This book acquaints the reader with the composition of the art objects, their properties and behaviour under diverse conditions so as to facilitate their care, maintenance and preservation.

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.

This teaching guide covers the identification, deterioration, and conservation of artifacts made from plant materials. Detailed information on plant anatomy, morphology, and development, focusing on information useful to the conservator in identifying plant fibers are described, as well as the processing, construction, and decorative techniques commonly used in such artifacts. A final chapter provides a thorough discussion of conservation, preservation, storage, and restoration methods. This is a valuable resource to conservators and students alike.

The papers in this publication will be talks at the 3 day Gels in Conservation conference held by IAP in association with Tate. The conference will be a gathering of conservators, conservation and other scientists, and students of conservation to present and discuss the theory and practical use of gels in various branches of conservation (paintings, paper, wall paintings, textiles, museum objects etc).The papers and posters present in this publication cover topics on the theory of Gels, recent developments in Gel technologies, clearance and residues, systematic evaluation of Gel properties and effects, preparation and practical issues with case studies concerning: wall paintings, easel paintings, contemporary art, textiles, archaeological objects, paper, sculpture, mixed media, traditional materials and more.

"Over the last ten years this book has become the definitive text in an emergent field: teachers, librarians, students, artists, and readers turn to the expertise contained on these pages every day."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved