Conservation and resto Books
The Crowood Press Ltd Restoring and Repairing Antique and Fine Furniture
£25.50
Yale University Press The Mack
Book Synopsis
£33.25
Paul Dry Books Frieze Frame
Book Synopsis
£16.66
David & Charles How to Draw a Tree from the Fruit to the Forest
Book SynopsisA Step-by-Step Course for the Nature ArtistThis compact guide to landscape drawing will show you how to capture the elements and detail of Trees and to create great artwork: from the Fruit to the Forest. structured in a course format, each section builds confidence includes both sketching and coloured pencil drawing covers a broad range of techniques and skills for all levels of ability. additional sections feature mixed media, collage and using found items such as twigs, moss or seedpods. Throughout the seasons - and in all weathers - How to Draw a Treeoffers a unique insight and understanding of the natural world around us and how to capture its beauty in a sketchbook.
£13.49
Getty Trust Publications Historical and Philosophical Issues in the
Book SynopsisThis volume provides a collection of texts on the conservation of art and architecture. Aimed at students of art history as well as conservation, the book consists of 46 texts in which art historians raise questions such as when to restore, what to preserve and how to maintain aesthetic character.
£42.75
John Donald Publishers Ltd Tilquhillie Castle
£23.75
Penguin Books Ltd The Posthumous Papers of the Manuscripts Club
Book SynopsisExquisite... intelligent, illuminating, mischievous delightful The TimesThe acclaimed author of Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts introduces us to the extraordinary keepers and companions of medieval manuscripts over a thousand years of historyThe illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages are among the greatest works of European art and literature. We are dazzled by them and recognize their crucial role in the transmission of knowledge. But we generally think much less about the countless men and women who made, collected and preserved them through the centuries, and to whom they owe their existence.This entrancing book describes some of the extraordinary people who have spent their lives among illuminated manuscripts over the last thousand years. A monk in Normandy, a prince of France, a Florentine bookseller, an English antiquary, a rabbi from central Europe, a French priest, a Keeper at the British Museum, a Greek fo
£15.29
Yale University Press Henri Rousseau A Painters Secrets
£47.50
Four Courts Press Ltd Dublins Stained Glass
£23.70
Princeton University Press Pigments
Book Synopsis
£23.75
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Restoring NotreDame de Paris
Book SynopsisCurrently rising from the ashes, Notre-Dame cathedral's restoration is shown in this beautiful book, a genuine ode to a monument rich in symbolism and secrets.
£30.74
Birlinn General Barholm Castle
Book Synopsis
£16.14
Yale University Press Facture Conservation Science Art History
Book SynopsisA technical examination of artists’ workshops and studios across history and media, told through the collections of the National Gallery of Art
£23.75
Getty Trust Publications Properties of Plastics: A Guide for Conservators
Book SynopsisAlmost every museum in the world is confronted with plastics in their collections. Research initiatives and knowledge concerning the conservation of heritage objects made of plastics have proliferated over the last twenty-five years, necessitating this up-to-date, comprehensive resource. Intended as a highly practical guide for the conservation community, this authoritative book offers information essential to understanding plastics, polymers, and rubber/elastomers and their behaviors in the cultural heritage context. Numerous graphs, diagrams, and illustrations allow readers to compare the mechanical, physical, thermal, and optical properties of these substances during conservation. Aimed at the hands-on museum practitioner, this book will assist professionals in choosing the appropriate materials for cleaning, adhering, and consolidating plastic objects-with the result that collections will benefit from a longer lifespan. Complementing the main chapters, fifty-six illustrated "fact sheets" summarize, at a glance, the properties of those plastics most commonly found in museum collections. Six informative case studies present real-world examples of current conservation approaches to works of art and design made of plastics and rubber/elastomers. Under the expert authorship of Thea B. van Oosten, conservation scientist, educator, and internationally regarded authority on the behavior and properties of plastics, this instructive volume is destined to become an invaluable resource for the field.Trade Review"The conservation of plastic objects is a new challenge for cultural heritage. This book, written by a recognized expert in the field, provides conservation students and conservators with the solid and comprehensive foundation needed to best care for our modern and contemporary heritage-a must-read text- and reference book!"-Bertrand Lavedrine, coordinator of the POPART project, Centre de Recherche sur la conservation, Paris; "A must-read for conservators, but also interesting for conservation scientists and curators confronted with plastic material, especially in modern art, textiles, and furniture. The book is very well structured, very informative, and beautifully illustrated. The book provides a base for understanding the chemistry of plastic, explained in a highly understandable fashion with several case studies focused on a wide range of conservation issues. In addition, fifty-six fact sheets present the most relevant plastics in an outstanding manner. A joy to read."--Maarten R. van Bommel, Professor of Conservation Science, University of Amsterdam; "A must-have introduction for conservation students, as well as an everyday handbook for conservators who care for the preservation of collections with objects made of plastic. This publication is an important step in raising awareness of the conservation of plastic objects."--Friederike Waentig, Technische Hochschule Koeln
£52.25
Sharada Publishing House Conservation of Churches in Goa
Book SynopsisDuring Portuguese time, highly sophisticated architectural style developed which culminated in the Indo-Portuguese Baroque style in the eighteenth century Goa. Many churches were built in Goa, among these the Se Cathedral, Convent and church of St. Francis of Assisi, Chapel of St. Catherine, Basilica of Bom Jesus, St. Cajetan, Church of St. Augustine, Church of the Carmelites, Church of St. John of God, Chapel of St. Anthony, Convent and Church of the Cross of Miracles, St. Anne are important. These buildings with the passage time suffered and lost grandeur. These buildings have been repaired since 1962. 63 col and 49 B/W illustrations.
£105.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Book in the Cathedral
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Meetings With Remarkable Manuscripts, a captivating account of the last surviving relic of Thomas BecketThe assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 is one of the most famous events in European history. It inspired the largest pilgrim site in medieval Europe and many works of literature from Chaucer''s Canterbury Tales to T. S. Eliot''s Murder in the Cathedral and Anouilh''s Becket.In a brilliant piece of historical detective work, Christopher de Hamel here identifies the only surviving relic from Becket''s shrine: the Anglo-Saxon Psalter which he cherished throughout his time as Archbishop of Canterbury, and which he may even have been holding when he was murdered.Beautifully illustrated and published to coincide with the 850th anniversary of the death of Thomas Becket, this is an exciting rediscovery of one of the most evocative artefacts of medieval England.
£8.54
Getty Trust Publications The Conservation of Medieval Polychrome Wood
Book SynopsisMedieval polychrome wood sculptures are highly complex objects, bearers of histories that begin with their original carving and adornment and continue through long centuries of repainting, deterioration, restoration, and conservation. Abundantly illustrated, this book is the first in English to offer a comprehensive overview of the conservation of medieval painted wood sculpture for conservators, curators, and others charged with their care. Beginning with an illuminating discussion of the history, techniques, and meanings of these works, it continues with their examination and documentation, including chapters on the identification of both the wooden support and the polychromy itself-the paint layers, metal leaf, and other materials used for these sculptures. The volume also covers the many aspects of treatment: the process of determining the best approach; consolidation and adhesion of paint, ground, and support; overpaint removal and surface cleaning; and compensation. Four case studies on artworks in the collection of The Cloisters in New York, a comprehensive bibliography, and a checklist to aid in documentation complement the text.
£54.00
Penguin Books Ltd The Posthumous Papers of the Manuscripts Club
Book SynopsisThe illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages are among the greatest works of European art and literature. We are dazzled by them and recognize their crucial role in the transmission of knowledge. But we generally think much less about the countless men and women who made, collected and preserved them through the centuries, and to whom they owe their existence.This entrancing book describes some of the extraordinary people who have spent their lives among illuminated manuscripts over the last thousand years. A monk in Normandy, a prince of France, a Florentine bookseller, an English antiquary, a rabbi from central Europe, a French priest, a Keeper at the British Museum, a Greek forger, a German polymath, a British connoisseur and the woman who created the most spectacular library in America - all of them were participants in what Christopher de Hamel calls the Manuscripts Club.This exhilarating fraternity, and the fellow enthusiasts who come with it, throw new light on how manuscripts have survived and been used by very different kinds of people in many different circumstances. Christopher de Hamel''s unexpected connections and discoveries reveal a passion which crosses the boundaries of time. We understand the manuscripts themselves better by knowing who their keepers and companions have been.In 1850 (or thereabouts) John Ruskin bought his first manuscript ''at a bookseller''s in a back alley''. This was his reaction: ''The new worlds which every leaf of this book opened to me, and the joy I had in counting their letters and unravelling their arabesques as if they had all been of beaten gold - as many of them were - cannot be told.'' The members of de Hamel''s club share many such wonders, which he brings to us with scholarship, style, and a lifetime''s experience.Trade ReviewReading the Posthumous Papers is like taking a walk in excellent company ... an exceptional book, and itself an object worth cherishing. -- Daniel Brooks * Sunday Telegraph *This book can be enjoyed on so many levels. The illustrations are exquisite and the writing ... is intelligent, illuminating, voluptuous and mischievous. The members of the club are brought to life with sensitivity; we can't help but find their nerdiness endearing. ... The most delightful feature of this book is, however, the author. I've never encountered one so willing to bare his soul, without ever explicitly setting out to do so. He throws open the doors to his world, exposing its beguiling nature. Sit at my table, he says, feast on what I adore. "The Club is still open for membership . . . All applicants are warmly admitted."' -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *In this stunningly beautiful book, Christopher de Hamel constructs an imaginary club of people who adore mediaeval manuscripts; bibliophiles whose obsession he shares. The 12 delightfully eccentric members span eight centuries - de Hamel imagines meeting them, sharing precious discoveries, trading gossip. The illustrations emit a light of their own, but what shines even brighter is the author's boyish enthusiasm for his subject. * Times Books of the Year *a beautifully produced and magnificently surprising journey through the history of how and why people have wanted to collect manuscripts. An impossibly recondite subject, you might think; but it turns out to have a lot to do with all sorts of things about how we make sense of our histories and cultures - and it introduces us to a gallery of unforgettable characters. -- Rowan Williams * New Statesman Books of the Year *Christopher de Hamel ... has the rare capacity to turn a scholarly specialism into a humane and humorous adventure. ... De Hamel retains an almost lyrical sense of wonder as he unclasps each groaning tome, opens its parched pages and lightly steps into the alternative world painted by its illuminators. ... he speaks of "meeting a beautiful manuscript" rather than reading it and his own book makes you feel you've spent time - a very long but absorbing time - in his convivial company. -- Peter Conrad * Guardian *Christopher de Hamel's great gift is to tell life stories without taking anything away from the manuscripts, which remain the star of the show. Thanks to the beautiful illustrations in this wonderful book, we can see for ourselves how spellbinding an encounter with them must have been. Five years ago de Hamel entranced the world with his Meeting with Remarkable Manuscripts. This time the meetings are with remarkable manuscript owners, and the result is equally precious -- Kathryn Hughes * Sunday Times *gloriously engaging and readable ... De Hamel wears his erudition lightly, and the reader is taken deeply into the worlds of individuals who lived across almost a thousand years of history -- Richard Ovenden * Financial Times *The story of the people who created, saved and collected Europe's most sumptuous manuscripts, it's beautifully illustrated, a rich feast of scarlet and gold. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times Books of the Year *an eccentric but charming and instructive book which is oddly difficult to put down -- Jonathan Sumption * Spectator *
£32.00
Pluto Press The Brutish Museums
Book SynopsisThe book that changed the conversation on the contemporary museumTrade Review'A real game-changer' -- The Economist'If you care about museums and the world, read this book' -- New York Times 'Best Art Books' 2020'Hicks’s urgent, lucid, and brilliantly enraged book feels like a long-awaited treatise on justice' -- Coco Fusco, New York Review of Books'Unsparing ... especially timely ... his book invites readers to help break the impasse by joining the movement for restitution.' -- CNN'The book is a vital call to action: part historical investigation, part manifesto, demanding the reader do away with the existing “brutish museums” of the title and find a new way for them to exist' -- Charlotte Lydia Riley, Guardian'A startling act of conscience. An important book which could overturn what people have felt about British history, empire, civilisation, Africa, and African art. It is with books like this that cultures are saved, by beginning truthfully to face the suppressed and brutal past. It has fired a powerful shot into the debate about cultural restitution. You will never see many European museums in the same way again. Books like this give one hope that a new future is possible.' -- Ben Okri, poet and writer'An epiphanic book for many generations to come' -- Victor Ehikhamenor, visual artist and writer'Unflinching, elegantly written and passionately argued, this is a call to action' -- Bénédicte Savoy, Professor of Art History at Technische University'In his passionate, personal, and, yes, political account, Dan Hicks transforms our understanding of the looting of Benin. This book shows why being against violence now more than ever means repatriating stolen royal and sacred objects and restoring stolen memories' -- Nicholas Mirzoeff, Professor in the Department of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University'Destined to become an essential text' -- Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times'Dan, your words brought tears to my eyes. I salute you' -- MC Hammer'A masterful condemnation and inspiring call to action' -- Los Angeles Review of Books'Timely' -- Nature'The Brutish Museums shows that colonial violence is unfinished, and as it persists in the present, it cannot be relativized.' -- Ana Lucia Araujo, Public Books'The Brutish Museums leaves no stone unturned' -- Financial Times'The Brutish Museums argues, persuasively, that the corporate-militaristic pillage behind Europe’s encyclopedic collections is not a simple matter of possession, but a systematic extension of warfare across time' -- The Baffler'A bombshell book' -- Los Angeles Times‘After this book, there can be no more false justifications for holding Benin Bronzes in museums outside of Africa’ -- Africa is a Country‘Presents a powerful case for restitution of looted objects, and hostile responses to it highlight enduring attachments to imperialism' -- ‘Counterfire’Table of ContentsList of Plates Preface Preface to the Paperback Edition 1. The Gun That Shoots Twice 2. A Theory of Taking 3. Necrography 4. White Projection 5. World War Zero 6. Corporate-Militarist Colonialism 7. War on Terror 8. The Benin-Niger-Soudan Expedition 9. The Sacking of Benin City 10. Democide 11. Iconoclasm 12. Looting 13. Necrology 14. ‘The Museum of Weapons, etc.’ 15. Chronopolitics 16. A Declaration of War 17. A Negative Moment 18. Ten Thousand Unfinished Events Afterword: A Decade of Returns Appendix 1: Provisional List of the Worldwide Locations Of Benin Plaques Looted in 1897 Appendix 2: Provenance of Benin Objects in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford (the ‘First Collection’) Appendix 3: Sources of Benin Objects in the Former Pitt-Rivers Museum, Farnham (the ‘Second Collection’) Appendix 4: Current Location of Benin Objects Previously in the Pitt-Rivers Museum at Farnham (the ‘Second Collection’) Appendix 5: A Provisional List of Museums, Galleries and Collections that May Currently Hold Objects Looted from Benin City in 1897 Notes References Index
£12.34
Getty Trust Publications Cai GuoQiang
Book SynopsisThis book presents the first material study of the celebrated contemporary Chinese artist, Cai Guo-Qiang, known worldwide for his subversive use of unusual materials, particularly gunpowder.
£33.25
Profile Books Ltd Church Going
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Pompeii
Book SynopsisThe resonant ruins of Pompeii are perhaps the most direct route back to the living, breathing world of the ancient Romans. Two million visitors annually now walk the paved streets which re-emerged, miraculously preserved, from their layers of volcanic ash. Yet for all the fame and unique importance of the site, there is a surprising lack of a handy archaeological guide in English to reveal and explain its public spaces and private residences. This compact and user-friendly handbook, written by an expert in the field, helpfully fills that gap. Illustrated throughout with maps, plans, diagrams and other images, Pompeii: An Archaeological Guide offers a general introduction to the doomed city followed by an authoritative summary and survey of the buildings, artefacts and paintings themselves. The result is an unrivalled picture, derived from an intimate knowledge of Roman archaeology around the Bay of Naples, of the forum, temples, brothels, bath-houses, bakeries, gymnasia, amphitheatre,
£16.19
Getty Trust Publications Renaissance Secrets: A Lifetime Working with Wall
Book SynopsisEngagingly written and profusely illustrated, this book offers readers a close-up "view from the scaffolding" of some of the greatest Renaissance wall paintings at the Vatican. Beginning in the late 1400s, the greatest artists of Renaissance Italy were summoned to Rome, where they decorated the walls and ceilings of the Vatican. Expert restorer Maurizio De Luca spent his forty-year career in the Vatican Museums, including fifteen years as head restorer of the Painting Restoration Laboratory. He personally oversaw some of the most important restorations of the last half century, including wall paintings by Perugino, Botticelli, and others on the walls of the Sistine Chapel; the Pintoricchio wall paintings in the Borgia Apartments; the Raphael Rooms; and the last two frescoes by Michelangelo, in the Pauline Chapel at the Apostolic Palace. In this accessible and copiously illustrated book, De Luca conveys the kind of knowledge that can only be derived from close personal observation. The reader is offered a stunningly intimate perspective that illuminates the distinctive expressive challenges, choices, and techniques of each artist and demonstrates how the conservation process enriches the understanding and interpretation of these iconic works.Trade Review"This book is indispensable in facilitating, simply and lucidly, the approach to one of the most important places in history and in the world through the murals that illustrate it. The images chosen to accompany the text are of excellent quality, allowing even the non-expert reader to follow the author's thinking without difficulty as it unfolds, and for the scholar they correctly support his assertations." --Il Giornale Dell'Arte
£28.50
Pallas Athene Publishers If Venice Dies
Book SynopsisWhat is Venice worth? To whom does this urban treasure belong? This eloquent book by the internationally renowned art historian Salvatore Settis urgently poses these questions, igniting a new debate about the Pearl of the Adriatic and cultural patrimony at large. Venetians are increasingly abandoning their hometown - there's now only one resident for every 140 visitors and Venice's fragile fate has become emblematic of the future of historic cities everywhere as it capitulates to tourists and those who profit from them. In If Venice Dies, a fiery blend of history and cultural analysis, Settis argues that 'hit-and-run' visitors are turning landmark urban setting into shopping malls and theme parks. He warns Western civilisation's prime achievements face impending ruin from mass tourism and global cultural homogenisation. This is passionate plea to secure Venice's future, written with consummate authority, wide-ranging erudition, and elan.
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Sleuth The Amazing Quest for Lost Art Treasures
Book SynopsisCSI meets Who Do You Think You Are? meets Time Team meets The Antiques Roadshow. Two-dimensional works of art become three-dimensional thrillers.Philip Mould is an international art dealer who has lived the high stakes game of art sleuthing for twenty years. In Sleuth, we encounter the fascinating dealers, experts, auctioneers and restorers who risk fortunes and reputations to turn overlooked artworks into coveted treasures.Sleuth is laced with dramas: Gainsborough''s earliest picture emerges in a Los Angeles saleroom - the author has three days to find the missing facts and decide what to pay. The most powerful man in the art establishment, with the influence to elevate a copy into a priceless original, is asked to look at a ''fake'' Rembrandt self portrait: if he says yes a 5,000 picture turns into 5 million masterpiece. A Vermont professor unlocks the door of a defunct Catholic church to reveal a hidden cache of 300 portraits. An auctioneer notices from the upper story of a bus thatTrade Review“Reviewing can make you hate books – the grim spectre of the copy deadline means that other tasks (cleaning the fridge is popular) can seem attractive compared with just getting on reading the book. Sleuth was different. I could not wait to get back to it” Sunday Telegraph ‘timely … exciting’ Country Life ‘a fast-paced and fascinating account of the race to uncover ‘lost’ treasures’ Independent on Sunday ‘this absorbing and fast-paced narrative … an extremely enjoyable read’ British Art Journal ‘This is no dry treatise and Mould is a first-class scene setter … There is an immediacy to much of the writing, which draws the reader in … the sort of book that may well do more to attract future talent to the world of art dealing than any number of university art history courses’ Antiques Trade Gazette
£11.99
Getty Trust Publications Sam Francis - The Artist's Materials
Book SynopsisAmerican artist Sam Francis (1923-1994) brought vivid colour and emotional intensity to Abstract Expressionism. He was described as the "most sensuous and sensitive painter of his generation" by former Guggenheim Museum director James Johnson Sweeney, and curator Howard Fox called him "one of the acknowledged masters of late-modern art." Francis's works, whether intimate or monumental in scale, make indelible impressions; the intention of the artist was to make them felt as much as seen. At the age of twenty, Francis was hospitalised for spinal tuberculosis and spent three years virtually immobilised in a body cast. For physical therapy he was given a set of watercolours, and, as he described it, he painted his way back to life. The exuberant colour and expression in his paintings celebrated his survival; his five-decade career was an energetic visual and theoretical exploration that took him around the world. Francis' idiosyncratic painting practices have long been the subject of speculation and debate among conservators and art historians. Presented here for the first time in this volume are the results of an in-depth scientific study of more than forty paintings from the late 1940s to early 1990s, which reveal new discoveries about his creative process, inventive techniques, and specially formulated paints and binders. The data provides a key to the complicated evolution of the artist's work and informs original art historical interpretations.
£33.25
Getty Trust Publications Provenance - An Alternate History of Art
Book SynopsisThis is a fascinating re-examination of the importance and legacy of provenance in the history of art. This book goes beyond the narrow definition of the term provenance, which addresses only the bare facts of ownership and transfer, to explore ideas about the origins and itineraries of objects, consider the historical uses of provenance research, and draw attention to the transformative power of ownership. The result is a volume of essays that makes a strong case for recuperating provenance - what contributing author Anne Higonnet calls "so many epic tales compressed into such dry lists" - for the history of art. Provenance attends to the social life of art, a work's biography subsequent to the moment of its origin. "Provenance" offers a broad perspective, ranging from ancient archaeology to conceptual art, that encompasses Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and considers a variety of media. The essays demonstrate in myriad ways how an owner's relationship with a work of art or, in varying degrees, with the object's previous owners can change irrevocably the way the work will be perceived and understood by future generations.
£33.25
Silvana Venetian Glassworks: Carla Nasci - Ferruccio
Book SynopsisThis book presents the surprising collection of Venetian glass donated by spouses Carla Nasci and Ferruccio Franzoia to the Carlo Rizzarda Modern Art Gallery in Feltre. A collection of over 800 pieces ranging from the 18th century to today, allowing the viewer to marvel, in particular, at the Murano production and its great glassmakers. A first nucleus includes the elegant Liberty and Déco glasses produced by Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Cappellin Venini & C. in the twenties: the artistic director of the company was Vittorio Zecchin, one of the most fascinating personalities working in Venice between the First World War and the decade later, who with his elegant, transparent blown glass inspired by the Renaissance, marked a decisive turning point in contemporary Murano production. A second group is represented by the artifacts produced between 1925 and 1960 referable to the figure of Carlo Scarpa, creator of highly successful, innovative glass shapes and fabrics, who collaborated respectively with the Cappellini company since 1926 and with Venini since 1932, together with a mix of products from other companies and authors active in the lagoon. The third type of documented artifacts is that of table glasses: consumer objects destined for ephemeral use and therefore an important testimony of taste and customs.
£36.00
Oxford University Press Inc What to Save and Why
Book SynopsisWhat does a sanctuary for Hawaiian crows have in common with a troop of robots programmed to perform the Maori haka, or recreations of World Heritage Sites built in Minecraft?A family heirloom. An endangered species. An ancient piece of pottery. A threatened language. These things differ in myriad ways, but they are tied together by a common thread: they are all examples of things that call out to be saved. The world is brimming with things worth saving, and we have limited time and resources. How do we decide what to save? Why do we make these choices? Philosopher Erich Hatala Matthes explores these questions as they surface in radically diverse contexts--from museums to TikTok, and from National Parks to the corner of your attic. Matthes illustrates the deep relationship between the things we might save and our sense of self. If our cares and concerns are a fundamental part of our identity, then what we care for and preserve will play a significant role in shaping and maintaining our understanding of who we are. In a world in which everything that we care about is subject to powerful forces of change--from climate disturbance and armed conflict, to social transformation and the wear and tear of time--the terms on which we confront change will be key to whether and how we can save the things we care about in the ways that really matter to us. Will change be foisted upon us? Or is there a role for us to play in rejecting, influencing, or managing change? As he explores these questions, Matthes tackles related themes such as authenticity, agency, and appropriation: Who exactly should be responsible for saving things, and on whose behalf should such efforts be pursued? These are all essential elements to a fuller understanding of what to save and why.
