have the interpretations of authenticity used in theWorld Heritage contexts added to use of the concept? What have the vari ous regional meetings added to this? Fig. 6. The interiors of 1698 Bergen Street retained the decorative integrity of a 1930s remodeling, How do we measure and evaluate au when itwas owned and occupied by an African-American family, and have been restored to that thenticity? period. Photograph courtesy of Stephen Barker. It is our aim to address these ques tions and foster further discussion on in We building was painted with a color corre New York City Landmarks Preservation authenticity preservation. hope a a these are useful in sponding to Benjamin Moore 1541, Commissioners have recently voted for papers progressing about this crucial coolish grayish white.21 The original buff color that is not Wright's buff. Charles dialogue concept. yellow color had faded from collective Gwathmey, who had designed the 1992 PAMELA JEROME, AIA, is partner in charge memory and off-white became the pub addition, had thought (incorrectly) that of the preservation group with WASA/Studio A, lic of the In 2003 it the color chosen for the addition was perception building. a New York City-based architecture and engin was repainted with a similarly low close to the original color of theWright eering firm. She is an Adjunct Associate Profes sor at Columbia Graduate School chroma color, a little lighter than 1541. building. However, is it not possible that University's of and Preservation. She The debate about what color the if had known the Architecture, Planning Gwathmey original is a board member of US/ICOMOS and is that should be as color was a the exterior Guggenheim repainted part yellowish buff, organization's liaison to the APT board. of the ongoing restoration split the finishes selected for his addition may preservation community into two dis have been very different? Our position, tinct camps. On the one hand, there are then, is that we can accomplish a period we are the preservation purists who believe that restoration only to 1992; since not now is the opportunity to reinstate the removing the alterations and addi original color chosen by Frank Lloyd tions to the building over time, it seems Wright. (Recent articles have mistakenly inconsistent to go back to the 1958 stated thatWright, who died in 1959, color. However, both this approach and did not see the exterior of the building the purist viewpoint are equally valid completed.22 While it is true that he did interpretations of authenticity. see museum not live to the opened to the So what is authenticity? Is it authen was public, the exterior actually painted ticity of materials and/or craftsmanship? in the fall of 1958. There is archival Design? Setting or landscape? Spirit and sense or information and a historic photograph of place? Use adaptive reuse? in the museum's archives of Wright Integrity? Memory? Public perception? standing next to the building with a The APT Bulletin dedicates this special backdrop of workers on a hanging issue to this topic. A working group scaffold in the process of painting the consisting of Christina Cameron, Nora Guggenheim.) Mitchell, Herb Stovel, and myself was On the other hand, the position of formed to debate the topic, and a group 7. Later additions to 1698 the museum, supported byWASA/Stu of selected authors was asked to submit Fig. Bergen Street, such as this porch, which had been removed dio A, is that of progressive authenticity. papers responding to the following during the 1980s restoration in order to conform The is a that Guggenheim living entity concepts: to an 1883 period restoration, were replicated in has evolved over time, and the building Importance of authenticity. Why is the recent restoration. Photograph courtesy of is the manifestation of that history. The authenticity important for heritage Stephen Barker.

This content downloaded from 142.104.240.194 on Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:26:08 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions AN INTRODUCTION TO AUTHENTICITY IN PRESERVATION 7

