Marjorie Shelley

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses one of the world's largest and most comprehensive collections of antiquities and works of art. Their preservation is a responsibility that involves everyone who serves the Museum and who has access to the collection. This handbook offers a practical guide to the ways in which different art objects should be handled and cared for, whether they are on display, in transit, or in storage; and it also explains some of the fundamental principles of conservation that underlie Museum practice. The first part of the book sets out guidelines for dealing with the entire spectrum of works in the Metropolitan Museum: paintings, drawings and prints, textiles, costumes, musical instruments, and three-dimensional objects, whether monumental sculpture or filigree jewelry. In the second part the emphasis is on matters and procedures that affect the collection in general, such as climate controls, light levels, and photography. Included at the end are a selected glossary of conservation terms, a short reading list, and space for the reader's own notes. Drawing on the professional experience of curators and conservators from many different departments, The Care and Handling of Art Objects has been put together primarily for those who work in the Metropolitan Museum. What it has to say, however, will be of great interest to others - private collectors large and small, museum visitors, and concerned members of the public [Publisher description]

Practices in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Care and Handling of Art Objects

Ronald G. Pisano

William Merritt Chase

D. Frederick Baker

The first in a beautiful four-volume complete catalogue of all known works by the beloved American artist William Merritt Chase A perennial favorite of museum visitors, the works of William Merritt Chase (1849-1916) embody the quintessential characteristics of American Impressionism: outdoor landscapes, a colorful palette, and an energetic brushstroke. He was also a portrait painter of the first rank, a master of still life, a renowned teacher, and a leader of artists' societies. This gorgeous book, the first of a four-volume definitive catalogue, features Chase's stunning paintings in pastel, which constitute a major and previously understudied body of work by the artist; monotypes; painted tiles and plates; watercolors; and prints. Reconstructing Chase's oeuvre is a daunting task, as the artist left few records of any kind, and no documentation of his individual works exists. Furthermore, Chase's paintings and pastels have been forged in great numbers throughout the years, and many of these works still surface on the art market. Making this long-awaited volume even more valuable is a list of every known exhibition of Chase's work during the artist's lifetime, selected examples of major post-1917 exhibitions, and an essay on Chase's innovative pastel technique.

The Complete Catalogue of Known and Documented Work by William Merritt Chase (1849-1916)

Roberta Olson

Ny Historical Society

The Birds of America is a classic, but it has never been explored like this before. This volume presents the dazzling watercolours that Audubon painted for these monumental engravings. We are all familiar with the prints--engraved by Robert Havell Jr. But this book illuminates the original masterpieces that were created by Audubon himself, as well as telling the story behind their creation with fresh insights and engaging quotes from his writings. These powerful images - all newly photographed using state-of-the-art techniques - possess a startling immediacy, vibrancy, and fluidity that link natural history, art, and a respect for the environment. These watercolours transmit Audubon's devotion to his craft with their inscriptions and layers of media wrought with a miniaturist's attention to detail and revolutionary compositions which for the first time in history depict all the birds lifesize. They thrust you directly into the scene - you are embedded with Audubon in the forests of young America, observing these amazing creatures in their natural habitats. In fact, as the essays reveal, Audubon is considered America's first great watercolourist, introducing innovative approaches developed over a lifetime of study. Even judged alongside today's technology, his dramatic tableaux remain some of the most spectacular natural history documents and visually arresting works of art ever produced. The first quarter of the book consists of three substantial essays, each fully illustrated with colour figures: 1) "Audubon, An American Icon: A Biographical Sketch" by Roberta Olson, 2) "Audubon and the Traditions of Ornithological Illustration" by Robera Olson, and 3) "My Style of Drawing: Audubon's Artistic Workshop and Practices" by Marjorie Shelley. Then comes the plates section with full-page reproductions of 112 of the best of the watercolours, each accompanied by a pagelong caption explaining each bird's habits and habitat as well as notes on the artistic techniques used, woven through with Audubon's own words. At the end is a thumbnail index with smaller reproductions of the remaining 362 watercolours that exist, followed by a catalog listing of all the watercolours, a chronology of Audubon's life, a bibliography, and index.

