As a research assistant at the Center for Architectural Conservation, my work primarily focused on two projects: the Historic Pigment Collection and the Wharton Esherick Museum (WEM) Silo Stucco Analytical Project. These initiatives allowed me to delve deep into the conservation of historical materials and techniques, enhancing both my practical skills and academic understanding of the field. Wharton Esherick, a pivotal figure in American modern design, is renowned for his work, which spans sculpture, furniture, interiors, and architectural forms. In 1966, he created a vibrant, colorful mural on a concrete silo, which became a focal point of my internship. As a Summer Intern, my role was centered around a series of analytical projects crucial for preserving the historical integrity of Esherick’s work. My role involved not only analyzing the existing stucco layers but also examining a collection of pigments found in the museum’s garage, which might have been used by Esherick himself.
Working closely with Prof. Andrew Fearon, I collected samples from the site, which we used to prepare cross-sectional samples. This practical application of skills I had learned in the previous semester’s Architectural Finishes class allowed us to understand the composition and layering of the pigmented stucco used in the mural. Our research aimed to analyze the mural’s original materials and construction techniques. Using a variety of analytical tools and methods, we identified the types of pigments used and their proportions within the composition, gaining insights into the historical context and informing future conservation treatments. I was fortunate to work alongside conservation scientist Catherine Matsen at the Winterthur Museum’s Scientific Research and Analysis Laboratory (SRAL). I developed first-hand experience with instrumental techniques such as FTIR, SEMXRF, portable XRF, and Raman spectroscopy, essential for our detailed investigations into the pigmented stucco. Another initiative I undertook involved establishing the Historic Pigment Collection database at Penn. The Architectural Conservation Lab houses a vast collection of historic pigments, which I digitized and inventoried. A key enhancement was integrating a “Fogg system ID” (an inventory system used by the Forbes Pigment Collection in Harvard Art Museum) for each pigment, simplifying external researchers’ access to the collection and facilitating easier sample retrieval. To deepen my understanding of these pigments, I prepared dispersion samples, which were analyzed using Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM). This technique enabled the identification of individual pigments by their optical and morphological characteristics. Furthermore, I utilized cross-section samples from previous student theses to study the interactions between paints, binders, and wood substrates. This analysis provided valuable insights into historic paint applications’ chemical and physical dynamics.
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