Programme workshop Preventive conservation

Day 1

9.00 Welcome (SAMA?)

9.10 Introduction
Duncan Bull, Senior Curator of Paintings at the Rijksmuseum will give a short introduction
as to the whys and wherefores of these study-days, the collaboration between the Dutch
Ministry of Culture, the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency and the Rijksmuseum, and our
mutual interest in the museums of South Africa.

9.40 CollectieCentrum Nederland

Alexandra van Kleef, Collections Management Advisor of the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency,
will share her experience in working together with three big museums in the Netherlands in
the preparation of more than 700.000 objects for their move to a new storage facility where
the four organization’s will work together in the future.

10.00 Preventive Conservation in Practice

Jaap van der Burg, founder of Helicon Conservation Support, will give a practice
assignment to make and categorise an inventory of possibly damaging occurrences. A short
recap of the ‘agents of deterioration’ and a variety of examples of how they manifest
themselves in day to day working with collections will follow. Special attention with video
and demonstrations will be given to physical energy as in shocks and vibration. Various types
of humidity will be discussed.

10.30 Coffee break

10.45 The deterioration of metal artefacts and some basic (preventive) conservation treatment
options
Ellen van Bork, Metal Conservator at the Rijksmuseum and Lecturer at the University of
Amsterdam, will give a presentation on the damage and decay of historical and
archaeological metal artefacts. A short introduction will be given on why metal decays,
followed by an explanation of how to recognise damage and deterioration, and how to
determine whether or not an object is stable.

11.15 Taking care of works of art on paper in a museum (in a nutshell); from organizing your
depot to doing small repairs’
Idelette van Leeuwen, Head of the Paper Conservation Studio of the Rijksmuseum, will give a
presentation that starts with an overview of the different sorts of paper objects that you can
find in a museum. A short introduction will be given on the types of damages that can occur
and she will discuss the probable causes of these damages and how to prevent and repair
them.

11.45 Questions and discussions

12.30 Lunch
13.30 Rounds of workshops

Workshop 1 (Jaap)
The participants will get the chance to work in smaller groups, examining several objects that show
different types of deterioration. The participants will be asked to try to determine what type of
deterioration or damage they are looking at and what may have caused it. This will be discussed in an
open session with the lecturer. This session will include different types of objects.

Workshop 2 (Ellen)
The participants will get the chance to work in smaller groups, examining several objects that show
different types of deterioration. The participants will be asked to try to determine what type of
deterioration or damage they are looking at and what may have caused it. This will be discussed in an
open session with the lecturer. This session will be about metal objects.

Workshop 3 (Idelette)
In the workshop different methods of mounting prints and drawings can be studied by taking a closer
look at samples. A demonstration of two different mounting techniques will be given and the
participants can choose one of these techniques to try themselves.

14.45 Changing to a different workshop

14.50 Round 2 of workshops

16.00 End of day 1

Day 2

9.00 Welcome back!

9.10 Questions for today

9.30 Organisational elements

This time Jaap focusses on moments in projects when and where damage might occur. These
occurrences will be categorised in organisational elements.
Presentation on ‘circles of impact and influence’
Presentation on ‘good housekeeping’ including pest management.

10.00 Treatment of metal objects

The second presentation of Ellen will outline several (preventive) treatment options for
metal artefacts. The pros and cons of treatment will be discussed, giving participants an
introduction to the ethics and decision-making processes involved in treatment of metals.
Three common environments for metal artefacts will be discussed: objects displayed in a
showcase, objects displayed outside a showcase (e.g. in a historic house) and objects kept in
storage.

10.30 Coffee break

10.45 Exhibiting works of art on paper

Idelette will focus on how to display works of art on paper. Looking at light levels and
climate. Talking about frames, window mounts and more. Lending and borrowing of works of
art on paper; procedures, condition checks and installation.

11.15 Short recap and exchanging experiences

12.00 Lunch

13.00 Round 1 of workshops

Workshop 1 (Jaap)
Presentation of and discussion about materials most commonly used in preventive conservation.
What is expected compared to what actually does happen.

Workshop 2 (Ellen)
During this workshop different materials commonly used in (preventive) metals conservation will be
demonstrated. This will include materials such a waxes, lacquers, and supplies for sealing objects in
polyethylene bags. The participants will get a chance to apply the materials on mock-ups.

Workshop 2 (Idelette)
After the lecture on exhibiting works of art on paper we will go into the museum and look at the way
works of art are exhibited. We will take a lux /UV/RH/T -meter with us. We will look at the standard
condition report form used by the Rijksmuseum and learn how to use it.

14.15 Changing to a different workshop

14.20 Round 2 of workshops

15.35 Looking back on the workshop, sharing ideas and saying goodbye
16.00 End of day 2