October 11, 2018
By Sydney Collins, Conservation Photographer; Carol Sawyer, Margaret H. & William E. Massey Sr. Conservator of Paintings; Aleyah Grimes, Meghan Mezera, and Morgan Shedd, IMLS Summer Interns As part of the “Connect to Conservation” program, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was able to host three summer interns with the generous support of the Institute…
October 4, 2018
By Carol Sawyer, Margaret H. & William E. Massey Sr. Conservator of Paintings Jean-Frédéric Bazille, The Artist’s Studio, Rue Visconti, Paris, 1867; oil on canvas, 25 ½ in x 19 in. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 83.4. Unlike Nicolas Poussin’s Achilles among the Daughters of Lycomedes, which contains…
September 18, 2018
By Casey Mallinckrodt, Andrew Mellon Assistant Conservator Conservators carry out technical analyses to identify materials to guide our decision-making, if treatment is required, and to predict and prevent future deterioration by ensuring that objects are handled and stored appropriately. In addition, technical information contributes to our understanding of an object within its cultural context and enhances what…
August 30, 2018
By Carol Sawyer, Margaret H. & William E. Massey Sr. Conservator of Paintings The Painting Conservation Department performs treatments, examinations and research related to the VMFA painting collection. In the course of doing this work questions regarding the authenticity of a work of art sometimes arise. Technical analysis and in-depth examination of the materials and…
August 10, 2018
By Bruce Suffield While studying Édouard Manet’s painting, On the Beach, Boulogne-sur-Mer (Accession # 85.498), in the painting conservation studio, it was noted that the artist had used numerous and different brush strokes around one of the compositional elements. He had most likely changed the area around the edges of the bathing machine or bathing…
June 14, 2018
By Kathryn Brugioni Gabrielli, Assistant Conservator As an objects conservator and an emerging professional, I have had limited experience thinking beyond the theoretical when it comes to the care, preservation, and treatment of textiles. As such, I was especially excited at the prospect of my first project during my fellowship at the VMFA. After my…
May 29, 2018
By Casey Mallinckrodt, Assistant Conservator The conservation initiative in African art funded by the Andrew W. Mellon foundation is allowing the VMFA Conservation Center to deepen capacity by acquiring analytic equipment, engaging specialist consultants, and also by developing specialized expertise within the Conservation staff. This winter Assistant Conservator Casey Mallinckrodt participated in an intensive course…
April 24, 2018
By Richard B. Woodward, VMFA Curator of African Art While ancient Egypt and Kush are well studied and widely known, far less research has been dedicated to the ancient art and history of the rest of the African continent. Recent discoveries across what today is northern Nigeria have opened new chapters regarding the deep history…
April 18, 2018
From behind the scenes, electrician Ray Vasquez shines a light on VMFA’s artwork. “I like my job here because I like to see all the different cultures that come here and all the different exhibits that the museum brings,” he says.
April 3, 2018
To test terracotta using TL dating, conservators take a powdered sample from an unobtrusive area of the object using a high-speed drill. Due to the fragile nature of these objects and the risk of causing damage through improper technique, only an experienced conservator or trained sampling agent should collect the sample. We reached out to…
