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Editorial: Reaching outJonathan Ashley-SmithHead of Conservation

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Editorial BoardJonathan Ashley-SmithHead of Conservation Department

Charlotte HubbardHead of Sculpture Conservation

Helen JonesDeputy Head, RCA/V&A Conservation

Mike WheelerSenior Paper Conservator

Sophy WillsMetals Conservator

Designed by the V&A Print Unit Cover Design by Mike Wheeler

Photographs are credited individually

All enquiries to:-Conservation DepartmentVictoria and Albert MuseumLondon SW7 2RL, UKTelephone +44 (0)20 7942 2133Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 2092e.mail conservation.journal@vam.ac.uk

The V&A Conservation Journal is an informal publicationand references in articles are discouraged. Readers may contact authors for further information via the emailaddress above

Cover Image: Dudley, 3rd Baron North (P.4-1948);Photography by: V&A Photo Studio

Contents3 Editorial

Jonathan Ashley-Smith, Head of Conservation

4 Tiaras – Mount Making and InstallationJoanna Whalley, Metalwork ConservatorRoy Mandeville, Associate Director – Exhibitions, Plowden and Smith

6 Sharing Museum Skills Millennium AwardsJonathan Ashley-Smith, Head of ConservationDavid Howell, Conservation Scientist, Historic Royal PalacesTicca Ogilvie, Conservator of Antiquities, Bristol Museums & Art GallerySarah Gerrish, Furniture Conservator, National Museums of Scotland

9 Training Matters: My Experience in the Paintings Conservation Section

Sharon Tager, Intern, Paintings Conservation

11 Developing a Collaborative Approach to the Conservation of Lacquer

Shayne Rivers, Senior Furniture Conservator

13 Preservation of the Satyajit Ray Paper Archive: Fieldwork January 2002

Mike Wheeler, Senior Paper Conservator

16 A Japanese Scroll Painting Conservation CourseCatherine Rickman, Independent Paper Conservator

17 A Review of Adhesives Today – Exploring Current Options andApplication Techniques

Jacinta Loh, Intern, Textiles Conservation

18 The Observed Object: The Distance Between the Studio and the Gallery

Panayota Malkogeorgou, MPhil Research Student, RCA/V&A Conservation

20 The Importance of Being Less Earnest: Communicating For andAbout Conservation

Helen Jones, Deputy Head, RCA/V&A Conservation

23 New Staff

24 Staff Chart

V&A Conservation Journal No.41

This is probably my last editorial for the Conservation Journal. The notion that the Head of the ConservationDepartment should write the introduction for each issue started with the first number in 1991. Thirty of thesubsequent forty editorials have been written by the Head of Department. Since I have given up that position,it seems reasonable that I should be relieved of the burden of having to think of something to say that issuccinct, topical and relevant to the subjects of the articles. The theme of this issue is outreach, and thefollowing contributions describe a few examples of the many ways in which the Department interacts withpeople who are not members of the Museum staff. The Journal is itself a very successful and cost-effectiveway of reaching thousands of people around the world. Despite a couple of false starts, we are now veryclose to making the Journal available on the Web which will further increase its readership and our outreach.

The management restructuring at the V&A, which began three years ago, places the ConservationDepartment in an organisational grouping of departments whose joint remit is to provide the necessaryservices that will ensure the delivery of major projects designed to enhance the visitor experience. Thisrenewed emphasis on delivery of gallery and exhibition projects makes it more important to stress that thereare ongoing demands from outside the Museum for the skills and expertise of the conservation staff of aNational Museum. The Conservation Press is full of encouragement to develop public awareness and publicinvolvement. The criteria for the Conservation Awards make active participation with people other thancurators of the conserved object a specific requirement. Yet the number of Museum projects continues toincrease and the number of in-house conservation staff continues to decrease. It is far from certain thatconservators will feel empowered to develop and strengthen links with interest groups outside the Museumwhen the pressure of successive deadlines forces them to use up the time they had set aside for this.

I have negotiated my own personal way of achieving greater outreach. After nearly twenty five years as Headof the Conservation Department I have moved to the Research Department at the V&A. My obligations thereare to write and to teach. I have a book to write and have teaching assignments in Europe and beyond. I willwrite articles for future issues of this Journal. So I should be able to contribute to the variety of ways in whichConservation at the V&A reaches the widest possible audience.

attached to the case panels using a neutral PHadhesive, and this prevented any snagging whenthe panels were drilled.

As a result of the detailed planning and meticulousexecution of the design brief, the visitor is affordedan unobstructed view of the entire object, and thetiaras appear to be supported effortlessly.

AcknowledgementsAndrew Rush and John Baxter, Plowden andSmith Exhibitions.

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‘Tiaras’ is an important temporary exhibition atthe V&A which displays a glittering array ofapproximately 200 tiaras. The range is diverseand comprises not only the more traditionalmaterials of precious metals and gemstones, butalso the more unusual such as carved horn and even fish scales.

The V&A’s designer for the show, CatherineByrne, wanted the tiaras to appear to ‘float inspace’. With this in mind, three companies wereinvited to provide samples of mounts in bothacrylic and brass. Materials specifications wereprovided by Conservation.

Plowden and Smith Ltd were appointed as themount makers for the project. The companydeveloped a generic mount style in metal thatsuited most objects in the exhibition. Althoughacrylic is often the preferred choice of material formounting museum objects, the thickness of acrylicrequired to support a tiara was found to beobtrusive, and its reflective, light channellingproperties were distracting. In contrast, the finebrass mounts offered both strong support for the objects and were visually unobtrusive.

The mounts for the show consist of a brass ring or part ring fitted to the internal diameter of thetiara, with a straight central rod returning to the back wall of the showcase for fixing. Brass isvery malleable when annealed which enablesaccurate shaping, and strong soldered joints canbe achieved at reasonably low temperatures. Theinternal ring has brass ‘u’-shaped attachments at intervals to give the object support whererequired (see illustrations). Oxyacetyleneequipment was used for the work as it gives a controlled, finely adjustable, hot, clean (carbon-free) flame.

In order to ensure that the fittings were precise,each tiara had to be offered up onto its mountduring fabrication. However, handling was kept toa minimum and the mount makers worked withextreme care. Prior to installation mounts weresandblasted to remove grease and flux and thencoated with an acrylic formula spray paint. Thesupport armatures were coloured to suit theobject and the fixing rods were coloured to matchthe showcase panels. Where mounts came intocontact with the objects, they were lined withclear heat shrink tubing, and where this was notpractical a polyester lining felt was applied.

The mounts were installed by drilling thebackboards of the cases to the same diameter(usually 5mm) as the rod to be inserted, andfriction fitting the mount into the drilled hole. Toenable this system to work, the case panels weremanufactured in ZF MDF sealed with 3 coats ofDacrylate acrylic lacquer. The fabric covering was

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Tiaras – Mount Making and InstallationJoanna Whalley, Metalwork Conservator

Roy Mandeville, Associate Director - Exhibitions, Plowden and Smith

Figure 2. The tiara installed

Figure1: Inserting the mount into the backboard

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Ticca OgilvieConservator of Antiquities, Bristol Museums &Art Gallery

Sharing Museums Skills brought me to the V&A for six weeks to investigate strategies and decision-making in lacquer conservation.