£18.99
Pluto Press Curationism
Book SynopsisA criticism of the saturation of the 'curator' in art, business and everyday lifeTrade Review'Balzer writes with zest, scepticism and sly humour as he tracks the rise of the 'star curator' as marking the end of any possible avant-garde. Curationism is a memorable exploration that will change how you see so many daily activities. I loved this brilliant book.' -- Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be?'Point[s] out how far we have come from the original avatars of the term: the curatores' -- Hal Foster, London Review of Books'A book you should read. Balzer traces the history and current hegemony of curationism—a practice of jumped-up interior decorators who double as priests explaining the gospel to the unlettered masses. A good read, if you don't mind reading things that you don't want to know' -- Dave Hickey, art and culture critic'An insightful, provocative and entertaining overview of many of the key issues in both art and cultural life today' -- Art Review'Curationism is increasingly persuasive as it nears the present. The best sections concern the rise of conceptual art from the 1950s onwards, the rise of international high finance, and the merging of the two' -- Spectator'A polemical account of what curators do and why not everyone is one' -- Monocle Magazine'A fast but deep account of the rise of the curator through the art world into popular culture' -- The Globe and Mail'Game-changing' -- moMusBest Art Books of the Year -- Sky Goodden, National Post'The kind of book I crave ... a beautiful, useful, and timely book' -- Scrivener Creative ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction Prologue: Who is HUO? Part I: Value Part II: Work Acknowledgements About the Author
£14.64
Orion Publishing Co Second Self
Book Synopsis''Almost hypnotically perfect prose'' Kate Sawyer''A thoughtful, tender and delicate consideration of life''s choices'' Huma Qureshi ''Ashby handles her material lightly and atmospherically'' Rowan Hisayo BuchananWhen Cathy and Noah first got together neither saw children in their future. Eight years later, they''re happily married - and Cathy isn''t so sure. With Noah''s patience for his wife''s ambivalence waning, her widowed mother in a world of her own and her best friend yearning for a second baby, Cathy feels increasingly adrift.Escaping into her work in the conservation studios of the National Gallery, she chips away at the layers of overpaint on a canvas from the collection. Will the discovery of an unexpected truth help her find the clarity she craves?This absorbing second novel from the author of WET PAINT - about confronting expectations and learning to cope with the nagging, complex questions that shape a lif
£9.49
Johns Hopkins University Press The Theory and Craft of Digital Preservation
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis book fills a gap. Finally, someone who has been entrusted with the evaluation, acquisition, and use of digital objects has summarized his tasks from a technical perspective in a well-thought-out text and backed up theory . . . [Owens] manages to guide the readers in an understandable and clear way through unfamiliar terrain. The book is therefore recommended to all beginners in this area, but also "old hands" will recognize many of their own experiences or maybe learn something else.—Dr. Kai Naumann, ArchivarTrevor Owens has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking book . . . Owens provides important guidance on taking a step back to gain perspective on what one is trying to accomplish with the preservation of a digital object or collection. That is, to see preservation not merely as a technological process to be applied to all objects, but as a craft to be applied as appropriate in the context of particular digital collections and their archival purpose.—Larry Weimer, Head of Archival Processing, New York Historical Society, Metropolitan ArchivistThe Theory and Craft of Digital Preservation is a thoughtful, well-written, and extremely readable book. Owens draws from many cultures and disciplines to illustrate and define how we have preserved and will continue to preserve digital information.—Sharmila Bhatia, Mid-Atlantic ArchivistAnyone looking for an approachable introduction to digital preservation, or a new perspective on persistent digital quandaries, will find something useful in this book.—Archival IssuesA thoughtful guide that will launch a thousand preservation projects. It will inspire many historians not only to approach their sources in productive new ways, but also to better appreciate the sophisticated contributions of those who tend the archives on which we depend. It is highly recommended.—American Historical ReviewAnyone looking for an approachable introduction to digital preservation, or a new perspective on persistent digital quandaries, will find something useful in this book.—Carli Lowe, San José State University, Archival IssuesTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Beyond Digital Hype and Digital AnxietyChapter 1. Preservation's Divergent LineagesChapter 2. Understanding Digital ObjectsChapter 3. Challenges and Opportunities of Digital PreservationChapter 4. The Craft of Digital PreservationChapter 5. Preservation Intent and Collection DevelopmentChapter 6. Managing Copies and FormatsChapter 7. Arranging and Describing Digital ObjectsChapter 8. Enabling Multimodal Access and Use Chapter 9. Tools for Looking ForwardNotesBibliography Index
£27.45
Getty Trust Publications Museum Lighting - A Guide for Conservators and
Book SynopsisAuthor David Saunders, former keeper of conservation and scientific research at the British Museum, explores how to balance the conflicting goals of visibility and preservation under a variety of conditions. Beginning with the science of how light, color, and vision function and interact, he proceeds to offer detailed studies of the impact of light on a wide range of objects, including paintings, manuscripts, textiles, bone, leather, and plastics. With analyses of the effects of light on visibility and deterioration, Museum Lighting provides practical information to assist curators, conservators, and other museum professionals in making critical decisions about the display and preservation of objects in their collections.
£57.00
Getty Trust Publications Conservation of Granite in Cultural Heritage
Book SynopsisBridging scholarly research and conservation practice, this long overdue resource provides conservation professionals with the information needed to analyze preservation issues and implement efficient, long-lasting treatments.
£61.75
Verso Books Culture Strike: Art and Museums in an Age of
Book SynopsisIn an age of protest, culture and museums have come under fire. Protests of museum funding (for example, the Metropolitan Museum accepting Sackler family money) and boards (for example, the Whitney appointing tear gas manufacturer Warren Kanders)--to say nothing of demonstrations over exhibitions and artworks--have roiled cultural institutions across the world, from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to the Akron Art Museum. At the same time, never have there been more calls for museums to work for social change, calls for the emergence of a new role for culture.As director of the Queens Museum, Laura Raicovich helped turn that New York municipal institution into a public commons for art and activism, organizing high-powered exhibitions that were also political protests. Then in January, 2018, she resigned, after a dispute with the Queens Museum board and city officials became a public controversy--she had objected to the Israeli government using the museum for an event featuring vice president Mike Pence.In this book, Raicovich explains some of the key museum flashpoints, and she also provides historical context for the current controversies. She shows how art museums arose as colonial institutions bearing an ideology of neutrality that masks their role in upholding capitalist values. And she suggests how museums can be reinvented to serve better, public ends.Trade ReviewUrgent -- Travis Diehl * art-agenda *[Culture Strike] brilliantly problematizes the pervasive old myth of "neutrality." -- Dessane Lopez Cassell * Hyperallergic *A must-read ... Culture Strike contains layers of honest observation from museum professionals, loving critique, historical context, and case studies that illuminate the best and worst in museum culture to offer a clear path forward. -- Cara Ober * BmoreArt *Maps out thoughtful considerations of pressing subjects that apply everywhere. Among them are the private power of philanthropy, the practical and spiritual benefits of staff diversity, unionizing cultural institutions, and the contours of museums' social responsibility. -- Christopher Knight * Los Angeles Times *Offers key contextual and historical lenses through which to consider protests that have occurred at institutions worldwide, addressing topics from museum funding to workers' rights. * Ocula *An engaging and personally invested discussion of the many controversies that have engulfed American museums -- JJ Charlesworth * ArtReview *Table of Contents1. Revelations Artist Nan Goldin and the Sackler Family * The Historical Roots of Museums * The Untenability of the Universal * Progressive Era Reform 2. Art and Context Colonialism and Repatriation * Dana Schutz at the Whitney * The Philip Guston Retrospective * Sam Durant at the Walker 3. Show Me the Money Questions for Philanthropy * Warren Kanders, Tear Gas, and the Whitney * Reimagining Public Funding * Questioning Governance4. Unlearning, Undoing, Remaking Alternate Storytellings * Approaches to Decolonization and Indigenization * Survivance 5. The Neutrality Problem Spilled Ink * Materializing the Neutral * Working toward the "Not-Yet"6. Going Forward Who Is "We"? * Collective Work * Invitations to Participate * Public Culture 7. Liberation Serif COVID-19 * Breath * Reckonings and Demands
