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Hello Pretty "Yellow Lady": Shedding Light on an Ed Paschke Painting

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Hello Pretty "Yellow Lady": Shedding Light on an Ed Paschke Painting

Well before Matt Groening’s Marge Simpson character became pop icon, artist Ed Paschke (1939–2004) created his own version of a Yellow Lady in 1969. In the same way that the bizarre appearances and situations as depicted in “The Simpsons” comment on pop culture, Paschke’s manipulations of mass media aim to do the same. The technicolor tones and flat background aim to dissociate the woman from her body and her surroundings; the addition of the admiring man takes on the role of the consumer and the viewer, aiming to make the voyeur uncomfortable. While only minor conservation was needed for this vibrant painting, the private collector knew very little about its history, causing us to reach out to the Ed Paschke Foundation and even the artist’s daughter, Sharon Paschke. Neither was familiar of the piece’s existence, and Sharon, especially, was excited to see a new example of her father’s early work. In order to discover more about this very special Yellow Lady, we studied the canvas under ultraviolet light and found some surprising details. With these new findings, The Conservation Center was able to shed new light on this painting for its owner as well as the Paschke family. 

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Farnsworth House Wardrobe Damaged by Flood Waters Restored at The Center

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Farnsworth House Wardrobe Damaged by Flood Waters Restored at The Center

The Farnsworth House located in Plano, Illinois experienced a devastating flood in 2008. The Conservation Center was contacted and our team was sent to safely remove the wardrobe during restoration of the house. It remained secure in our fine art storage facility until conservation treatment was approved.

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The Conservation of a Civil War Painting for Southern Illinois University

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The Conservation of a Civil War Painting for Southern Illinois University

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of The Civil War. Like any thread in the fabric of our cultural heritage, this point in our collective memory was captured countless times by the artist’s eye. With photography still in its infancy, fine art and literature still serve as major artifacts for this defining time period in American history. While many of the artist’s names have been lost over the years, the importance of their work stands as a testament to this era. One of these remarkable works is a painting titled Steamboat U.S.S. Switzerland on River (artist and date unknown), belonging to our friends at The University Museum at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, Illinois. The museum recently engaged The Conservation Center to preserve this piece of Americana, and also taking the opportunity to educate its audience in the importance of art conservation.

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Bringing a Jewel of a Collection Back to Life: Freeport Art Museum

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Bringing a Jewel of a Collection Back to Life: Freeport Art Museum

Last month, The Conservation Center spent a lovely Saturday afternoon with more than 40 members of the Freeport Art Museum (FAM)—a jewel of a collection located in Freeport, Illinois, right outside of Rockford. Together with Roberta Kramer, a Chicago-based art appraiser, we made a special presentation that marked the end of a two-year project, which, while not beginning under the most auspicious of circumstances, concluded with cause for celebration. Many key pieces of art from FAM’s collection were properly appraised and saved from water damage that occurred in its 2D storage unit.

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A Refreshed Frame for "Madonna and Child"

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A Refreshed Frame for "Madonna and Child"

Just in time for the holidays, The Conservation Center completed extensive frame work for a beautiful Madonna and Child painting for the Diocese of Rockford collection. Josh McCauley, one of our Senior Conservators, carved out new decorations by hand, showing off his true attention to detail and expert craftsmanship. Learn how the Madonna and Child frame was conserved.

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Preserving an Antiques Market Treasure: Saint Rose

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Preserving an Antiques Market Treasure: Saint Rose

When wandering a flea or antique market, one just never knows what treasures there are to be found. From terrific steals to relics from a past long forgotten, there is usually something to excite the fancy of just about anyone. During one of his frequent visits to the Grayslake Antiques market, The Conservation Center’s client Robert Le Clerq had one such awe-inspiring moment that brought him back into his younger days. He came upon an old, carved wooden sculpture that immediately reminded him of nuns of the order of the Sacred Heart. Though this probably would not be significant to most, Mr. Le Clerq has fond recollections of Barat College. From serving mass as an alter boy, to watching his older sister graduate, to even dating a few of the girls who attended the private Catholic school, Sacred Heart had played a significant role in Mr. Le Clerq’s younger days.

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Photo Essay: "A Day in the Life" at The Conservation Center, Summer 2015

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Photo Essay: "A Day in the Life" at The Conservation Center, Summer 2015

The weather's heating up, but there are no signs of slowing down at The Conservation Center. From intricate conservation projects to private tours, our staff is hard at work in West Town. To celebrate the new season, we are bringing back our popular "A Day in the Life" photo series. With our camera in hand, we wandered around the lab and captured some amazing images to share with you.