I wanted this chance to get to grips with lacquerpartly because it is a famously difficult material, andpartly because the collection of oriental lacquer and European japanned objects at Bristol CityMuseum is now in serious need of conservation.The general practitioner education most objectconservators get provides theoretical, but rarelypractical, training in this material. The stimulatingdiscussions I had with Shayne Rivers (V&A SeniorFurniture Conservator) when she came to adviseabout our collection made me think that the V&Acould provide the sort of experience I was seeking.

I came at a good time. The British Galleries projectwas finished but still fresh in everyone’s minds, andconservators were very willing to share their insightsinto the organisational processes behind it–what had worked well and what hadn’t. I had a goodopportunity to investigate Concise, the conservationmanagement tool created for the British Galleriesproject. A strong aura of project managementseems to pervade conservation activities at the V&A, and this is particularly impressive to one froma local authority museum where time for effectivetime-management seems an unaffordable luxury.

It felt very luxurious to be able to spend so muchtime focused on objects. I began the secondment byconserving four panels from a Japanese shrine

required for the Art Deco exhibition in 2003. The enormous quantity of dirt that can sink into alacquer surface came as a surprise to me. Removingthis while retaining soot and heat marks left bycandles used in the shrine was a familiar challenge,but using cam-action clamps in consolidating thelifting lacquer surface was a skill I had to learn.

I also worked on several of the exquisite Japaneselacquer objects for the Toshiba Gallery rotation.Many of these had had previous treatment and Ilearned to recognise the various historic andtraditional techniques used.

What I also got from the secondment, of course,was all sorts of less categorisable informationthrough observing how another organisation works,and a renewed sense of proportion in myobservation of my own institution.

Towards the end of my time at the V&A we beganwork on a Chinese red lacquer chair damaged by awater leak in store. The damage made it the idealcandidate for applying some traditional Japanesetechniques of lacquer conservation, in particular,cleaning with water and consolidation with urushi. Forraw lacquer to polymerise, high ambient humidity is required. I was able to share some of my specialist expertise in creating a controlled humidityworkspace within which the conservation could takeplace. In turn, I was introduced to the tools for andtechniques of Japanese lacquer, which Shayne hasbrought back from her annual training visits to Japan.

The strongest impression I retain of the V&A is the very positive,central place conservation appearsto hold there still. Amidst thechasing of too many agendas withtoo few resources it wasenormously refreshing to renew myacquaintance with a world wheresurface energy interactions betweenconsolidant and substrate appear stillable to hold their own againstaudience advocacy andbenchmarking exercises.

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David HowellConservation Scientist, Historic Royal Palaces

In Autumn 2001 I was given a “Sharing MuseumSkills” award to spend six weeks working withJonathan Ashley-Smith, looking at currentunderstanding of risks to textiles on display, and to identify gaps in our knowledge. The idea was toconsolidate Jonathan’s knowledge and experiencewith risk with my practical and experimentalexpertise with historic textiles. By strangecoincidence my first full day dealing with risk was11th September 2001.

One aim was to develop a research strategy thatcould be carried out in a reasonable timeframe atHampton Court Palace to facilitate structured and co-ordinated investigations. The first stage was todescribe the state of the art regarding what is alreadyknown about risks to textiles. Much has been done atHampton Court to do with humidity and light.Research is currently underway on the effects of duston textile objects and some work has been done onpollution levels and acidity.

Several gaps in knowledge were identified. The firstarea of interest was determining a baseline rate atwhich textiles will degrade no matter what ‘ideal’conditions they are in. The second area that is littleresearched is the comparison of risks to objectswhen putting up and taking down a display and thegains from rotating display objects in terms of lightdosage etc. The third area of interest is a riskassessment concerning pollutants, especially lowlevels of organic acids. It is not really known how thelow concentrations of these substances affect textilesin museum or historic house environments. Thefourth factor that was felt to be relatively unexploredwas risk associated with cleaning objects rather thanleaving things dirty.

On this basis several research proposals have beendesigned and will be implemented over the next few years.

Visits to other institutions.As part of my application I had included visits to otherhistoric houses displaying textiles. The houses chosenwere: Brodsworth Hall, Hardwick Hall, andChatsworth. These three were chosen because oftheir geographical location (they are all quite close toeach other), the different organisations that run them(English Heritage, The National Trust, and ChatsworthTrust), and the different display options chosen.

One of the most interesting aspects of the visit toHardwick Hall was Jonathan’s perception of thecondition of some of the tapestries which he had lastseen some twenty years ago. At that time heremembered them as ‘nearly falling off the walls’because they were in such poor condition. In theintervening period these tapestries have had noconservation treatment, but his opinion was that theynow appeared in much better condition! The objectsmust be in the same or poorer state, but in twenty yearsJonathan’s experience and knowledge has changed.Proper condition reports, preferably backed up withscientific assessment of damage, are essential if we areto make real observations on changes to objects.

I regard my secondment as a total success, and I amvery grateful to Sharing Museum Skills MillenniumAwards for making it possible.

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Sharing Museum SkillsThe Sharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards was a scheme organised by the Millennium Commission(which is supported by the National Lottery) to provide professional development for individuals and toimprove the quality of museums, archives and library special collections for their users. The scheme providedgrants to enable staff and volunteers working within these organisations to share, learn and apply new skillsthrough paid secondments. Some 246 grants were awarded. Two conservators and one conservation scientist chose secondments to the Conservation Department at the V&A.

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Figure 1 David Howell examining dust as part of his research into risk assessmentfor historic textiles on display

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Figure 1 Author consolidating lifting lacquer surface on shrine panel, Blythe House conservation labs

For the past ten months, I have been fortunate enoughto be given the opportunity to treat one of Britain’snational painting collections. After completing an MA in20th century art and theory from Goldsmiths College in1997 and receiving my diploma in the conservation ofeasel paintings at the Courtauld Institute of Art in 2001,I was keen to gain further practical and theoreticalexperience in a museum environment. During the pastthree years, I have spent my summer vacations workingfor private painting conservators in London andvolunteering for three months at the Tel Aviv Museumconservation department. My internship in the V&A,lasting for ten months, has allowed me to be involved ina variety of activities and responsibilities related to thecollection. These are both practical and theoretical, andinclude a research project as well as the care andtreatment of paintings.

Arriving in October 2001, I was fortunate to observe –and indeed participate in – the last (but very hectic!) fewweeks of preparation leading to the opening of British

Galleries. Treating gallery paintings as part of a largeteam, responsible for the preservation, documentationand presentation of these historic and aesthetic objects,was very exciting. Working in a museum environmentenabled me to discuss treatment options not only inrelation to the object’s physical stability, but also in termsof its presentation within the Galleries’ context, anaspect lacking in most treatments done in the privatesector. Among other objects, I contributed to the verylast stages of treatment of a 17th century full-lengthportrait of ‘Dudley, 3rd Baron North’ (P.4-1948), aidingwith over-paint removal, filling losses and retouching.

