WINTERTHUR/UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE PROGRAM IN ART CONSERVATION (WUDPAC)
M.S. Art Conservation
Major: Paper
Minor: Organic Objects
Backing removal testing using different rigid agarose gels. Seminar with Michelle Sullivan.
Making a book model for the Yongle Encyclopedia (永乐大典) during the Chinese book binding workshop with Dan Paterson at Cornell University.
Preparing samples for PMF MALDI-TOF. WUDPAC science research project
Examining results of humidifying and flattening seminar. Paper samples (from top to bottom) are tracing paper, Western cotton rag paper, Xuan paper (宣纸). Seminar with Joan Irving.
Taking AT photograph for the Chinese horn lantern shade treatment.
Presenting at ANAGPIC 2023 hosted by the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at Harvard University
Observing the moisture retention of different concentrations of agarose rigid gels. Seminar with Michelle Sullivan.
Ivory identification. Seminar with Terry Drayman-Weisser.
Performing XRF on Chinese export painted landscape miniatures from the Winterthur Museum collection at West Chester University.
Reviewing Chinese mounting fundamentals (lining paper) at the NMAA during the Spring semester independent study.
Paper bathing technique using Tek-wipe. Seminar with Joan Irving.
Detail of Chinese export landscape miniature showing under a microscope.
Performing PMF MALDI-TOF at the University of Delaware analyzing ivory samples.
Tinting gampi paper to fill a loss on the Chinese horn lantern shade.
SECOND-YEAR SEMINARS
The second-year paper major coursework includes seminars that highlight a variety of conservation and material identification techniques. Seminars are taught by WUDPAC faculty or by visiting instructors. Additional seminars were also taken to fulfill requirements for the organic objects minor.
Paper Major Seminars:
Humidification and Flattening taught by Joan Irving (Assistant Director of Conservation, Senior Paper Conservator, and Affiliated Professor at WUDPAC).
Pressure Sensitive Tapes taught by Joan Irving.
Gels taught by Michelle Sullivan (Associate Paper Conservator at the J. Paul Getty Museum).
Backing Removal taught by Joan Irving.
Stain Reduction/Bleaching taught by Joan Irving.
Bathing I & II taught by Joan Irving and Joanna Hurd (Associate Paper Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts). Download seminar report.
Local Stain Reduction/Chelators taught by Joan Irving
Enzymes taught by Joan Irving
Pulp Filling taught by Renate Mesmer (Eric Weinman Head of Conservation at the Folger Shakespeare Library) and Jennifer Evers (Book Conservator at the Library of Congress).
Lining taught by Minah Song (Independent Paper Conservator at Minah Song Art Services LLC)
Preservation Housing/Matting and Framing taught by Lucia Torner Morales (Private Conservator).
Organic Objects Minor Seminars:
Ivory Identification taught by Terry Drayman-Weisser (Conservator Emerita and Former Director of Conservation and Technical Research at the Walters Art Museum)
Lacquer Identification and Degradation taught by Marianne Webb (Private Conservator at Webb Conservation Services)
Mist Consolidation taught by Lara Kaplan (Objects Conservator, Affiliated Professor at WUDPAC).
Additional Seminars and Workshops:
East Asian Book Binding and Conservation Workshop at Cornell University taught by Dan Patterson (Senior Book Conservator at the Library of Congress)
The Care and Handling of East Asian Painting Formats taught by Grace Jan (Yao Wenqing Chinese Painting Conservator at the National Museum of Asian Art, D.C.) and Akiko Niwa (Japanese Painting Conservator at the National Museum of Asian Art, D.C.).
Writing Inks & Instruments taught by Melissa Tedone (Lab Head, Conservator of Library Materials, and Affiliated Professor at WUDPAC)
Paper Marbling taught by Melissa Tedone.
Private Practice taught by Lara Kaplan.
Preservation Management taught by Dr. Ellen Cunningham-Kruppa (Associate Director and Head of Preservation and Conservation at the Harry Ransom Center)
Grant Writing taught by Jackie Killian (Assistant Director of Academic Programs at Winterthur)
Polarized Light Microscopy taught by Kirsten Travers Moffitt (Conservator & Materials Analyst at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation).
SECOND-YEAR COURSEWORK
Fall Elective: Conservation Cleaning Methods taught by Matthew Cushman (Conservator of Paintings and Affiliated Professor at WUDPAC)
Deliverables include:
Annotated bibliography on aqueous cleaning strategies and treatments of East Asian paintings with a focus on Chinese paintings.
Ongoing experimentation with the application of microemulsion rigid agarose gels for the surface stain removal of mounted structures (East Asian paintings) without complete remounting.
Spring Elective: Independent Study - An Exploration of Techniques, Styles, and Materials Used in Traditional Chinese Mountings
Deliverables will include:
A bibliography of both English and Mandarin sources.
Visual characteristics of the main mounting styles.
Jíng piàn (镜片) in traditional Chinese mounting aesthetics.
Project Supervisors: Catherine Matsen (Senior Scientist and Affiliated Professor at WUDPAC), Matthew Cushman, Joan Irving, and Lara Kaplan
Scholars Consulted: Liu Mengyu 刘梦雨 (Researcher in the Architectural Heritage Department 古建部 at the Beijing Palace Museum and previous Winterthur Research Fellow), Patrick Conner (Research Fellow at the Victoria & Albert Museum, formerly the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London), Dr. Edward “Ned” Cooke (Yale University), Kee Il Choi Jr. (University of Zurich), Dr. Romita Ray (Associate Professor of Art and Architectural History at Syracuse University), and Dr. Vimalin Rujivacharakul (Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Delaware).
Additional Acknowledgements: Dr. Rosie Grayburn (Scientist and Lab Head for Scientific Research and Analysis, Affiliated Associate Professor at WUDPAC), Dr. Jocelyn Alcántara-García (Conservation Scientist and Associate Professor at WUDPAC), Dr. W. Christian Petersen (Volunteer Scientist and Affiliated Associate Professor at WUDPAC), Dr. Zachary Voras (Professor of Chemistry at West Chester University), William Donnelly (Associate Preventive Conservator at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library)
Presentations: “Made in China”: The Material Compositions of Six Chinese Export Landscape Miniatures from the Winterthur Museum” at the Annual Conference of the Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation at the Harvard Art Museums, Boston, MA (2023).