Conservation
Géricault’s “Stone Paper”
In preparing for the exhibition Mutiny: Works by Géricault, conservators and conservation scientists combined historical research, close looking, scientific analysis, and artistic re-creations to better understand “stone paper,” a printing surface that Géricault used as an alternative to limestone.
The Mysteries of Prince Shōtoku
As we prepare for a 2019 exhibition about this remarkable 13th-century sculpture, curators and conservators are seeking answers to longstanding questions about the object.
A Clearer View
In preparation for our Animal-Shaped Vessels exhibition, conservators pioneered a treatment to reduce staining on, and enhance the interpretation of, an ancient Greek jar.
Light Effects
A piece of equipment known as a microfader helps conservators test light sensitivity and gauge how long objects may be placed on view.
Getty Foundation Grant to Fund Prints and Drawings Workshop
A generous grant from the Getty Foundation will support a three-day workshop that explores how conservation and technical analysis can aid the work of curators of prints and drawings.
Sargent’s Colorful Past
New research into a palette used by John Singer Sargent shines a brighter light on objects in the museums’ collections.
A Well-Traveled Pavement
An ancient Roman floor mosaic of the sea goddess Tethys has recently been the focus of an international study, including by researchers at the Harvard Art Museums.
It’s a Wash
As odd as it sounds, some works on paper get a water bath—and it’s completely safe.
A Colorful Tradition
Natural dyes created by Mexico’s indigenous Zapotec community were recently added to the Forbes Pigment Collection. A December workshop showcased how to make dyes used in the Zapotec weaving tradition.
Reigning over a Hellish Bureaucracy
Monumental Chinese paintings illustrating mythological scenes of the Ten Kings of Hell recently underwent significant conservation abroad.