This object is of particular interest to me, since it is alsothe focus of my research project. The research is animportant and integral part of the internship, and usuallyoccupies one day a week. This project is concernedwith the attribution and history of presentation of thisfull-length portrait by an unknown artist, via the technicalinvestigation of its materials and techniques. Theidentification of materials and techniques and their use in

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Sarah GerrishFurniture Conservator, National Museums ofScotland

My personal aim for the secondment was tobecome more proficient in the conservation ofdecorative surface finishes. Working as furnitureconservator at the National Museums of Scotland(NMS) and previously at the National Museums andGalleries of Wales I mainly conserve vernacularfurniture and was looking for an opportunity toenhance my skills to enable me to work on furniturewith highly decorative surface finishes. My intentionwas to use the skills I learnt during my secondmentto conserve the European furniture collection heldby NMS.

Albert Neher, Head of Furniture Conservation atthe V&A, was my mentor during my six weeks in theFurniture Conservation Studio. I was overwhelmedby the willingness of the Section to share theirknowledge and skills; everyone was very generouswith their time, friendly and kind. The first object I conserved was a 19th century boulle inkstand(Lost 263). Although the decision was made not toreplace the missing brass as part of the treatmentproposal, I was shown how to make templates andpractised cutting brass that would have replaced thatwhich was missing.

I worked with Shayne Rivers for three weeksconserving lacquer objects for rotation of displays inthe Toshiba Gallery (figure 1). Shayne made meaware of many articles published on differentaspects of lacquer conservation as well as

demonstrating cleaning and consolidationprocedures. Fi Mallinson and Christine Powellintroduced me to general good practice for workingon gilded surfaces, I was able to practise these skillsworking with Fi on a daybed by J.B. Tilliard (W.5 -1956) destined for an exhibition about Madame dePompadour at Versailles.

My six week secondment was extremelyinformative and enjoyable. It is always an experienceand of great benefit to meet new colleagues,exchange thoughts, ideas and work practices. I thinkthe scheme is an excellent way for professionals tofurther their knowledge in a very immediate anddirect way. It is far more useful to be able to identifyexactly what areas of expertise you would like toexpand and to be able to identify who could provideyou with that knowledge, than to enrol on a non-specific course which may not particularly betailored to your requirements.

AcknowledgementsI am grateful to the Conservation Department at theV&A, particularly Furniture Conservation for hostingmy secondment. I would like to thank the NMS forallowing me the time to complete my secondment.Finally I am grateful to the Millennium Commissionfor my generous award.

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Figure 1 Cleaning a lacquer writing box (W.2.191.7)

Training Matters: My Experience in thePainting Conservation SectionSharon TagerIntern, Paintings Conservation

Figure 1. Unknown artist, Dudley, 3rd Baron North, early 17th century (P.4-1948); after conservation treatment

Figure 2. Unknown artist, Dudley, 3rd Baron North, early 17th century(P.4-1948); before conservation treatment

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BackgroundIn 1999, a proposal was made for the treatment of theMazarin chest as part of the Japanese Agency forCultural Affairs’ (Bunkacho) Conservation of JapaneseTreasures in Overseas Collections programme. Thechest was to be shipped to the Tokyo National ResearchInstitute for Cultural Properties (Tobunken) where itwould be expertly treated using traditional materials andtechniques.

The Mazarin chest is one of the foremost examples ofan oriental lacquer (urushi) object designed and made inJapan in the early seventeenth century for export to theWest. Although much of the lacquer made for exportwas mass produced and of poor quality, a few articles ofexceptional quality were produced in the 1630s. TheV&A has three of these exceptional pieces, one of whichis the Mazarin chest (412-1882). The chest is decoratedwith scenes from the Tales of Genji, a Japanese noveldating from AD 1000-1025, and also a range of otherpictorial scenes.

Although the chest is in a fairly stable condition and is notactively deteriorating, many areas of decoration areloose or poorly adhered. This loose decoration is veryvulnerable to damage and further loss when the chest istransported or otherwise handled.Shrinkage cracks in the lid are the result ofa long history of low relative humidity (RH)in the Museum and its stores, combinedwith the original cleated constructiontechniques. There has been some loss oflacquer decoration along the splits and thesurviving lacquer in these damaged areas isat risk of further loss.

After much discussion, it was agreed that itwould be preferable to treat the Mazarinchest in the UK. Firstly, there is the riskfactor involved in transporting such a heavyand fragile object to and from Japan.Secondly, there are many thousands oflacquer objects in the V&A’s collections,and it seemed appropriate to develop skillswithin the Museum so that these could beused to benefit both the Mazarin chest inparticular, and the lacquer collection as awhole.

Western vs traditional Japanese treatmentsAs a broad generalisation, approaches to theconservation of lacquer in the West and in Japan arequite different. Throughout the development ofconservation ethics in the West, reversibility (or morerecently retreatability) has been a key concept. With thisin mind, there has been a long-standing desire to usematerials that do not cross-link, so that conservationtreatments can be removed in the future, if necessary,without damaging original material.

In contrast to this approach, the conservation of lacquerin Japan still largely relies on the use of traditionalmaterials. These materials are based on urushi, thematerial originally used to create oriental lacquerobjects, which cross-links as it dries. Freshly-cured urushiis considered by some to be a super-durable material, asit is impervious to solvents and barely affected byextremes of pH.

The earliest dialogue between conservators in Japan andin the West was accompanied by a degree of horror onboth sides, as the differences in approach to thetreatment of lacquer were revealed. More recently,some Japanese conservators have adopted the use ofsynthetic materials, while some Western conservators

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technical art history is of particular interest to me, and isan aspect I hope to further pursue in the future. Thepainting (figure 1) dates from c.1610-18 and is one ofthe best examples in the Museum’s collection of full-length Jacobean portraits. Nevertheless, the fact that it isnot signed, and that it has gone through some majorchanges in its appearance, prompted the investigation ofits history of production and presentation. The use of x-radiography, infra-red photography and the identificationof pigments and layer structure via microscopy is thecore of the current research. The enlargement of thecomposition, repainting of the floor and the figure’sgarters and the addition of a canopy at the top of thecomposition are all later interventions (figure 2). Whilethe decision to restore the painting to its originalproportions had been painstakingly taken by NicolaCostaras and Fran Griffin, who restored the paintingduring 2000-2001, the current research is concernedwith the dating and historical context of these changes,and the attribution of the painting to an artist or studio.In order to achieve this, we collaborated with Museumprofessionals, notably Lucia Burgio from the ScienceSection, who kindly analysed all cross-sections withRaman spectroscopy, and outside sources, primarilySarah Cove, independent painting conservator, and theDepartment of Conservation and Technology,Courtauld Institute of Art.

