The Care and Handling of Art Objects: Practices in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses one of the world's largest and most comprehensive collections of antiquities and works of art. Their preservation is a responsibility that involves everyone who serves the Museum and who has access to the collection. This handbook offers a practical guide to the ways in which different art objects should be handled and cared for, whether they are on display, in transit, or in storage; and it also explains some of the fundamental principles of conservation that underlie Museum practice. The first part of the book sets out guidelines for dealing with the entire spectrum of works in the Metropolitan Museum: paintings, drawings and prints, textiles, costumes, musical instruments, and three-dimensional objects, whether monumental sculpture or filigree jewelry. In the second part the emphasis is on matters and procedures that affect the collection in general, such as climate controls, light levels, and photography. Included at the end are a selected glossary of conservation terms, a short reading list, and space for the reader's own notes. Drawing on the professional experience of curators and conservators from many different departments, The Care and Handling of Art Objects was put together primarily for those who work in the Metropolitan Museum. What it has to say, however, will be of great interest to others: private collectors large and small, museum visitors, and concerned members of the public. The principal author, Marjorie Shelley, Conservator of Prints and Drawings, has been at the Museum since 1974. Her area of specialization includes all media on paper and related materials, and she has lectured and written on the conservation, treatment, and analysis of works of art in her field. Ms Shelley holds an M.A. in art history and a diploma in conservation from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University.