This second volume of Studies in Art, Science, and Technology unites studies by scientists, curators, and conservators, all of which are published here for the first time. Essays and technical notes address a variety of themes, such as connections between technology and aesthetics, aging processes of artworks, attribution and dating issues, and conservation theory. Specific examples from throughout art history add context and help promote deeper understanding. A wide range of objects are discussed in the texts, including medieval sculptures, Baroque musical instruments, Egyptian stone works, photographs, enamels, and paintings. The refined analyses of these works will prove relevant and enlightening to an interdisciplinary professional audience.

"Metropolitan Museum Studies in Art, Science, and Technology is devoted to exploration of the reciprocal relationship between physical nature and aesthetics in the visual arts. Each volume will publish new, collaborative scholarship by curators, conservators, and scientists engaged in the study of artists' materials, their aging properties, and the techniques and technologies used in the manufacturing of works of art. This inaugural volumes includes a history of early objects conservation practices in The Metropolitan Museum of Art; an analysis of the polychrome decoration on four French Romanesque sculptures; a report on the discovery of both lapis lazuli and azurite used as pigments in ancient Egypt; an evaluation of a group of paintings by Paolo Veronese; a compositional study if medieval Islamic enameled glass; and two related investigations into the casting methods and materials of early Chinese bronze Buddhist sculpture. Collectively, these studies give emphasis to the invaluable role of technical findings in establishing authenticity and attribution, and demonstrate how technological style is fundamental to visual expression. The articles are generously illustrated with color reproductions, including numerous details, as well as X-ray radiographs, photo- and SEM micrographs, and previously unpublished archival photographs.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of works of art from antiquities to modern and contemporary material. Their preservation is a responsibility shared by the many individuals employed at the Museum who oversee and have direct contact with the collection on a daily basis. The Care and Handing of Art Objects—first published in the 1940s and continually updated—offers a guide to the best practices in handling and preserving works of art while on display, in storage and in transit. It explains many of the fundamental principles of conservation that underlie these methods. One of its goals is to make the complexities of caring for a collection readily accessible. The first part offers basic guidelines for the preservation of the diverse types of materials and art objects found in the Met. Each chapter addresses the physical characteristics specific to the particular category, and the environmental, handling and housing factors to which one should be alert to prevent damage and ensure their preservation. Written by experts in the respective specialty, it addresses the Museum’s vast holdings summarizing the most critical preservation issues, many of which are amplified by photographs. As the table of contents makes evident these range from paintings on canvas and works on paper and photographs to furniture and objects made of stone, wood and metals to arms and armor, upholstery, ethnographic materials and many others. Part II succinctly describes factors that affect the collection as a whole: among them, current environmental standards for temperature, relative humidity, light exposure, storage and art in transit. Based on Museum protocols it addresses emergency preparedness and response, and integrated pest management. For easy reference, it includes charts on storage and display conditions, on factors contributing to deterioration, and a glossary of conservation terms, principles, and housing materials referenced in the individual chapters. Drawing upon the knowledge of conservators, scientists, and curators from many different departments, as well as technicians and engineers whose expertise crosses boundaries of culture, chronology, medium and condition, The Care and Handing of Art Objects is primarily directed to staff at the Met. It is, no less, an invaluable resource for students, collectors, small museums, museum study programs, art dealers, and members of the public who want to enhance their understanding of how works of art are safeguarded and the role environment, handling and materials play in making this possible.

Despite the perception that artworks are timeless and unchanging, they are actually subject to biological attack from a variety of sources--from bacteria to fungi to insects. This groundbreaking volume, which publishes the proceedings of a conference held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002, explores how the development of these organisms can be arrested while preserving both the work of art and the health of the conservator.The richly illustrated text, containing the writings of over 40 scientists and conservators, is divided into sections on stone and mural paintings, paper, textiles, wood and archaeological materials, treatment and prevention, and special topics. The artworks and cultural properties discussed include, among many others, Paleolithic cave paintings, Tiffany drawings, huts built by early Antarctic explorers, and a collection of toothbrushes taken from Auschwitz victims.