The final, but primary, aspect of the internship in thepainting conservation studio is the practical conservationwork. Usually, interns are given one major treatmentproject to work on, and other smaller-scale treatments.My experience is slightly different, since the studio’smain project at present is the examination, preparationand subsequent treatment of 45 19th century Britishpaintings, travelling to an exhibition in Japan due to openin August 2002. An exhibition of this magnitude is agood opportunity for the studio, and myself as an intern,to survey a large section of the collection. This is doneas systematically as possible in order to determinewhether the painting is safe to travel (for example, is itflaking?), its aesthetic appearance (is varnish removalnecessary?), its documentation and its history oftreatment and production. The survey also allowed forsome interesting technical discoveries: for example, anexamination with the infra-red vidicon of a painting byJohn Linnell entitled ‘Halt by the Jordan’ (1845-1900),and dated to 1840 and 1849, revealed that the artist haschosen to change his baptising scene nine years after thecomposition was initially completed (figure 3). Linnellhimself was originally a Baptist, but later in lifeabandoned all religious denominations, preferring to relyon his own personal interpretation of the scriptures.Perhaps this shift in faith can be held partly responsiblefor his pentimento of the figure of Philip baptising theeunuch.

The variety of paintings included in the Japan loan hasenabled me to familiarise myself with the different Britishpainting styles in the 19th century, and with their diverseconditions and subsequent treatment options.Treatments included consolidation of flaking paint,several strip-linings, local canvas repairs, surfacecleaning, varnish removal, retouching and frame fittings.It is the practical experience of performing thesetreatments, in the context of museum-standardpreventive conservation, together with the constantadvice and guidance given by my peers – that has madethis internship professionally and personally gratifying.

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Figure 3. Infrared refelectography detail of John Linnell, Halt by the Jordan, 1849(1845-1900); two figures in the river that cannot be seen with the naked eye

Developing a Collaborative Approach tothe Conservation of LacquerShayne RiversSenior Furniture Conservator

Figure 1. Detail of decoration on the Mazarin chest (412-18882)

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During January 2002 I spent four weeks working inKolkata (Calcutta) on a preservation project centredaround this collection of paper-based materialsassociated with the artist and film-maker Satyajit Ray. Myinvolvement with the project began in 1995 when Ivisited the Ray family home where the archive is situatedand did an initial survey of the paper-based materials.On my return to England I wrote a report listing anaction plan and a proposed budget for the conservationmaterials required. In 1995 I had only seen a smallportion of the collection and so had only been able tocarry out a sample survey of a small cross-section of thetotal number of items. Follow-up visits in 1996 and1997 helped to formulate plans for a future project andto draw up a budget with a view to raising funds.

The most valuable part of this collection from the pointof view of the history of cinema, and also the largestsingle component (totalling over 10,000 pages), is theKhero Khata or ‘Red Books’. Averaging two for everyfull-length feature and one for every short film, theyinclude scripts in various stages of developmentincluding the final shooting scripts detailing each sceneand shot. There are also detailed sketches, diagrams anddesigns. Other ‘treasures’ include screen plays, musicnotation sheets, designs and sketches for costumes andsets, production stills, drafts of Ray’s own fiction,advertising and book designs, correspondence, over1000 personal photographs, examples of his earlydrawings and sketches, typographic and calligraphicdesigns, diaries and personal scrapbooks.

The focus of the current preservation project by the RaySociety is this collection housed in the Ray family home– a large apartment in central Kolkata. The conservationpart of this project was inextricably linked with asubsequent programme to digitise the material,currently underway. From the initial 1995 surveyinformation a proposal was put together for theconservation materials required to carry out essentialfirst aid on the archive, as well as sufficient funds topurchase storage boxes and storage furniture for thecollection. Funding received from the Ford Foundation(New Delhi ) and the India Foundation for the Arts(Bangalore) in 2000 allowed the purchase of significantquantities of conservation quality materials and paid formy travel to India.

The task of preserving this archive is complicated by thefact that the collection is integral to its current location –the Study in the home where Ray lived and worked.This factor dictated that any new storage methodsintroduced had to fit in with the existing family furniture.The Study in which Ray worked has been left exactly asit was at the time of his death. The desire to interfere aslittle as possible with the original layout of the room ledto the planned creation of a small storage area just offthe Study, sufficient to accommodate plan chests and asystem of shelves to hold Solander boxes and otherconservation enclosures.

On arrival in Kolkata one of my first tasks was to look atthe different areas of the collection in detail, as well asaccurately measuring all of the paper-based materialswith a view to making or ordering enclosures. Workingwithin the Ray family house was a unique experiencewhich required some period of adjustment. As well asfitting into the family’s own timetable, I also had to finda way of working within their home in somewhatmakeshift circumstances in a manner that was notintrusive. The working conditions within the housewere obviously very different from those under which Inormally work in the V&A Paper Conservation Studio. Itwas quite testing at times, especially when the electricityfailed in the middle of lining a poster, or when trying toreassemble a highly damaged document. Completingthe work by the dim light of a low wattage bulbpowered by an emergency generator was, at times,both stressful and challenging.

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have received training in Japan and choose to make useof traditional materials. The Tobunken is keen to furthermutual understanding between Western and Japaneseconservators of lacquer.

In early 2000, I was invited to Japan for six weeks tostudy the history and conservation of lacquer. My visitwas sponsored by the Japan Center for InternationalCo-operation in Conservation. I spent one month at theTobunken observing and discussing conservationtreatments and making sample boards, ten days visitingsites relevant to the history and development ofJapanese lacquer and ten days participating in theconservation of lacquer objects in the studio of KazumiMurose, a lacquer artist and restorer.

In late 2001 I was invited for a second visit of onemonth, during which I undertook the first stages of atraditional treatment of a nineteenth century red lacquertea table, decorated with chinkin decoration. Theprocesses used on the tea table could be used in atraditional treatment of the Mazarin chest.

Transferring knowledge and practice back toV&A and the UKAlmost immediately after I returned from Japan,Furniture Conservation hosted two participants in theSharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards scheme. DrTicca Ogilvie (Antiquities Conservator, Bristol Museums)and Sarah Gerrish (Furniture Conservator, NationalMuseums of Scotland) are responsible for the care oflacquer items in their respective museums.

One of the key issues raised in reference to theconservation of the Mazarin chest in Japan was the needto ensure suitable storage for the Mazarin chest after atraditional conservation treatment. Traditional lacquertreatments require an RH of 60-80% to ensure the

lacquer-based materials cure properly. An area ofconcern was the possible effect on the chest of thechanges in RH necessitated by a traditional treatment.The chest has had a long period of acclimatisation to acomparatively low RH in London (35-45%), but wouldbe treated traditionally and at a comparatively high RH(60-80%) before being returned to the much lower RHin London. The timing of the Sharing Museum Skillssecondments was particularly fortuitous. Ticca Ogilviehad conducted extensive research into the design ofhumidification systems as part of her doctoral researchon the moisture sorption characteristics of woodenobjects. She was able to offer comprehensive advice ona humidification and monitoring system for the storageof the Mazarin chest.

What happens nextThe V&A will be continuing a collaborative approach tothe treatment of lacquer objects in our collection. Weare developing research projects that will be undertakenat the V&A (with Brenda Keneghan, Polymer Scientist)and at the Tobunken (with Wataru Kawanobe, Head ofthe Restoration Material Science Section). Possibleavenues for research include assessing cleaningtreatments, comparing Japanese and Westernconsolidation and surface treatments, and assessing andadapting traditional fill materials.

AcknowledgementsI would like to thank Jonathan Ashley-Smith and AlbertNeher for their generous and continuing support for thisproject; the Japan Center for International Co-operationin Conservation for sponsoring my visits; Hiroshi Katoand Yoshihiko Yamashita and their colleagues at theTobunken and beyond for making my visits to Japan suchfruitful exchanges.

Oriental lacquer web links

http://www.tobunken.go.jp/index_e.htmlwebsite of the Tokyo National Research Institute forCultural Properties

http://www.isei.or.jp/Urushi_Museum/Urushi_Museum.htmldescribes traditional materials and techniques used tomake lacquerware

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Figure 2. Using flexible sticks (shimbari) to apply gentle pressure to consolidated flakes of lacquer

Preservation of the Satyajit Ray PaperArchive: Fieldwork January 2002Mike WheelerSenior Paper Conservator

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Figure 1. Page from one of the Khero Khata showing design drawings as well as textile samplespinned through pages.

photographs, which were adhered to album pages,were surface soiling and staining of the emulsion causedby rubber cement adhesive applied to the verso. Albumpages were first brushed to remove surface dirt and thephotographs were cleaned by wiping the surface of theemulsion with a solution of ethanol to which a smallamount of distilled water had been added. In future it isintended to interleave all of the album pages with thintissue and to keep the photographs on the album pageswithin purpose made phase boxes.

Negatives relating to each of the films were removedfrom acetate and glassine sleeves and re-housed inpolyethylene negative enclosures which I had broughtfrom England specifically for the purpose.

The notebooks (Khero Khata) containing the originalscripts and shooting directions had been identified asbeing of primary importance to the collection and weretargeted as a priority for conservation. These were allsurface-cleaned and placed in phase boxes which I hadhad made in England prior to my departure. Theseenclosures supplemented similar boxes made in Indiafrom locally available, alkaline buffered mounting card.These notebooks have already been photographed aspart of an earlier project to make the entire archiveavailable in digital format so that researchers need nothandle the originals.

An important part of this project has been working withand helping to train two conservators in Kolkata whohave been continuing the preservation work. Mr SubirDey and Mrs Rahki Bali have been working hard tocomplete many of the preservation initiatives. Togetherwe have established priorities for conservation anddrawn up a work programme. Currently they havebeen completing work on the collection of movieposters.

Further training and visits will take place and advice willcontinue to be given concerning the suitability andpurchase of appropriate materials through this ongoingcollaborative project between the V&A PaperConservation Section and the Ray Society in Kolkata.

Acknowledgements:Ray family, Aditi Nath Sarkar

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Initially the intention had been to buy most of theconservation materials in England and send them out inadvance of my visit to await my arrival. However, I soonrealised that my knowledge about the extent andcondition of the Ray collection was far too limited andthat I might waste precious funds on buying andimporting unnecessary, expensive specialist materials.After some thought I decided on a compromise – totake a small amount of vital materials with me, but todefer the major purchases until after I had seen andmeasured a cross-section of everything in the archive.The costs of air-freighting equipment are high, so it wasimportant to source as many materials as possible inIndia as funds were limited. The essential conservationsupplies I brought from England were looked at withinterest – and in some cases bewilderment – by theIndian Customs & Excise Department on landing inKolkata. In many instances it was possible to usematerials available in India for conservation purposeswithout compromising standards. Papers for folders andinterleaving as well as lining and repair are available fromsuppliers in India and Nepal. Acid-free mounting cardwas already being imported from the UK by a companyin Chennai (Madras).

High levels of airborne dust made the use of boxes andenclosures highly desirable as a preservation measurefor a wide range of the paper-based materials. Aconsiderable amount of time was spent measuringbooks and photographic albums with a view toproviding phase storage boxes at a later date. Someexperiments have already been carried out using locallyavailable buffered mounting card, which is considerablycheaper than the imported folding box board. Thephase boxes used by the National Art Library at the V&Aprovided a basis for the types of boxes used for the Raycollection.

A collection of several hundred movie posters relating toRay’s films were examined on an item-by-item basis.These had been stored rolled up in a trunk in Ray’sstudy in the apartment. The paper was very discolouredand fragile and many items were torn and creased. Thefirst job was to go through the objects, unrolling themand compiling a condition survey. Progress was slow asmany of the items needed surface cleaning in order togive an accurate assessment of their condition. Aftersome experimentation, it was decided to line all of thedamaged posters with a thin, hand-made Nepalesepaper using methyl cellulose adhesive. Both of thesematerials were available in Kolkata. Sustainability of theproject was deemed to be a very important factor, sousing local products wherever possible was alwayspreferred over using imported goods. This techniquewas an adaptation of the lining technique currentlyemployed at the V&A for preservation of posters.

Before beginning any conservation work, thephotographs were sorted into two categories – thoserelating to the Ray family and images whose principalconnection is with the films. Initial treatment of thesematerials included surface cleaning of album pages andloose photographic prints, as well as helping to organisethe photographs according to the films to which theyrelate. In this respect it was invaluable to work alongsidetwo Bengali colleagues who had in-depth knowledge ofthe films. The most common problems with these

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Figure 3. Pages from a Ray family photograph album

Figure 4. Glassine negative sleeves were replaced with polyethylene equivalents

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Figure 2. Surface cleaning one of the movie posters.

The Adhesives Today workshop, 22-26 April 2002, wasjointly organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, theCanadian Conservation Institute and the BritishMuseum.

Who came?20 Textile conservators came from the United Kingdom,Italy, United States, Brazil, Canada, Germany,Netherlands, Switzerland and Singapore.

What did the participants get?Free flow of coffee started each day, in preparation forthe incredible amount of information and knowledge tobe gained at every session. Lectures covered adhesivesfrom the past to the present, their applications andtechniques. Current adhesive research and findingswere also reported, including customised adhesiveformulation and a study of adhesive treatments. Issues ofreversibility were discussed and case histories wereshared through key speakers’ lectures and participants’talks, creating a wealth of information and expertiseexchange. Some textiles that had been treated withadhesive were brought in for close examination. A walkaround the museum highlighted displays that had beentreated with adhesive. These treatments largely involvedthe use of Beva 371, Mowilith DMC2, Lascaux 360/498and Klucel G.

What did the participants do?The workshop was very well organised. Participants usedthe adhesives and techniques that were discussed duringthe earlier parts of the day. It was real-time experience,with the specialists a smile away. Participants were shownthe role of microscopy in adhesive treatments and thepreparation of substrates and support fabrics. They triedseveral application techniques, with a session on theapplication of adhesive support to the textile usingspatula, vacuum hot table and solvent reactivation. Coldlining techniques, microwave pastes and paper repairtechnique were also demonstrated. On top of that,participants tried adhesive removal techniques. Thesecovered vapours, gels, poultices, mechanical, heat,swabs and immersion approaches. And at the end ofeach day, participants and organizers shared the day’sexperience in a wrap-up session.

What did everyone take away?Some people came with adhesives experience whileothers had comparatively less, but this did not create anobstacle. Instead, it was key to the workshop as itcreated the chance to share and exchange. It did notmatter if one was a lecturer or an intern, everyone wasa student once more. Though everyone has gone theirseparate ways, they have been bonded by the adhesivesworkshop. Not only have they gained new knowledge,they have also been empowered with the zeal toconsider and to use adhesives in their work. And theyhave formed a new bond of friendship, too. Each haswalked away with much, but I must highlight two otherimportant mementoes that were given to everyone –the file of notes and the file of adhesive samples. Theyare not merely files; they are a fractional reflection of ateam of dedicated people caring for the development oftheir peers.

AcknowledgementsI would like to thank Lynda Hillyer, Head of TextilesConservation for this invaluable opportunity to do aninternship at the V&A and to participate in thisworkshop. Many thanks too to Zenzie Tinker for awonderful and fruitful learning experience.

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IntroductionTwo years ago, I was asked to repair a Japanese scrollpainting. I knew that my theoretical knowledge of theskills, tools and materials in this area of conservation wassuperficial and my practical knowledge virtually non-existent. I needed some tuition. Having missed previouscourses organised by ICCROM and the BritishMuseum, I asked The Institute of Paper Conservation(IPC) if they could do something similar. Pauline Webber(representing IPC) said she thought the V&A might hostthe course , and Philip Meredith (Head Conservator, FarEastern Conservation Centre, National Museum ofEthnology, Leiden, Netherlands) was keen to tutor asmall group of experienced conservators.

The CourseIn February 2002, 10 conservators from the UK, Italy,Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, USA and theNetherlands met at the V&A. Pauline and Philip, with thehelp of colleagues Merryl Huxtable, Mike Wheeler andSimon Fleury, had transformed the Mounters’ studiointo an ideal tutorial space, with ample space and light,together with the Department’s specialist tools,materials, and audio-visual equipment.

Philip’s course had a good balance of demonstrationsand practicals. I now have a sense of the subtleties ofscroll mounting: how the qualities of the differentmaterials are reconciled by the careful choice of papersand how the consistency of the starch paste adhesiveused to join them is tailored to each material; how thevarious different tools are used and how commonstructural damage can be repaired.

During the course we also looked at slides and films onrelated subjects, which revived memories of visits topaper-making villages in Japan some years ago, andhelped to make sense of the miscellaneous informationI still had from that time. The range of tools and papersI acquired on that trip have now come into their own,with my new confidence to choose correctly.

The other very useful aspect of the course was thehandling, display and storage of scrolls. Simon Fleuryexplained about storage boxes, and we practised theprecise techniques of unpacking and re-rolling scrollsfrom their boxes and hanging them up.

ConclusionI found Philip Meredith a most inspiring teacher: his skillsand knowledge are obviously outstanding. We wereextremely lucky to have the run of the studio at theV&A, with Pauline’s extensive knowledge and other staffto make everything go smoothly. The presence of acurator from the Far Eastern department, with objectsfrom the collection to handle and discuss, added to thisvaluable experience. Judging by the close attention paidby the other people on the course, they got a lot out ofit too. For me, there was also the pleasure of workingwith former colleagues again and reminiscing about myformative years of employment at the V&A in the 1980s.

AcknowledgementsSponsorship was gratefully received from Japan 2001and the work of the IPC Office and Meetings Organiser,Sabina Pugh, is much appreciated.

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A Japanese Scroll Painting ConservationCourseRun by the Institute of Paper Conservation and V&A PaperConservation Studio.

Catherine RickmanIndependent Paper Conservator

A Review of Adhesives Today – ExploringCurrent Options and ApplicationTechniquesJacinta Loh, Intern, Textiles Conservation

Figure 1. Using the vacuum hot table for application of adhesive

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Figure 1. Squaring up silk mount on a newly mounted Japanese scroll

conservators are taking a “scientific stance with anassociated ethic of impartial detachment from issuesof taste and discrimination.” 4 A never ending andexhausting striving for the objective approach toconservation, whether this involves treating theobject or controlling its direct environment, is atwork. A tradition has been created in theconservation field of focusing on the behaviour ofmaterials, mechanisms, possible interventions andlong-term efficacy of treatment, physical conditionand causes of deterioration. With the distinct ideathat ethics are unrelated to aesthetics, conservationhas largely favoured a deterministic approach ofcause and effect.

In the search for this impartial detachment,conservators profess a non-involvement and a non-subjective approach for the benefit of a greatertruth, one which lives inherently within the object.One that is always there, fixed in the material of theobject, ready in its totality to project towards thefuture. However, truth, said Kierkegaard, issubjectivity. And the mobility of the observer impliessubjectivity. As Jonathan Ashley-Smith observed: “itis we the human beings that have the needs, thedesires and rights not the objects. It is we whocreate the values.”5

As the observer is mobile, so the object observedcannot be a static embodiment of a culture with afixed meaning. And in this sense its preservation is acomplex and continual process that recreates itsproduct. Mobility and change are inevitable, and arebound together as the observer and the observedare. And while “conservation is not really a bridgebetween science and art anymore than bakery is”6, Ibelieve it to be part of what we call the humanscience and it is worth regarding it as such. Popularculture, fashion, trends and values cannot then be seen as something irrelevant to conservation andthe context within which it operates. A simplesource or a single interpretation of the object is amisguided one and further research in the wayconservation decisions influence the understandingof objects and the dynamics that influence thosedecisions, are avenues that need exploring withinthe conservation field and by conservators.

Acknowledgements:I am grateful to Professor Sandra Kemp, JonathanMiles and Yve Lomax from the RCA and to HelenJones and Metaxia Ventikou from the ConservationDepartment of the V&A.

References:1 Beckett, S., (1949), Proust And Three Dialogues with Georges

Duthuit, John Calder Publisher London, 1999, p 172 Heuman, J., Material Matters: The Conservation of Modern

Sculpture, Tate Gallery Publishing, London, 1999, p 13.3 Simmel, G., (1900), The Philosophy of Fashion, In D. Frisby

and M. Featherston (eds), Simmel on Culture., Sage, London:1997, p 179.

4 Drysdale, L.,. The Eternal Triangle: Relationships BetweenConservators, Their Clients, And Objects in Preprints for theUKIC 30th Anniversary Conference, 1958-1988, UKIC,London, p 19.

5 Ashley-Smith, J., Risk Assessment for Object Conservation,Butterworth-Heinenman, Oxford, p 11.

6 Ashley-Smith, J., Science and Art: Separated by a CommonLanguage?, V&A Conservation Journal 36,. p 5.

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“The observer infects the observed with his ownmobility…so whatever the object, our thirst forpossession is by definition, insatiable.”1

Samuel Beckett’s study of Marcel Proust heredescribes a very different kind of object from thosefound in a museum. Nevertheless, it offers a goodstarting point and a stimulation for thinking abouthow we perceive the object and what itsinterpretation might involve. As such, it is directlyrelevant to us working in the conservation field. The“thirst for possession” which Beckett refers to inrelation to the object, I regard as not so much thephysical sense of having and holding onto, but ratheras understanding. That is how I want to discuss ithere. It is in this way of “possessing” an object that Isee conservation as having a major role; one whichcomes before anything else.

