In the absence of direction from the artist, the curatorial question
resolves down to preservation of the artifact, and that raises the
question of fixatives.

There are a couple of traditional fixatives which may be applied to
an unfixed pastel (and synthetic fixatives are not really an option).
Skim milk is one; a better one is ox gall.

Fixatives may alter the appearance of the pastel; ox gall creates
the least change in appearance.  There are two ways of preparing ox
gall for use in this context, and ox gall as used by water color artists
is not the correct one.

Jack

>Dear list members,
>We have recently been given a wonderful pastel drawing by an early 20th
>century regional artist. It had been in a local family for several decades
>and was in a dime store frame, acidic mat etc.  When our paper conservator
>took it out of the frame and mat to work on it, she found that the artist
>had never applied a fixative to the pastel and that there has been some
>smearing and rubbing of the surface where the edges of the window mat
>touched the drawing.  She has asked me if I would like to apply a fixative
>to the pastel to avoid further damage and loss to the surface.
>
>I have never had to deal with conservation issues related to pastels and am
>wondering about the curatorial implications (altering the nature of the
>drawing etc.). I would love to hear pros and cons from other curators out
>there who have faced the same question.
>
>Thank you.
>Margaret Bullock
>Associate Curator of American Art
>Portland Art Museum (OR)


Jack C. Thompson
Thompson Conservation Lab.
7549 N. Fenwick
Portland, OR  97217

503/735-3942  (voice/fax)

http://www.teleport.com/~tcl

"The lyfe so short; the craft so long to lerne."
Chaucer  _Parlement of Foules_ 1386

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