Fig. 8. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Fig. 9. The Guggenheim Museum with the 1992 Gwathmey Siegel addition Wright and seen here with the Wesley Peters addition post-1968, is an behind it. The addition is arguably the most significant alteration to the internationally recognized icon of the Modern Movement. Photograph ? aesthetics of the original building. Photograph by Angel Avon. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgements of Historic Monuments, which met in Venice in See http://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext/. 1964 (the first congress drafted the Athens See also Henry Cleere, "Concept of 'outstand sincere thanks to Christina My go Cameron, Charter for the Restoration of Historic Monu ing universal value' in the World Heritage Con Nora and Herb Stovel for their Mitchell, insight ments of 1931). It was adopted by ICOMOS in vention," Conservation and Management of ful debate and valuable contributions to this 1965. The purpose of both the Athens Charter Archaeological Sites 1, no. 4 (1996): 227-233. Without their this paper. participation special and the Venice Charter was to adopt acceptable 13. Von Droste and Bertilsson, 4. issue of APT Bulletin would not have been international standards for the treatment of realized. I also thank Norman Weiss for his cultural properties. 14. Nobuo Ito, "'Authenticity' Inherent in comments on the paint color of the Guggenheim Cultural Heritage in Asia and Japan," in Nara 5. The Venice Charter, Articles 9, 12, and 15. Museum. Conference on Authenticity, 44. 6. Paul Philippot, "Historic Preservation: 15. David Lowenthal, "Changing Criteria of Philosophy, Criteria, Guidelines," in Preserva Notes Authenticity," in Nara Conference on Authen tion and Conservation: Principles and Prac ticity, 123. 1. The Venice Charter: International Charter tices, Proceedings of the North American 16. the Interamerican for the Conservation and Restoration of Monu International Regional Conference, Williams Proceedings of Sympo Va., 1972 D.C.: National sium on in the Conservation and ments and Sites (1964), preamble. burg, (Washington, Authenticity Trust for Historic Preservation, 1976), 378. Management of the Cultural Heritage of the 2. name The full of the international treaty is Americas. San Antonio, Texas, March 1996 the Convention the Protection of 7. Jukka Jukilehto, "Session 1. Session Re concerning (Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.: Getty the World Cultural and Natural and port," in Nara Conference on Authenticity, Heritage, Conservation Institute and US/ICOMOS, it was UNESCO in 1972. Interna Japan 1994, Proceedings, ed. Knut Einar adopted by 1999), ix-xix. See also http://www.icomos.org/ concern was Larsen, (Paris: UNESCO World Heritage tional for global heritage vocalized docs/san_antonio.html. for Cultural over the ancient Egyptian Abu Simbel temples, Centre; Tokyo: Agency Affairs; were to as a Rome: ICCROM, Paris: ICOMOS, 1994), 70. 17. ICOMOS, The World Heritage List, Filling which be flooded result of the - An Action construction of the Aswan Dam. In 1959 the Gaps Plan for the Future High 8. Refer to Christina Cameron's paper in this at the of both and UN (Paris: ICOMOS, 2005). request Egypt Sudan, issue, "From Warsaw to Mostar: The World ESCO became involved in a to 18. campaign Heritage Committee and Authenticity." WAS A, "The Hunterfly Road Houses of the Around 50 countries safeguard temples. Weeksville. Restoration Report," unpublished 9. B. von Droste and U. Bertilsson, "Authentic - donated funds for their preservation. After report, August 11, 2000, Alternate 1 circa. ity and World Heritage," inNara Conference several other successful international safeguard 1900, p. 2. on Authenticity, 6. ing campaigns, a conference convened by the 19. Integrated Conservation Resources, "His White House in 1965 proposed aWorld Her 10. ICOMOS, the International Council on toric Paint Analysis for Exterior Colors. The itage Trust to protect natural and cultural sites Monuments and Sites, is one of three statutory Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Exterior of global importance. By 1968 IUCN (Interna advisory bodies to the World Heritage Conven Restoration and Building Enhancement," tional Union for Conservation of Nature) also tion. unpublished report, June 11, 2007, p. 4. proposed a similar concept. UNESCO with 11. "Nara Document on Authenticity," in Nara ICOMOS (International Council on Monu 20. Paul Goldberger, "The Liberation of the Conference on Authenticity, xxi-xxiii. See ments and Sites) and IUCN drafted the conven Guggenheim," New York Times, June 21, tion for the of cultural and natu www.international.icomos.org/charters/nara_e 1992. safeguarding .htm. ral sites that are internationally recognized by 21. Integrated Conservation Resources, 4. inscription on the World Heritage List. See 12. Outstanding universal value is the term the 22. F. G. Matero and R. "The http://whc.unesc0.0rg/en/l 69/. World Heritage Convention uses in its defini FitzGerald, tions under Articles 1 and 2 to describe the Fallacies of Intent: 'Finishing' Frank Lloyd 3. Operational Guidelines for the World Her of monuments, of Museum," APT Bulletin Convention Article 24b.i. global significance groups Wright's Guggenheim itage (1977), no. 1 3-14. "A buildings, sites, natural features, geological and 38, (2007): Karla Schuster, at 4. The Venice Charter, Article 15. The Venice physiographical formations, and natural sites Decorating Dilemma Guggenheim," News was Interna 2007. Charter drafted by the Second that are inscribed on the World Heritage List. day, October 14, tional Congress of Architects and Technicians

This content downloaded from 142.104.240.194 on Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:26:08 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions