TREATMENT
WUDPAC
Matte Collodion Print | Photographer Not Known
[Four US Army Officers posed behind poached bison heads], 1894
Paper support, baryta layer, collodion binder, photolytic silver image
From the Archival Collection of Yellowstone National Park
Before treatment
After treatment
Treatment goals and rationale:
This photograph is one of the most requested archival materials at Yellowstone National Park due to its significance to the history of the park and its influence on early American wildlife conservation and anti-poaching legislation. Because of this, the primary goal of treatment is to ensure that the photograph is stabilized to prevent further damage and facilitate safe handling by future researchers and users of Yellowstone’s collection. This object poses some treatment challenges—a complex crack runs through the upper proper right corner of the photograph and into the mount, and is at risk of detachment. The metallic silver image material appears to be suspended in a collodion binder; however, the binding media could not be conclusively identified without further analysis, so treatment must be carried out cautiously without using solvents or significant moisture.
This treatment was supervised by photograph conservators Debra Hess Norris and Barbara Lemmen.
TREATMENT
WUDPAC
Gelatin Silver DOP | Photographer Not Known
[Fisk faculty posed for a photograph], 1888
Paper support, baryta layer, gelatin binder, filamentary silver image
From the Archival Collection of Fisk University
Recto, before treatment
Verso, during treatment
Recto, after treatment
Verso, after treatment
Treatment goals and rationale:
This photograph is part of the archival collection of Fisk University. The WUDPAC Class of 2027 was tasked with examining and treating a collection of photographs from Fisk University during their first-year Photo Conservation Block. This collection represents the history of the University—the photographs capture students, faculty, and staff, and document events, convocations, arts festivals, and campus culture. Preserving these photographs ensures continued access by current and past students, researchers, and family members of past students and faculty who access them. The University plans to increase the accessibility of its archives through digitization, so the photographs must be stable for handling.
This treatment was supervised by photograph conservators Debra Hess Norris and Barbara Lemmen.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
WUDPAC
Two-Sided Drawing | Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Two-sided multimedia figure study, circa 1751
Graphite, red and black chalk, brown and gray ink wash
From a Private Collection
Research goals:
This photograph is part of the archival collection of Fisk University. The WUDPAC Class of 2027 was tasked with examining and treating a collection of photographs from Fisk University during their first-year Photo Conservation Block. This collection represents the history of the University—the photographs capture students, faculty, and staff, and document events, convocations, arts festivals, and campus culture. Preserving these photographs ensures continued access by current and past students, researchers, and family members of past students and faculty who access them. The University plans to increase the accessibility of its archives through digitization, so the photographs must be stable for handling.
This treatment was supervised by photograph conservators Debra Hess Norris and Barbara Lemmen.