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)

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