16 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU Allen Memorial Art Museum’s collection is composed of more than 15,000 works—with less than 5% of the collection on view. Some artworks in storage have signs of aging or damage and require conservation before they can be displayed. Regardless of the level or nature of an object’s flaws, the Allen is committed to maintaining the integrity and safety of its art. Art conservation is a meticulous collaboration between curator and conservator. An exacting blend of art and science, the process includes techniques ranging fromX-ray imaging and paint chemistry to historical and visual analysis. Conserving a single work may take months to years, depending on the complexity of the object and its condition. Fortunately, the Allen has longstanding relationships with esteemed conservators and one of the pioneering labs in the region. The IntermuseumConservation Association (ICA) was founded in 1952 on Oberlin College’s campus. Through partnering with the Allen, along with several other museums in the region, the ICA helped create the standard for how to care for and repair artwork. Now housed in the Pivot Center for Art, Dance, and Expression in Cleveland, the lab has dedicated conservators for paintings, textiles, works on paper, and objects. Prior to her recent retirement, the Allen’s longtime registrar Lucille Stiger oversaw logistics regarding the museum’s art conservation efforts. She reviewed art treatment proposals, estimates, and condition reports, worked as a liaison between conservator andmuseum curator and director, and organized transport for the art. She was with the Allen for 28 years and worked with the ICA throughout the organization’s growth and relocation to various locations. “It was wonderful when the lab was right next door,” Stiger said. “We could call up the conservators to do ad hoc work and ask themquestions because they were so close.” THE ART OF CONSERVATION BEHIND THE SCENES, EXPERTS REPAIR AND RESTORE ART Every artwork in the Allen’s collection has a story—and sometimes, that story includes damage, age, or alteration. Conservation is more than repair work; it’s a form of stewardship that revives fragile objects and prepares them to inspire once again. As part of the exhibition planning process, the museum registrar converses with curators about the art they plan to use. If they select anything with signs of deterioration or damage, it becomes a priority for conservation. “Conservation is expensive. If something has the potential to worsen over time, we’ll conserve it. Otherwise, it’s when something will be on display,” Stiger said. Awork of art from curator Marlise Brown’s collection is currently in the process of being conserved at the ICA. “When I began working here, I saw Jean Marc Nattier’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour (right) in storage—a very important French artist painting an important 18th-century French figure. I thought, ‘Why don’t we have this great painting out on view?’” Brown said. Before the Allen acquired the work, two of its previous owners had commissioned different artists to alter the collar of Madame de Pompadour’s gown. “At one point, the cloth
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