Resources: SSN Workshop on ‘First Aid’ for Paintings (13 November 2019)

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Conservator Lynne Harrison presenting an example of an emergency ‘grab bag’ and discussing with delegates how this could be adapted for different organisations and collections © Flavia Dietrich-England

Conservator Lynne Harrison presenting an example of an emergency ‘grab bag’ and discussing with delegates how this could be adapted for different organisations and collections © Flavia Dietrich-England

On 13 November 2019, members of the Subject Specialist Network European Paintings pre-1900 attended a practical workshop on the topic ‘First Aid for Paintings’. National Gallery Conservator Lynne Harisson demonstrated the National Gallery’s Incident Response Grab Bag. This kit is designed as a first response, much like a first aid kit, to be used to try to halt any damage incurred and prevent further damage until the conservators can attend to the painting. Participants were invited to explore how this model could be adapted to different types of organisations and collections, particularly those without on-site conservation staff.

Information presented and discussed at the workshop is also available via the following resources:

Wiki link

http://research.ng-london.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Incident_response_grab_bag

Main publication

Blewett, M., Harrison, L. and D. Peggie. Incident preparedness at the National Gallery: Developing a grab bag for rapid response to a corrosive attack. Studies in Conservation, vol 60, no.6. 393-417

Additional references

M. Blewett, L. Harrison, D. Peggie, ‘Preparing for the Worst: Redeveloping and Tailoring a Rapid Response Bag and Procedure to the Specific Needs and Limitations of the National Gallery’, Postprints from the Paintings Specialty Group at the Joint AC-ACCR (42ndAnnual Meeting) AIC (44th Annual Meeting), Montreal, American Institute for Conservation, May 2016 (published 2017). URL: https://www.culturalheritage.org/docs/default-source/periodicals/2016-abstract-book.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Morwenna Blewett, Lynne Harrison et David Peggie, « Protecting Paintings from Vandalism: updating rapid response procedures at the National Gallery, London », CeROArt [En ligne], HS | 2018, mis en ligne le 08 décembre 2018, consulté le 09 novembre 2019. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/ceroart/5629