The conservators contribute to the research carried out on works
in the collection by carrying out detailed technical examinations.
This can include analysis of samples, archival research as well as
artist interviews.
Overview
Conservation research provides information about construction
and materials which can help determine causes of deterioration,
suitable approaches to treatment, age and authenticity.
Technical examinations have been carried out on paintings that
require extensive treatment such as Still on Top c.1874 by James
Tissot which was extensively damaged in a theft in 1998.
In addition, the conservators at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o
Tamaki have also carried out research looking at the materials and
techniques of New Zealand artists such as Frances Hodgkins, Rita
Angus, Gottfried Lindauer and Colin McCahon, as well as
international artists, Henry Fuseli and Guido Reni.
Many of the studies have been published and the following can be
accessed through any links below, or by the actual
publications:
- 'Outside the square: A considered approach to the
treatment of a three-dimensional paper object' by Ute
Larsen and Camilla Baskcomb, published in the preprints of the
6th AICCM Book, Paper & Photographic Materials Symposium Nov
2010, Melbourne, pp 29 - 33
- 'Primarily a water colourist? The materials &
techniques of Frances Hodgkins' watercolour and gouache works on
paper' by Ute Larsen, published in the Journal of the
Institute of Conservation, Vol 32, number 1, March
2009, pp 3-14
- 'Auckland's St Sebastian by Guido Reni' by
Sarah Hillary and Mary Kisler, published in the the Journal of the
Institute of Conservation, Vol 32, No 2, March 2009, pp 205-218
(available here)
- 'Henry Fuseli: necessity or frugality? The artist's
selection of drawing papers' by Camilla Baskcomb and Ute
Larsen, published in the Journal of the Institute of
Conservation, Vol 32, number 1, March 2009, pp 15-29
- 'Colour, tone, Line & Form: Rita Angus's
technique' by Sarah Hillary and Katherine Campbell, In
Rita Angus: Life and Vision, edited by William McAloon and Jill
Trevelyan, Te Papa Press, 2008.
- 'Selected Area XPS Analysis for Identification of
Pigment Compounds in Microscopic Paint Flakes' on the
watercolour by Henry Fuseli, The Great Father and Ancient
Night, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki (1965/73), by Bryony
Joanne James, Rebecca Cameron, and Camilla Baskcomb
Research Letters in Materials Science, Volume 2008 (2008),
Article ID 247053, 4 pages, doi:10.1155/2008/247053.
- 'Traction reaction: severe deterioration of
household and paving paints used by Colin McCahon' by
Sarah Hillary, Tom Learner and Rachel Rivenc, in Contemporary
Collections, AICCM National Conference Preprints, 2007,
Brisbane.
- 'A Painters Paradise: the materials and techniques of
Colin McCahon' by Sarah Hillary, published in the Journal
of New Zealand Art History, 2006, Vol 27
- 'A Lively Parrot: Frances Hodgkins's Wings Over
Water' by Sarah Hillary and Joyce Townsend, published
in the Journal of New Zealand Art History, Vol 26. Also
reproduced in
Tate Papers, Spring 2006
- 'Beneath the Surface: McCahon's Materials and
techniques 1954-66' by Sarah Hillary and Kendrah Morgan is
available below
.
Support from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board
and Creative New Zealand
made some of these research projects possible.