The Original Watercolors for the Birds of America

Audubon's Aviary

Ashley E. Dunn

Colta Ives

Known as the master of French Romanticism for his energetic paintings, Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) was also a consummate draftsman. Yet his drawings remained largely unknown to the public during his lifetime. Beginning with a posthumous studio sale in 1864, however, these drawings have been sought after and widely appreciated for the incomparable insight they afford into the artist’s process. This handsome book, one of the few to explore the topic in depth, provides new insight into Delacroix’s drawing practice, paying particular attention to his methods and the ways in which he pushed the boundaries of the medium. It showcases a selection of more than one hundred drawings, many of which have been rarely seen, from Karen B. Cohen’s world-renowned collection. The works highlighted here range from finished watercolors to sketches, from copies after old masters and popular prints to drawings preparatory to many of Delacroix’s most important painting and print projects. Illustrated with a wealth of comparative images, the book examines the essential role of drawing in the artist’s formation and aesthetic practice, while two shorter texts trace the history of the collecting of Delacroix’s work at the Metropolitan Museum and present important new research on his materials and techniques. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana}

The Karen B. Cohen Collection

Delacroix Drawings

Katharine Baetjer

Metropolitan museum of art (New York, N.Y.).

Images of 18th-century Europe

Pastel Portraits

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of works of art from antiquities to modern and contemporary material. Their preservation is a responsibility shared by the many individuals employed at the Museum who oversee and have direct contact with the collection on a daily basis. The Care and Handing of Art Objects—first published in the 1940s and continually updated—offers a guide to the best practices in handling and preserving works of art while on display, in storage and in transit. It explains many of the fundamental principles of conservation that underlie these methods. One of its goals is to make the complexities of caring for a collection readily accessible. The first part offers basic guidelines for the preservation of the diverse types of materials and art objects found in the Met. Each chapter addresses the physical characteristics specific to the particular category, and the environmental, handling and housing factors to which one should be alert to prevent damage and ensure their preservation. Written by experts in the respective specialty, it addresses the Museum’s vast holdings summarizing the most critical preservation issues, many of which are amplified by photographs. As the table of contents makes evident these range from paintings on canvas and works on paper and photographs to furniture and objects made of stone, wood and metals to arms and armor, upholstery, ethnographic materials and many others. Part II succinctly describes factors that affect the collection as a whole: among them, current environmental standards for temperature, relative humidity, light exposure, storage and art in transit. Based on Museum protocols it addresses emergency preparedness and response, and integrated pest management. For easy reference, it includes charts on storage and display conditions, on factors contributing to deterioration, and a glossary of conservation terms, principles, and housing materials referenced in the individual chapters. Drawing upon the knowledge of conservators, scientists, and curators from many different departments, as well as technicians and engineers whose expertise crosses boundaries of culture, chronology, medium and condition, The Care and Handing of Art Objects is primarily directed to staff at the Met. It is, no less, an invaluable resource for students, collectors, small museums, museum study programs, art dealers, and members of the public who want to enhance their understanding of how works of art are safeguarded and the role environment, handling and materials play in making this possible.

Practices in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (revised edition, 2019)

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)

Helene Barbara Weinberg

Stephanie L. Herdrich

John Singer Sargent

"The Museum's collection illuminates all aspects of Sargent's career. The drawings and watercolors in particular reflect his activity outside the portrait studio: his sojourns in Spain, Morocco and elsewhere in North Africa, and in the Middle East; his enduring fascination with Venice; his holidays in the Italian lake district and the Alps; his tours of North America, including Florida and the Rocky Mountains; his visit as an official war artist to the western front in 1918; and his work as a muralist at the Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Harvard University's Widener Library."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

American Drawings and Watercolors in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Marjorie Shelley

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