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Portrait of a Boy
Date: c. 1780-1790 Artist: George Engleheart Cultural attribution/provenance: English Materials: Brilliant-set gilt copper alloy case, watercolor on ivory Dimensions (inches): 1.5" x 1.25" Institution/Owner: Nelson Atkins Museum of Art Key Treatment Steps
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Summary
Conservators at the Nelson-Atkins are currently treating close to 400 portrait miniatures in preparation for the Starr Collection of Miniatures catalogue. Carol Aikin, a conservator specializing in portrait miniatures, has been working on this project as a consultant. Over the past year she has traveled to the museum for multiple two-week long visits, helping to acquaint Nelson conservators with methods for treating portrait miniatures. Due to the large quantity of miniatures to be treated, brief condition and conservation notes are taken by hand and later transcribed by a curatorial research assistant. Before, during, and after photos are taken with the conservator's smart phone. Once treatment is completed, all miniatures will be photographed by the museum's photography department, for publication in the catalogue. Occasionally, conservation will take additional UV or IR photographs of the miniatures or contents found within the cases, if of interest.
All portrait miniatures must first be disassembled in order to treat components individually. This portrait miniature consists of only three pieces; a glass lens with an attached metal bezel, metal case, and the painted watercolor portrait on thin ivory. The glass lens was removed from the case using a small suction cup. The portrait was loose within the frame, and was easily removed once the glass had come off. Old labels were removed from the reverse of the metal case, using a combination of solvent and mechanical action. The case was somewhat tarnished (especially around the scalloped edges); this was addressed by lightly polishing with a calcium carbonate slurry in water.
A piece of archival ragboard was cut to fit behind the portrait, in order to raise the miniature and improve the fit within the case. Edges of the ragboard that were visible behind the minature were toned with QoR watercolors. The glass was cleaned with a commercial lens cleaner. In order to better secure the miniature within the case, a thin strip of archival mending tape was adhered around the edge of the glass, overlapping on to the back of the archival ragboard. The glass and portrait were then reinserted into the case.
Conservators at the Nelson-Atkins are currently treating close to 400 portrait miniatures in preparation for the Starr Collection of Miniatures catalogue. Carol Aikin, a conservator specializing in portrait miniatures, has been working on this project as a consultant. Over the past year she has traveled to the museum for multiple two-week long visits, helping to acquaint Nelson conservators with methods for treating portrait miniatures. Due to the large quantity of miniatures to be treated, brief condition and conservation notes are taken by hand and later transcribed by a curatorial research assistant. Before, during, and after photos are taken with the conservator's smart phone. Once treatment is completed, all miniatures will be photographed by the museum's photography department, for publication in the catalogue. Occasionally, conservation will take additional UV or IR photographs of the miniatures or contents found within the cases, if of interest.
All portrait miniatures must first be disassembled in order to treat components individually. This portrait miniature consists of only three pieces; a glass lens with an attached metal bezel, metal case, and the painted watercolor portrait on thin ivory. The glass lens was removed from the case using a small suction cup. The portrait was loose within the frame, and was easily removed once the glass had come off. Old labels were removed from the reverse of the metal case, using a combination of solvent and mechanical action. The case was somewhat tarnished (especially around the scalloped edges); this was addressed by lightly polishing with a calcium carbonate slurry in water.
A piece of archival ragboard was cut to fit behind the portrait, in order to raise the miniature and improve the fit within the case. Edges of the ragboard that were visible behind the minature were toned with QoR watercolors. The glass was cleaned with a commercial lens cleaner. In order to better secure the miniature within the case, a thin strip of archival mending tape was adhered around the edge of the glass, overlapping on to the back of the archival ragboard. The glass and portrait were then reinserted into the case.
Treatment Images
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