Conservation Highlights

Conservation is the process and profession devoted to the long-term stabilization and protection of cultural materials. One of the primary responsibilities of The Mariners' Museum is conservation of all the art and artifacts in its collection, over 35,000 items including ship models, nautical instruments, prints, paintings, and other objects. Proper conservation of the collection involves repair and stabilization of old damage and prevention of new deterioration, so that the objects will remain in good condition for generations to come.

Conservator is the title used for a professional who has specialized knowledge, training and skills in the arts, sciences, and other fields for use in the care and preservation of cultural material. Conservators at The Mariners' Museum are involved in a variety of projects, ranging from the careful restoration and preservation of paintings to the large-scale treatment of artifacts recovered from the USS Monitor.

Conservation of artifacts from the USS Monitor is undertaken by a team of 10 conservators, technicians, and support personnel. Care of the Museum's collection is charged to the expertise of Senior Conservator Frederick Wallace. While at work in the museum conservation laboratory, exhibition galleries or art storage areas, Wallace is diligent and steady at the helm as he teams with other museum staff to best address the extensive and on-going needs of the vast collection.

Conservation Procedure

Projects

Guzzardi's Rear Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson

Because of unsightly early restoration efforts and recent physical damage to the Nelson painting, conservation of the piece is essential. The Mariners' Museum recently received a grant from Tru Vue, Inc., through the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation to conserve and protect this important artwork.

The Nelson painting conservation project began in April 2009. The project will be completed in two phases: (1) the conservation treatment and (2) reframing of the painting. Conservation treatment, now in progress, is focused on improving the appearance of the picture. Towards this goal, the painting is being cleaned to remove grime that has accumulated on the surface over the years, resulting in reduced image clarity. The picture also suffers visually because the varnish has lost a great deal of transparency. To correct this problem a new, clear layer of varnish will be applied, formulated to meet current conservation standards. Treatment will be completed by inpainting damages and adjusting the color of unsatisfactory retouching from past restoration to better match the colors of the original paint.

The second phase of the Nelson project will involve installation of new protective acrylic glazing within the picture frame, to protect the painting from additional grime accumulation and reoccurring physical damage such as scrapes and gouges. A new, custom-made frame has been obtained to allow for the safe, proper installation of both the picture and the glazing. Optium® Museum Acrylic glazing, made by Tru Vue, Inc., has been provided to The Mariners' Museum for use in the Nelson project as part of the grant award. The new frame also was funded by the Tru Vue Optium Conservation Grant.

The availability of Optium® Museum Acrylic in lightweight, large sheets makes it ideal for this massive painting. Furthermore, the UV filtering and anti-reflective surface of the Optium® acrylic glazing will enhance the painting's appearance in the gallery.

Conservation treatment is expected to be completed in September 2009, to be followed soon after by reframing of the painting with the new protective glazing. The artwork then will be reinstalled at its prominent location within The Nelson Touch exhibition gallery for all visitors to view and appreciate.

Building Better Ships

 
Frederick Wallace, senior conservator for The Mariners' Museum collection, is a specialist in paintings conservation. Come to the Museum on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 A.M. - 1 P.M. to watch Mr. Wallace clean and stabilize paintings in our Building Better Ships gallery.

For more information on the paintings, visit Building Better Ships.

Learn more about the conservation of the USS Monitor, visit Monitor: History & Legacy.