Areas of Specialization

Students may specialize in one of the three main areas of conservation taught by the full-time faculty: paintings, paper, objects and ethnographic/archaeological conservation. Specializations in photograph, book or textile conservation are also available.

Objects
Objects majors treat a wide variety of three-dimensional materials. Recent department projects have included modern sculptures by Yves Klein and Jean Tinguely, an iron caldron from a local archaeological excavation, ancient Egyptian cartonnage mummy-coverings, Roman coins and blown glass, an ivory "swift" made on board a whaling ship, a waterlogged 19th-century wooden water main, Pomo Indian baskets, a 17th-century iron strongbox, 19th-century bronze sculptures, a Worcester porcelain compote, an Empire style model bureau/bookcase, and an 18th-century doll.

Paper
In paper conservation, students work on fine art prints and drawings, historic posters and maps, and many other diverse paper artifacts. Photographs and books are also treated. Recent projects have included a large-scale chalk drawing by Keith Haring, prints by Käthe Kollwitz and other 20th-century artists, a 19th-century traveler's guide booklet with attached map, movie posters from the 1950's and 1960's, a large, heavily-damaged, varnished wall map, a series of Chinese pith paintings, a mold-damaged 17th-century book with a vellum cover, and 19th-century Japanese color wood block prints.

In addition to their conservation treatments, students also learn techniques for the preparation of a diverse range of housings for paper artifacts, including folders, encapsulations, window mats and sealed framing systems for paper artifacts they reinstall in the original historic frames. Students also carry out special research projects many of which result in presentations or publication in professional venues. Recent projects include the history and treatment of photo buttons, the use of paper splitting for the preservation of books and archival materials, and the use of reducing agents in paper washing and bleaching.

Paintings
A wide variety of canvas and panel paintings are treated in the paintings laboratory, as well as more unusual supports such as copper, tinned iron, rawhide, cardboard or Masonite. Students learn how to clean, stabilize, and assess damage to a wide range of painting mediums, support, and frames. Recent department projects have included paintings by Alex Fournier, Rudolf Ray, Henry Inman, Victor Varsarely, and Hans Hofmann.