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ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 45 | June 2000


Prouts Strutt their stuff:
Significant works get the treatment

Watercolour by John Skinner Prout

This watercolour by John Skinner Prout was among the early works to undergo conservation treatment.
John Skinner Prout (1805–1876)
Broulee, NSW, 1843
Watercolour, 22.8 x 37 cm
Rex Nan Kivell Collection; from the Pictorial Collection

Preservation Services has organised an project to provide long-needed treatment to some of the Library’s holdings of early artists in Australia which are listed on the Register of Nationally Significant Items.

Watercolours and drawings by John Skinner Prout, William Strutt, George French Angas and William Hodges were the first to be worked on. Most of the works were reasonably stable and in good storage but needed treatments such as tear repairs, adhesive and stain removals, backing removals and new mounts.

Preservation Services has adopted an innovative approach to the project, combining out-sourcing with an in-house contract. Starting in February this year, private paper conservator Kerry McInnis of Art & Archival Paper Conservation was contracted to work with Collection Preservation staff one day a week. Kerry has worked in her Queanbeyan, New South Wales, laboratory for the past 15 years, building a reputation for fine, reliable paper conservation treatments.

A large number of Prout and Strutt watercolours and wash drawings were the first to be treated. Many of the watercolours needed complicated treatments involving washing and suction table work resulting in much more vibrant colours than were previously visible. The Angas wash drawings had suffered water damage at some stage of their life, resulting in large corner losses. Staff gained from Kerry’s wealth of experience and technical skills at infilling and colour matching in restoring these works.

Currently the collection of William Hodges's red chalk drawings of South Pacific figures is being worked on. They have very brittle and acidic backing boards which are being removed and modified so that the drawings can be remounted in a similar way. The first phase of the project will continue until June and is providing staff with an opportunity to polish their conservation treatment skills, which can become rusty in the broad collection management environment.

A very focused approach, together with some reorganising of priorities, has allowed both Preservation Services staff and the collection to benefit. It is hoped the project will continue intermittently over the next few years.

Chesley Engram

Watercolours and drawings by John Skinner Prout, William Strutt, George French Angas and William Hodges have benefited from the preservation project

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