£10.44
Four Courts Press Ltd Trinity College Library Dublin: A catalogue of
Book Synopsis
£45.00
Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd The Museum Curator’s Guide: Understanding,
Book SynopsisThe Museum Curator’s Guide is a practical reference book for emerging arts and heritage professionals working with a wide range of objects (including fine art, decorative arts, social history, ethnographic and archaeological collections), and explores the core work of the curator within a gallery or museum setting.Nicola Pickering provides a clear introduction to current material culture and museum studies theories, and shows the practical application of these theories to museum collections. She considers the role of the curator, their duties and interaction with objects, and also examines the care or preservation of objects and the ways they can be catalogued, displayed, moved, arranged, stored, interpreted and explained in museums today.The Museum Curator’s Guide represents an essential and lasting resource for all those working with the collection, preservation and presentation of objects, including students of collections management and curatorship; current gallery and museum professionals; and private collectors.Table of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part One: Museums and Collecting - Chapter 1: What are museums?; Chapter 2: Collecting policies, composition and implementation; Part Two: Managing Collections - Chapter 3: Researching and accessioning objects; Chapter 4: Classifying, recording and cataloguing objects; Chapter 5: Handling, storing and preserving objects; Part Three: Displaying and Interpreting Collections - Chapter 6: Displaying objects; Chapter 7: Interpreting objects; Chapter 8: Museum audiences; Part Four: The Museum Curator - Chapter 9: The curator today and conclusions; Notes; Bibliography; Index
£23.70
Royal Society of Chemistry Science and Art: The Painted Surface
Book SynopsisScience and art are increasingly interconnected in the activities of the study and conservation of works of art. Science plays a key role in cultural heritage, from developing new analytical techniques for studying the art, to investigating new ways of preserving the materials for the future. For example, high resolution multispectral examination of paintings allows art historians to view underdrawings barely visible before, while the use of non-invasive and micro-sampling analytical techniques allow scientists to identify pigments and binders that help art conservators in their work. It also allows curators to understand more about how the artwork was originally painted. Through a series of case studies written by scientists together with art historians, archaeologists and conservators, Science and Art: The Painted Surface demonstrates how the cooperation between science and humanities can lead to an increased understanding of the history of art and to better techniques in conservation. The examples used in the book cover paintings from ancient history, Renaissance, modern, and contemporary art, belonging to the artistic expressions of world regions from the Far East to America and Europe. Topics covered include the study of polychrome surfaces from pre-Columbian and medieval manuscripts, the revelation of hidden images below the surface of Van Gogh paintings and conservation of acrylic paints in contemporary art. Presented in an easily readable form for a large audience, the book guides readers into new areas uncovered by the link between science and art. The book features contributions from leading institutions across the globe including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Art Institute of Chicago; Getty Conservation Institute; Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Firenze; National Gallery of London; Tate Britain; Warsaw Academy of Fine Art and the National Gallery of Denmark as well as a chapter covering the Thangka paintings by Nobel Prize winner Richard Ernst.Trade ReviewThis volume shows a global solution to a long-discussed problem: how to get scientists, art historians and conservators working together. The book presents a host of projects where collaboration has allowed all of these groups to learn from one another. Some chapters describe the science and techniques, useful for scientists wishing to work in a similar setting; others focus on the art, showing how the results of scientific studies have led to a deeper understanding of a corpus of artifacts, linking to particular cultural traditions.Science and art also provides an excellent read for art historians, who will instantly recognise the famous pieces that have been studied, while giving them insight into how a painting was constructed, what it is made from, or how the colours would have looked when they were freshly painted. -- Catherine Emma Nicholson * Chemistry World *Although aimed at both scholars and students, the book is more than just technical descriptions: it also covers art history and provenance and should appeal to those who appreciate art, not just artists and curators. Several chapters of interest to those who appreciate applications of analytical science to works of art representing their personal interests. This book could be an inspiration for courses titled Chemistry for Artists and Art Historians. In addition, various chapters could be inspiration for student research projects, especially for contemporary art. Science and Art is recommended for students, teachers, and the general public who are interested in chemistry or other sciences and art, as well as applications of the former to the latter. -- Robert E. Buntrock * Journal of Chemical Education *This volume shows a global solution to a long-discussed problem: how to get scientists, art historians and conservators working together. The book presents a host of projects where collaboration has allowed all of these groups to learn from one another.Some chapters describe the science and techniques, useful for scientists wishing to work in a similar setting; others focus on the art, showing how the results of scientific studies have led to a deeper understanding of a corpus of artifacts, linking to particular cultural traditions.Unsurprisingly, given the editorial board of the book, Science and art gives the reader an overview of the diverse range of projects that Charisma (cultural heritage advanced research, a multidisciplinary conservation and restoration project) researchers have been involved with. The book shows a number of analytical techniques that are now becoming essential in conservation science. Charisma researchers, along with other scientific experts, used their expertise to reveal hidden depths in many famous works.The book discusses various techniques, focusing on non-invasive methods such as infrared reflectance, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence and multispectral imaging as well as the more exotic synchrotron x- ray analysis.Science and art also provides an excellent read for art historians, who will instantly recognise the famous pieces that have been studied, while giving them insight into how a painting was constructed, what it is made from, or how the colours would have looked when they were freshly painted.I was struck by the editors’ choice not to only focus on European works, but to take a worldwide view, including chapters on Mayan manuscripts, Tibetan paintings and Japanese panels. This clearly shows that this blossoming research area requires even more bridges to be built, spanning research communities