The Trenton American Chemical Society, TCNJ Student Chemistry Association, and the Department of Art and Art History are hosting the following seminar:
“The Art and Science of Art Conservation: When works of art begin to deteriorate, how are they repaired?”
By Margaret Little, The Barnes Foundation
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Science Complex-Physics 101
6:30 lecture
Snacks at 6:00 in lobby area
Abstract:
The preservation and restoration of art objects is an activity entrusted to professionals called art conservators. Trained in studio arts, art history and science, conservators use principles learned in these disciplines to provide the optimum environment to preserve art objects. However, as art objects age conservators may need to intervene to halt deterioration. The process of conservation will be presented in a discussion of the treatment of a Greek pyxis dated to 750 BCE. The pyxis is in the collection of the Barnes Foundation and the story of its restoration demonstrates how art and science are combined to preserve art objects.
Speaker Bio sketch:
Margaret Little is the senior conservator of objects. She was hired by the Barnes Foundation in 2009 as a senior project conservator to assist in the preparation of the collection for relocation to the new educational facility in Philadelphia. After completion of the move project Ms. Little became the senior conservator of objects. Since 2012 she has completed a variety of conservation projects, assisted in researching and choosing new digital x-radiography equipment and is currently implementing the planned treatment of the Foundation’s metalwork collection.
Prior to working at the Barnes Foundation Ms. Little worked at Winterthur Museum for 17 years. Her general responsibilities included examination, analysis, documentation and treatment of objects in the collection. She had a leadership role in the conservation division’s exhibit and loan team, representing the division in exhibit planning and implementation meetings. In addition to her work for the Museum, Ms. Little was an adjunct assistant professor in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, responsible for curriculum development and teaching in the graduate training program in art conservation. Before working at Winterthur Museum, Ms. Little was an assistant conservator at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Ms. Little received her M.S. degree in art conservation from the University of Delaware, and a B.A. degree in Anthropology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.