Conserving Art on Paper

Here in the Paper Conservation Lab conservators examine, document and treat a wide variety of works on paper for exhibition, acquisition and collections storage. The collections include prints, drawings, watercolors, and photographic materials, all of which have their own unique physical and aesthetic characteristics.

Typical conservation treatments and preventive measures include surface cleaning, removing harmful attachments such as pressure-sensitive tape and poor-quality matting materials, reducing discoloration and staining, flattening paper distortions, and housing artworks in chemically-stable, acid-free materials.