As I am currently completing my Masters in Cultural Material
Conservation with an intention to specialise in paper conservation, I was very
excited to spend some time working at the Wilson Conservation Studio, based at
the Cadbury Research Library. Paper conservators Sarah Kilroy and Marie Sviergula
are both extremely knowledgeable and were happy to answer all my questions and
provide demonstrations. Marie took me on a very thorough tour of the
conservation studio and the storage facilities at the Library, which house some
amazing material, including the Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern
Manuscripts and important first editions, such as De Humani Corporis (1543) by
Vesalius and the Complete Works (1616) of Ben Johnson.
It was interesting to compare disaster management plans,
issues with pest management, and temperature and relative humidity control
measures tailored to a Northern Hemisphere climate. I also had the opportunity
to observe and discuss conservation assessment and treatment approaches to
materials I had not encountered firsthand before, such as papyrus, vellum
and parchment.
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| Wilson Conservation Studio |
I assisted Sarah and Marie with preparations for an upcoming
exhibition, ‘The Art of Anatomy’, which will feature historical medical
drawings and models. Being a small studio, the conservators are often required
to problem solve and perform a variety of jobs in the lead up to an exhibition
– exhibition designer, art handler, mount-maker, lighting technician and
curator (to list a few!).
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Anatomical models on custom-made mounts for the exhibition
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Constructing a mount (consisting of a backing support board
and mount window) is a very useful skill for a conservator and one I was eager
to learn. Mounts provide vital support to fragile works on paper, they help to
ensure easy access in storage, reduce the risk of physical damage upon handling
and enhance the display of works. Sarah and Marie guided me through measuring
and cutting them mounts, attaching the mount-window to the backing board,
trimming and positioning the image within the window with hinge mounts. A deceptively
time-consuming process, it was very satisfying to reach the final product!
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| A work in progress |
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| Final touches |
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