This particular role that conservation has to play isalways in need of being defined and redefined,exactly because there is an infinite possibility in therelationship of the observer and the observedobject. That, of course, might mean that theobserver then would also have to be understood.But the observer is never static. He or she movesboth in time and in place. This mobility is an aspectwhich, sadly, is usually discussed in a historicalcontext within the conservation profession.Conservators very often and for a variety ofreasons, have to remove old interventions fromobjects. This has led to an assumption that oldrestorations are relics of a past profession notcomparable to today’s practice. While at the sametime, and it would seem at this point only natural,decisions to alter past interventions represent adeclaration of present achievements.

Seemingly liberated from a past where decisionsdirectly reflected the prevailing aesthetics, oldinterventions would be described as “being revealingabout the sensibilities of the time rather than theartist’s intent”2 for example. Here, quite arbitrarily, isan apparent presumption that the importance ofartistic intent in today’s western society is somethingdifferent to the sensibilities of the times. What is itthen, if not a reflection of the way we place value onobjects? Of where we stand, in the here and now

when the object’s significance is assessed? From thisperspective the context within which we, asconservators, evaluate our own work would thenautomatically create a certain space for any type ofmobility of the conservator-observer and the varietyof cultural influences on the approach to preservingthe object firmly set in the past.

And so, despite the importance of culturalinfluences, or perhaps because of their complexity,in the way the object is read by the conservators inthe various fields, this still remains the most elusiveof things to investigate: the impact the mobility ofthe observer has on the observed object. It isalmost like a secret garden, which althoughconcealed, you know is there, but there is no mapto follow in order to get to it. In museum studies, forexample, a lot of research and literature has beendeveloped over the last few years, on the role ofthe museum audience, actual and potential, and theaudience’s ever-changing impact on theunderstanding of the object. The conservationprofession has been happy to disregard its ownmobility.

Instead, since the early days, the professiondeveloped according to what was, at the beginningof the twentieth century, the modern life andcorresponded to the idea of natural science.Typically modern life then was described by GeorgSimmel in his theory of fashion as “the calculativeexactness of practical life which had brought atransformation of the world into an arithmeticproblem, fixing every part of it by mathematicalformulas”3. It was the reduction of qualitative valuesto quantitative ones and this was a line thatconservation followed as it moved towardsbecoming a discipline in its own right. But thisbecoming did not happen in a smooth and linearcontinuum, in the way we find it often described inconservation literature. Rather, because of theembodied memories of a vulnerable past, andchoices placing conservation in an ambiguouspresent, the conservator has emerged as theprofessional advocate for the rights of the object andits well being in the face of physical change. In aneffort to regain some of the lost sense of securityfound predominantly in technical fields,

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The Observed Object: the DistanceBetween the Studio and the GalleryPanayota MalkogeorgouMPhil Research Student, RCA/V&A Conservation

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are slow to claim these things for ourselves, it is notsurprising that they are not recognised by others, andthen we feel taken for granted. Communicationrequires effort and it is up to us to make the runningand not wait to be asked.

V&A conservators and scientists already help theMuseum to fulfil its remit to provide an excellentpublic service, through its core conservation role andalso by providing successful lectures, visits anddemonstrations for a range of audiences. Publicevents, though, tend to occur on an ad hoc, reactivebasis and to be fitted in as a necessary but sometimesuncongenial duty. Even when there is enthusiasm, itis hard to find the time. An analysis by the author in2000 of the V&A Conservation Department’scommunication activities concluded that we are verygood indeed at talking to other conservationprofessionals, but less so with the wider world,including Museum colleagues and Trustees as well asvisitors. Yet it also noted that we could have most togain by focusing on the visitor because this wouldalso attract kudos within the Museum. It follows thatwe could do even better by appealing to people whoare currently non-visitors, though this is more difficultto do.

Kudos is hollow, though, if it is not translated intopower. Perhaps power is an unpalatable word to thestereotypical conservator, or any person of liberalpersuasion, but effectiveness demands it. In the past,conservators have tried to base their power oncontrol: on claiming an unassailable right of veto. Ourspecialist expertise is a good basis for power, but if itis wielded too defensively, too often or withoutjustification, it is ultimately self-defeating: very often,the objects won’t fall apart – not immediately, anyway– and, like the boy who cried wolf, we may beignored. If the objects are damaged, we will not onlyhave been ignored – we will have failed. Moreeffective power can be earned through adding to theinstitution’s success, and being seen to do so. Bysharing our expert knowledge, opinion and skillsmore widely, our power is founded on consensusachieved through mutual understanding, respect andconfidence, not blind obedience (which we neverhad anyway).

It can only be to our advantage to seek furtheropportunities to engage directly with the public andto incorporate this into our strategic planning,supported by management practices and resources.This means training in relevant skills, setting asidetime to plan and execute activities and recognisingachievements. It is easier to say than do, especiallywhen the Museum has such a busy programme, butwe are making progress, e.g. by generating stories

for the V&A website and making sure the Learning &Visitor Services Department know how we cancontribute to public programmes in varied ways.

Getting more involved with the public need not bean exercise in cynical pragmatism nor merebandwagon-jumping, though. There are at least twofurther reasons why we should embrace outreachactivities.

The first is that we can learn a lot ourselves. Anotherrecent trend in conservation research, including inRCA/V&A Conservation, is consideration of thefundamental purpose of conservation and its role insociety. Our concepts of what constitutes an object’ssignificance and by whom it is conferred areexpanding. It is more explicitly acknowledged thatobjects embody multifarious values and thatconservation decisions are subjective. The publicconstitute major stakeholders and it is common toinvoke ‘what the public wants’. However, there is nosingle public, but a rich variety of people with diverseopinions and needs. Research into what they actuallydo want is limited. We could do more to find outwhat it is the public like (or don’t!), how our decisionsaffect them and how they can contribute to theprocess. If they do not want what we are offering,we cannot simply set out to change their minds butshould re-examine what we do. Conservators,myself included, feel compelled to proselytise; toexplain and justify conservation and convert others toour cause (figure 1). There is a place for this, but wecould concentrate more on demonstrating whatconservation adds to the understanding andenjoyment of objects, and on communicating the

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“…there is a failure on the part of conservatorsto make their profession sexy enough!”

So says Tim Schadla Hall, Reader in PublicArchaeology at University College London. In anaddress to conservators, published in MuseumArchaeology News (No. 33, Autumn/Winter 2001),he demonstrates “the relatively low esteem in whichconservation is held”. He suggests that this is due atleast in part to conservators’ anxiety to convey theirprofessionalism and protect their exclusiveknowledge at the expense of being interesting and atthe risk of being sidelined. We need to loosen up abit and open up a lot; to be much less earnest in ourinteractions with our colleagues and with the public.

It is not novel to point out that conservators need tobe able to communicate well about their professionif they are to secure resources and achieve theirobjectives of stable, accessible collections. Theimportance of good communication, especially withthe public, is acknowledged in several recentinitiatives and publications; e.g. the Museums &Galleries Commission’s resource pack Ours forKeeps? (1997), the criteria for the ConservationAwards and IIC’s Keck Award. Elizabeth Pye includeda whole chapter on ‘Communicating Conservation’in her recent book Caring for the Past (2001, James &James), in which she clearly makes the case forimproving our skills in this area and Simon Caneconsidered the issue in a recent article forConservation News (Issue 78, May 2002).

