As a recent graduate, I have had limited knowledge and experience of the conservation field in ‘real life’, so it was very exciting to be able to attend Conservation Uncovered as my first international conference as a newly qualified paper conservator.
I was fortunate enough to take part thanks to Icon’s bursary scheme which allowed me to visit in person at The National Archives in London, and I was also able to visit Lambeth Palace Library for a tour of their conservation facilities where we were warmly welcomed by staff and shown several beautifully designed studio and storage spaces, ending with a stunning view over the Thames from the Library’s top floor, and a chat over tea and coffee.
I was interested in attending due to the focus on the partnership between conservation and heritage science, as the use of analytical equipment was integral to my research as a student, and I was eager to see how the skills learned in conservation could continue to be paired with the use of scientific analysis in order to give a better understanding of an object’s materiality and structure and the benefits this could have for any future treatment and preservation.
A particular highlight which I felt neatly summed up the reciprocal nature of these two specialisms was the presentation of the Graz Mummy Book by Theresa Zammit Lupi and Lena Krämer, which promoted not only of the use of technical equipment to support their research, but the ability to pair this with the more practical-based methods used in conservation such as model making, and the importance of including these insights when discussing their findings. Yungjin Shin’s reconstruction of the 15 th century Codex Lippomano took this a step further and gave a truly impressive look into the skills and craftsmanship needed in bookbinding, and emphasized again the significance of the tactile nature of conservation work.
There were also many speakers that showed the benefits of including data using techniques such as FTIR and XRF analysis, notably Maryisia Tarnowska’s investigation of the deterioration of leather bindings in 19 th century books, as well as Amy Junker Heslip and Marc Vermeulen’s work to identify the dyes and pigments used in historic Chinese wallpapers, with both giving a better indication of how these specimens may have deteriorated with age and noting the presence of any hazardous materials.
It was a pleasure to be able to attend this year and to have the opportunity to both meet new people and catch up with former colleagues, as well as to fully experience being part of a community of like-minded and enthusiastic professionals at the start of what I hope will be a long and enriching career as a conservator. I would like to thank the staff at Lambeth Palace Library and The National Archives for their time and hospitality, the speakers for their excellent and thought-provoking presentations, as well as the Icon Book and Paper Group for their organisation and the awarding of this bursary.
Joanna Hulin
Paper Conservator