and forging stronger links between them. -- Catherine Emma Nicholson * Chemistry World *Table of ContentsScience and Art - My Two Passions; Study and Laser Uncovering of Hypogean Early Christian Wall Painting of Roma’s Catacombs of Santa Tecla and Domitilla; Scientific Examination for the Investigation and Conservation of Far East Asian Mural Paintings; Maya Mural Paintings in Calakmul: Pictorial Technique and Conservation; The Colours of Indigenous Memory: Non-Invasive Analyses of Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican Codices; Material Study of the Codex Colombino; Unveiling the Artistic Technique of the Florentine Codex: When the Old World and The New World Met; Colour In Medieval Portuguese Manuscripts: Between Beauty and Meaning; The Wall Paintings of the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa: The War, the Restoration, the Conservation;The Chemistry and Chemical Investigation of the Transition from Egg Tempera Painting To Oil In Italy In The 15th Century; Multi-Criterial Studies of The Masterpiece ‘The Last Judgement’, A Triptych Attributed To Hans Memling, At The National Museum of Gdańsk (2010-2013); Science and Conservation the Florentine O.P.D. and Raphael’s Madonna of The Goldfinch; Underdrawing In the Renaissance Paintings; An Integrated Approach To The Study and Preservation of Paintings Using Laser Light Technology; Diagnosis, Analysis and Cleaning; « Mens Agitat Molem »: New Insights into Nicolas Poussin’s Painting Technique by X-Ray Diffraction and Fluorescence Analyses; Japanese Painting of the Eighteen Century; As Time Passed By Came Sunset. Christen Købke’s View of Lake Sortedam, Its Genesis and Colour Changes; Examination of Vincent Van Gogh’s Paintings and Pigments by Means of State-of-The-Art Analytical Methods; A Vibrant Surface: Investigating Color, Texture and Transparency in Winslow Homer’s Watercolors; After The Fact; Evaluating Our Interdisciplinary Study of Mondrian’s Victory Boogie Woogie; Argentinean Murals: Conservation and Characterization of Pictorial Techniques; Material and Technical Studies of Some Paintings by Candido Portinari, A Major Brazilian Modernist Painter; Modern Painted Palimpsests. Deciphering the Artworks of Osvaldo Licini; The Burri Project: Researches for Technique and Conservation; John Hoyland: A British Master of Acrylic Painting; Outdoor Painted Surfaces in Contemporary Art; The Elusive and Transitory Materials in Contemporary Drawings;
£47.49
National Gallery Company Ltd A Closer Look: Conservation of Paintings
Book SynopsisA Closer Look is the new series title for the updated and refreshed National Gallery Pocket Guide range. The series has been enhanced with a stronger format, attractive design, new photography, and additional information. The philosophy of modern conservation is different from that of previous eras: the emphasis now is on long-term stabilization by methods that alter the structure of a painting as little as possible. Nevertheless, if paintings are obscured by discolored varnishes and old repaints, they are cleaned, and this has often led to anxiety and debate as long-admired images are transformed. A Closer Look: Conservation of Paintings discusses the material nature of paintings and the ways that they have changed, both naturally and at the hands of previous restorers. It also describes the main types of conservation treatment carried out on panel and canvas paintings and some of the complex issues involved in cleaning and restoration. Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press
£13.62
Editions Flammarion At Home with Art: A Beginner's Guide to
Book Synopsis
£16.20
De Gruyter MUSEALE RESTE
Book SynopsisReste fordern die Institution des Museums heraus. Es sind Kippfiguren, die Zuschreibungen öffnen und damit an Überschreitungen der taxonomischen, disziplinären, architektonischen und institutionellen Grenzen des Museums mitarbeiten. Sie sind überall anzutreffen – im Ausstellungsraum genauso wie im Depot, im Labor genauso wie in der Verwaltung. In jedem dieser Kontexte stehen jeweils andere Formen des professionellen Selbstverständnisses, des Wissens und des praktischen Umgangs zur Verfügung, die den Status von Resten determinieren. Der Band trägt dazu bei, Begriffe wie Rest, Abfall, Spuren, Ränder im Kontext des Museums zu präzisieren und für Debatten in Konservierung, Kuration, Kunstgeschichte und Museumsanthropologie neu zu bewerten.
£14.40
Hirmer Verlag Tibetan Mustang: A Cultural Renaissance
Book SynopsisTibetan culture revives in hidden Himalayan kingdom. Photographers Luigi Fieni and Kenneth Parker document the cultural revival of Tibetan Mustang “the hidden kingdom” of the Himalayas. A restoration project of its sacred temple murals directed by Luigi Fieni over more than 20 years has reawakened Buddhist traditions. Included is Mustang’s extraordinary landscape as well as the Lobas’ spiritual and secular way of life. The kingdom of Mustang, where Tibetan Buddhist tradition continues, is emerging as a beacon of community-directed art conservation and resurgent culture. Sacred temples dominate the medieval capital Lo Monthang. Following centuries of deterioration a mural restoration project has taken place over more then 20 years, directed by conservator/photographer Luigi Fieni. This included training the unskilled Lobas in Western conservation methods. This extraordinary initiative led to a vibrant cultural renaissance in the kingdom.
£52.00
Yale University Press Grotesques SixteenthCentury Frescoes in Rome Florence and Northern Italy
£28.50
Pluto Press A Programme of Absolute Disorder
£13.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Firebird
Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER THE KING'S MESSENGER, A STORY OF TREACHERY, BETRAYAL AND LOVE, COMING AUGUST 2024. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Winter Sea and The Vanished Days When a woman brings a small wooden carving into the art dealership, claiming it once belonged to a Russian Empress, Nicola Marter’s boss believes it is worthless. But Nicola has an unwanted, if rare, psychic gift. Holding 'The Firebird' in her hands, she knows this woman is telling the truth. Compelled to uncover its true history, Nicola must put her own past behind her. She contacts an old flame who can access the past in a way no one else can. Together they can find the real story of 'The Firebird'… Following history from Scotland, to Belgium and to St Petersburg, The Firebird is a sweeping story of love, sacrifice, courage and redemption. A journey that spans centuries and lifetimes t
£8.99
Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland
Book SynopsisChinese wallpaper has been an important element of western interior decoration for three hundred years. As trade between Europe and China flourished in the seventeenth century, Europeans developed a strong taste for Chinese art and design. The stunningly beautiful wall coverings now known as `Chinese wallpaper’ were developed by Chinese painting workshops in response to western demand. In spite of their spectacular beauty, Chinese wallpapers have not been studied in any depth until relatively recently. This book provides an overview of some of the most significant Chinese wallpapers surviving in the British Isles. Sumptuously illustrated, it shows how these wallpapers became a staple ingredient of high-end interiors while always retaining a touch of the exotic.Trade ReviewOffers dizzying temptations. After even a cursory flick, it is impossible not to feel one’s curiosity piqued by surviving descriptions, for example, of the Countess of Castlemaine’s rooms at Wantead House, "finely adorned with China paper, the Figures of Men, Women, Birds, Flowers, the Liveliest I ever saw.” -- Matthew Dennison * The World of Interiors *You would be forgiven for turning to Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland for the pictures alone. Here are tantalising glimpses of private chambers, hung with geometric arrangements of Chinese prints in the mid-18th century. Luxuriate only in the images, though, and you stand to miss de Bruijn’s formidable detective work, charting the complex cross-pollination of influences between Western Europe and China. -- Hettie Judah * Art Quarterly *This is the first volume in a welcome cooperation between The National Trust and Philip Wilson Publishers which, it is planned, will lead to a wider exposure to the public of some of the valuable and unique furnishings and valuables within the properties held by the NT. As usual, Philip Wilson Publishers have excelled with their production of this book on the wallpapers within National Trust properties. Up until now, there was just a slim National Trust brochure on this neglected subject. Now we have a proper book in which the illustration is matched by the scholarship. -- Paul Harris * Chinese Art Blog *Chinese wallpaper has been an important element of western interior decoration for three hundred years. As trade between Europe and China flourished in the seventeenth century, Eurpeans developed a strong taste for Chinese art and design. The stunningly beautiful wall coverings now known as Chinese wallpaper were developed by Chinese painting workshops in response to western demand. Despite their spectacular beauty, Chinese wallpapers have not been studied by European scholars in any depth until relatively recently. Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland, by Emile de Bruijn, changes that. It provides an overview of some of the most significant surviving Chinese wallpapers in private and public ownership in the British Isles. Sumptuously illustrated, it shows how these wallpapers be-came a staple ingredient of high-end interiors. * Asian Books Blog *De Bruijn’s book is highly readable, with plenty of appropriately sized, full-page colour illustrations of these exquisite wallpapers, which serve to extend the appeal of the book beyond the academic and professional to a much wider readership. * Institute of Historic Building Conservation *Table of ContentsIntroduction: A Global Product 1. The British Taste for Things Chinese 1600–1740 2. India Pictures 1690–1760 3. The Emergence of Chinese Wallpaper 1740–1765 4. Realms of Virtue and Harmony 1750–1810 5. Auspicious Gardens 1765–1790 6. Print Rooms 1760–1815 7. Variations on a Theme 1790–1835 8. A Late Flowering 1830–1890 9. Revival 1870–1970 10. A Living Tradition Chinese Wallpaper Now
£23.75
Getty Trust Publications Miracles and Machines: A Sixteenth-Century
Book SynopsisThis volume tells the singular story of an uncanny object at the cusp of art and science: a 450-year-old automaton known as “the monk.” The walking, gesticulating figure of a friar, in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, is among the earliest extant ancestors of the self-propelled robot. According to lore from the court of Philip II of Spain, the monk represents a portrait of Diego de Alcalá, a humble Franciscan lay brother whose holy corpse was said to be agent to the miraculous cure of Spain’s crown prince as he lay dying in 1562. In tracking the origins of the monk and its legend, the authors visited archives, libraries, and museums across the United States and Europe, probing the paradox of a mechanical object performing an apparently spiritual act. They identified seven kindred automata from the same period, which, they argue, form a paradigmatic class of walking “prime movers,” unprecedented in their combination of visual and functional realism. While most of the literature on automata focuses on the Enlightenment, this enthralling narrative journeys back to the late Renaissance, when clockwork machinery was entirely new, foretelling the evolution of artificial life to come.
£38.00
Getty Trust Publications The Renaissance Restored
Book SynopsisThis handsomely illustrated volume traces the intersections of art history and paintings restoration in nineteenth-century Europe. Repairing works of art and writing about them-the practices that became art conservation and art history-share a common ancestry. By the nineteenth century the two fields had become inseparably linked. While the art historical scholarship of this period has been widely studied, its restoration practices have received less scrutiny-until now. This book charts the intersections between art history and conservation in the treatment of Italian Renaissance paintings in nineteenth-century Europe. Initial chapters discuss the restoration of works by Giotto and Titian, framed by the contemporary scholarship of art historians such as Jacob Burckhardt, G. B. Cavalcaselle, and Joseph Crowe that was redefining the earlier age. Subsequent chapters recount how paintings conservation was integrated into museum settings. The narrative uses period texts, unpublished archival materials, and historical photographs in probing how paintings looked at a time when scholars were writing the foundational texts of art history, and how, simultaneously, contemporary restorers were negotiating the appearances of these works. The book proposes a model for a new conservation history, object focused yet enriched by consideration of a wider cultural horizon.Trade Review"An enjoyable book, full of new information and pertinent critical judgments. The central role of restoration in the history of museums has never been more visible."-Neville Rowley, curator at the Gemaldegalerie and Bode-Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; "Matthew Hayes's radical new study, written by a professional conservator, affords fascinating fresh insights into the complexity of conservation campaigns on Renaissance paintings in the nineteenth century, examining how successive interventions record and embody vital, but all too often neglected, knowledge. Re-situating the work of significant restorers within their historical, intellectual and cultural contexts, he elucidates their distinctive contributions to the interpretation of the art of the past within a network of diverse authorities, including owners and custodians, art historians, dealers, and museum professionals. Bringing to bear new conservation data as well as archival discoveries, Hayes argues that past restorations were never value-neutral but evidence instead their own complex art historical contexts. This rigorous yet highly readable study raises many questions relevant for contemporary practice and will be an indispensable, thought-provoking resource for art historians, conservators, and non-specialists alike."--Susanna Avery-Quash, Senior Research Curator (History of Collecting), National Gallery, London;; “This book explores the complex relationships between two disciplines that were in flux in nineteenth-century Europe: the history of art, in particular that of the Italian Renaissance, and the restoration of paintings. The author, a paintings conservator and art historian, is uniquely qualified to provide what is a fascinating historiographical deep dive into the period. Focusing on a series of thematically arranged case studies, Dr. Hayes explores the nature of restoration, highly specific to its time and place, and its connections to the people and ideas that shaped Europe’s great picture galleries. Important questions are threaded throughout: What did those early art historians, restorers, dealers, curators, and museum directors likely see when they looked at paintings? What was done to restore and preserve these works? How did this change their appearance? What traces of these activities exist today? And critically, how do these observations and interventions intersect with the contemporaneous art historical imaginations that were creating the concept of the Italian Renaissance? The answers make compelling scholarship.;; Familiar artists, paintings, and collections are viewed through a new lens. Using a wide range of sources— the nineteenth-century art historical literature of course, but also museum archival records, photographs, restorers’ accounts and letters, modern examination reports, and the material record of the paintings themselves—the author expertly creates a persuasive narrative of museum practice, art historical scholarship, and restoration in dialogue. This is a timely and important book; many of the traces of early restorations are disappearing as pictures are treated anew, just at a time when scholarly interest in the history of restoration is growing, and our scientific ability to study and understand the material history of a work of art becomes more accurate and less invasive. Elegantly written and amply illustrated, scholarly yet refreshingly jargon-free, this accessible book clearly explains both conservation activities (many no longer practiced) and the historiography of Italian Renaissance art. There are also concise biographies of the restorers who worked on pictures in Florence, Milan, Venice, and Berlin, giving welcome presence to the people so often overlooked in traditional art historical accounts. For all these reasons, The Renaissance Restored is essential reading for art historians, curators, conservators, and scholars of European intellectual history.” —Michele D. Marincola, Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of Conservation, Institute of Fine Arts, New York UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Finding Giotto in Florence Chapter 2: Titian and the Weight of Tradition Chapter 3: Charles Eastlake Directs Conservation Chapter 4: Bode, Hauser, and the Renaissance Museum Conclusion: Restoration and the Renaissance in the Nineteenth Century Notes Bibliography Index
£49.50