Using an optical instrument, magnifying glass, binocular or microscope is a daily routine in the curation and conservation world. Choosing such an important device to be our daily ally […]
End of the year festivities are coming and we know some of you will make things at home to give to your loved ones. To help you in this endeavor […]
Some of us store various amounts of gizmos and doodahs in attics or garages, washed up in improbable boxes invariably labeled « misc. » during a consequent period. Among those items […]
Now that you are well acquainted to the fact that in order to restore you need to understand, let’s dive into some of the issues and pitfalls lurking in […]
Using a pencil to draw, take notes or make shopping lists started around the XVIth century. The lines produced by its lead are similar to the ones made by […]
Every famous explorer worth his or her salt brought back natural specimens from their journeys. This practice historically created most of the modern natural history museums, enriching their collections […]
It is now time for us to learn how to draw acanthus the easy and fool-proofed way, courtesy of M.Page. Let’s start with the grid that will be the basis […]
Did you know furniture moldings and architectural decor could be described the same way ?
Now, you try!
This storage chest is richly ornamented: the three carved statues on the front represent […]
Chemical composition is one of the key elements to trace the origin and the age of old papers. Elements such as cotton fibers shouldn’t be found in papers before […]
Cinnabar is a natural compound containing mercury(II) sulfide. Processing cinnabar results in a fine, brilliant, deep red powder : it has been used ever since the antiquity as « Vermilion » to […]
Anaximander is, according to Themistius, the first pre-socratic philosopher to write about nature in De Natura, where he speculates about the universe around him and its construction. He also […]
As we’ve already mentioned here, it is of the utmost importance to be able to describe a piece we’re working on as precisely as possible .
When furniture and wood […]
We talked in a previous post of the extensive use western art made of the Acanthus outline. As an art restorer, it is one useful thing to know how […]
A few years ago, if you were in France by the beginning of December, you’d have witnessed a strange thing appearing on the windows of the Patisseries. A fad […]
Some of you, foodies and culinary shows aficionados, may already know it : french cuisine has been listed as the intagible heritage list of UNESCO in 2010. The mayonnaise recipe is […]
Acanthus mollis luscious leaves are among the most popular ornamental designs in western art since antiquity.
One of the first documented occurrences of stylized acanthus leaves are to be found […]
Ever wondered what were the common elements between a teapot, a pasture and a leather shoe ? What ? Never wondered about that ? How peculiar ! Yet, the answer is simple : a cow. […]
In a nutshell, plaster is a generic designation for a protective or decorative coating. As a material it is most commonly prepared by heating gypsum then grinding it to […]
The Japanese technique of « restoration with gold », teeny-tiny essay about occidental restoration. Japanese restoration technique known as « Kintsugi » is ancient. As with every very ancient things, its origins remain a […]
Reseda luteola is a plant species in the genus Reseda. Its common names include dyer’s rocket, dyer’s weed, weld and yellow weed. Before the invention of stable synthetic dyes, this […]