So why write about it again? Well, because it seemsto me that many conservators are not reallyconvinced either that it is worth doing or that theyhave anything to say. In particular, this article wasprompted by recent remarks made by Conservationcolleagues. The first occurred in a discussion aboutthe Conservation Department’s contribution tosetting and achieving performance measures for theMuseum. It was pointed out that only oneperformance measure related to conservation – theone describing the proportion of the collectionshoused in adequate environmental conditions. Thesecond example arose while talking about theConservation Department’s participation in publicevents and outreach activities; someone said

“Shouldn’t we just get on with conserving theobjects?” I understand the latter viewpoint sincethere is an increasing amount and variety of thingsthat conservators have to do. Although most of usentered the conservation profession because weenjoyed working with objects, it always seems to betreatment of objects that is sacrificed.

However, it is clear that conservation today is aboutmuch more than ‘just’ treating the objects, and evenmore than treating the objects plus controlling theclimate. Conservators have to develop professionaland political skills, not for their own aggrandisementbut in order to do their jobs properly. The currentpreoccupations in museums, led by the GovernmentDepartment for Culture, Media & Sport, are access,learning and social inclusion. All of these tend to addweight to the access side of the care/access scales,whereas Conservation is usually seen as on the careside and, therefore, in opposition to access. This isnot necessarily correct since most of the V&AConservation Department’s work is about enablingaccess through exhibition and loans, but it is anentrenched view. If we identify ourselves solely withtreatment and protection of objects, we are indanger of portraying ourselves as technicians,undermining our carefully cultivated professionalstatus, and as obstructions to progress. Thus wecould cut ourselves off from the influence andconsequent resources that will enhance theconservation process.

The comments described above jarred because theygo against prevailing professional trends. In the caseof the performance measures, there are many areasother than environmental control in which we canclaim a contribution, not least in the levels of visitorsatisfaction. Access to objects is not only madepossible, but significantly enhanced by conservation;even a rapid tour of the V&A’s British Galleriesdemonstrates that the objects look fantastic and thatinformation obtained through conservation educatesand entertains the visitors. Through the RCA/V&AConservation programme of postgraduate trainingand research, as well as through numerousinternships, exchanges and work placements, wecontribute directly to the Museum’s objectives onlearning and also to working with the regions. If we

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The Importance of Being Less Earnest:Communicating ConservationHelen JonesDeputy Head, RCA/V&A Conservation

Figure 1. Panel from an RCA/V&A Conservation display that emphasisedexplaining conservation to visitors.

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New Staff

Stefania SignorelloBook Conservator

I have always been attracted by books since I was a child.I loved going to the little library of my village, and Iremember spending many afternoons in its reading room,just looking out of the windows and enjoying the slightlyacidic scent surrounding me. Magic!

I studied music and art for many years, between the agesof 10 and 21. I have a Diploma in Applied Art (major inTextile Arts) and a Degree in Fine Arts (major inDecoration). Later I studied conservation: I went toFlorence – Instituto per l’Arte ed il Restauro, PalazzoSpinelli - and in 1991 I gained a Diploma in Conservationof Books, Drawings, and Prints. After that I did manyinternships and short courses in Italy, Austria, CzechRepublic, and finally in London. I spent almost two years inMilan, where I worked on 16th to 18th century books,parchment documents, prints, drawings, archival materialsand objects from private collections and from the mainlibraries and archives of many Italian regions. In September1997 I undertook a three month internship here at theV&A in Book Conservation. Immediately after that I wasoffered my first short contract that was renewed a fewtimes. When my last contract ran out, I became a bookconservator at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. This gaveme opportunities I relished: to work with many otherbook conservators and to work on books of the DukeHumfrey’s Library, surveying the collection and conservinghigh priority volumes. It was a great experience but nearlythree years of commuting by coach was tiring.

Now I am happy to be back at the V&A, finding it excitingand very challenging. I am doing all the exhibition work andlooking after the Book Conservation Studio while JaneRutherston and Bridget Mitchell are on maternity leave.

Fiona CampbellPersonal Assistant to Head of Conservation

I have been fascinated by Ancient History for most of mylife, and consequently have degrees in Classical Studiesand Classical Archaeology. I have also tried my hand atarchaeology, including a dig in Cyprus with Dr AlisonSouth; and at curatorship, when I was lucky enough to geta job at the British Museum as a junior curator; both ofwhich are highlights of my life. I became aware ofConservation as a discipline in its own right only whilst Iwas at the British Museum, and often wish I had known ofit previously, as it is my favourite aspect of museums andthe art world (except possibly the Egyptian collections!).

Unfortunately, as I am sure most of us are aware,archaeology (and museology!) does not really pay, and Iwas forced to ‘sell out’ to the commercial world for a time.At the time I thought that would be the end of ‘a career’,but blessings often come disguised and I learnt a great deal,including website design, while I was out being mercenary.I initially learnt website maintenance for my job, butcontinued designing as a hobby and now, havingcompleted courses in the subject, count it an importantpart of my CV and something I love to do. HopefullyJonathan Ashley-Smith’s website will reflect this!

I am extremely happy to be back in the museum world,and feel very lucky that it should be as part of theConservation Department. I am looking forward tocontributing to the smooth-running of the Department aswell as gaining a much better understanding of periods ofart history that I was previously unfamiliar with. I amalready addicted to the Departmental seminars andMuseum lectures. Please excuse me though, if I nipupstairs every now and then to gaze with awe atTutankhamun’s burial wrap!

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excitement and pleasure we ourselves often feel.Experience and anecdote at the V&A strongly suggestthat our visitors do indeed enjoy engaging withconservation. This is borne out by Krysta Brooks’sresearch for her BA dissertation, Do Not Touch (City& Guilds of London Art School, 2000). To build onthis, we can learn from other professionals in thecommunication sphere (e.g. education, design,marketing) in order to get our message across instimulating and effective ways while being open todebate and differing opinions. Conservation-generated material should be integrated throughoutthe Museum’s public activities so that the message,while more subtle, is put before audiences who maynot visit the display or web-page with a‘Conservation’ headline. An example is a recentdisplay mounted by conservators at the V&A aboutthe discovery of sacred objects inside a Buddhasculpture, which focused on the object, butaddressed conservation decision-making.

The second reason is very compelling but isfrequently too low on conservators’ agendas: wecould enjoy ourselves!

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New Staff

Susan CatcherSenior Paper Conservator

Initially trained in textiles, it took a while to decide it waspaper conservation I wished to specialize in. The idea of acareer in conservation had been in embryonic form duringschool but teenage angst, a period of ‘finding myself’ inAfrica, (I was a VSO for three years), and subsequentworld travel left me pregnant. Some career change! Two children, one MA and fifteen years later I am sittinghere in the Victoria & Albert Museum on a job share withVictoria Button, who wisely sorted out her career first.

I have had a few jobs on the way including in-situ bookconservation at the Royal Society of Medicine, theFreemasons and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Immediately prior to joining the V&A, I did somefreelance conservation work at the Natural HistoryMuseum. These assignments have all reinforced my belief that conservation is my thing, so bring on the next object…Figure 2. A conservation ’Short Story’ by Jane Rutherston on the V&A web-

site describing the preservation problems of a latex breast on a surrealistbook cover.

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