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Unzipped: Solving an Issue with a Jean Paul Gaultier Prêt-à-Porter Piece

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Unzipped: Solving an Issue with a Jean Paul Gaultier Prêt-à-Porter Piece

It is not very often that the Textiles Department at The Conservation Center resembles the racks of a high fashion atelier, so when Columbia College Chicago contacted us regarding an iconic piece of French fashion from its Fashion Study Collection, our interest was immediately piqued. Instantly recognizable because of its cone-shaped corset top, the dress, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, arrived at our laboratory with a damaged zipper that posed a threat to the integrity of the outfit as a whole. Because this dress belongs to an academic institution and is used as part of an active study collection, even something as seemingly minute as a damaged zipper could render it useless as a teaching device. As our textiles conservator began to work, she quickly understood that, due to the very technical method in which it was hand-tailored, repairing the zipper was not going to be an easy task.

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A Cherished "May Milton" Lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Dances Back to Life

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A Cherished "May Milton" Lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Dances Back to Life

Sometimes a singular work of art can inspire an entire collection. When this is the case, the collector cherishes that first piece above all others. When a client of The Conservation Center brings in a work that we can actually see the joy and affection brought on by it, those feelings are contagious. This is what happened recently when Bruce Romick, a private collector from Indiana, contacted us about one such treasured item. Mr. Romick and his wife had acquired a lithograph of May Milton by famed Post-Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1978. While it was in very good condition when purchased, after 37 years, some degradation was to be expected. Our Paper Department was in charge to bring “May” back to life so it would continue to bring the Romicks the same joy for many years to come.

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Lucienne From the Bloch: Conserving a Modern Mural for a Jewish Temple

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Lucienne From the Bloch: Conserving a Modern Mural for a Jewish Temple

In honor of Pesach (Passover) earlier this month, we’re highlighting a major conservation treatment for Temple Emanuel, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Conservation Center’s team worked tirelessly on-site and in our laboratories to help restore a massive 1,000 square-foot mural that covered the entire expanse of the rear wall of the synagogue. Painted on multiple lightweight wood panels by the Swiss-born American artist Lucienne Bloch (1909–1999), this modern mural stands as a testament to a dynamic time in religious architecture that aimed to keep up with societal trends in art and construction.

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I Can See Clearly Now: Bringing a Family Heirloom Painting Back to Life

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I Can See Clearly Now: Bringing a Family Heirloom Painting Back to Life

When The Conservation Center encounters an heirloom that has extraordinary sentimental value to our client, we always like to learn more about its history and the meaning of the piece for the family. Recently, Mary Anne Keane brought us a reproduction of Jean-François Millet’s (1814–1875) The Angelus that was on display in her living room. “Ever since my childhood, I’ve always had fond memories of this painting hanging in my grandparents’, and eventually my parents’ home,” said Mary Anne. “After finally inheriting The Angelus, I realized that if I didn’t take good care of the artwork now, though it had made it a century so far, it would not be around much longer for my family to appreciate.” Mary Anne also began investigating its provenance to better understand the origin of the piece.

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Slide Show: Deinstalling and Examining Lucienne Bloch's Epic Mural

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Slide Show: Deinstalling and Examining Lucienne Bloch's Epic Mural

In 2012, significant leaking from the roof caused severe water damage of the plywood panels, causing extreme warping, staining, and delamination of the veneers from the panels. The mural itself, which was painted using water-soluble paints (something similar to gouache), started to drip down across the panels as soon as water entered the space. Devastated, Temple Emanuel contacted The Conservation Center to perform an on-site assessment to best determine how to conserve Bloch’s work. Years of constant use and handling of the doors and tracks around the mural had also caused issues beyond the water damage—fingerprints had darkened and smudged areas of the paint, to the extent that there were significant losses that needed to be addressed. There was also a thin layer of grime that needed to be removed from the panels. However, because of the nature of the paint used, most methods of cleaning would strip away the design. Eventually, six panels came back to The Center’s lab in Chicago to undergo treatment.

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A Little More Sweeney Todd Than You Might Think: Preserving a Vintage Barber Pole

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A Little More Sweeney Todd Than You Might Think: Preserving a Vintage Barber Pole

In preparation for a new exhibition entitled By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst, The Conservation Center recently joined forces with the Elmhurst Historical Museum to help get a few artifacts in its archives in tip-top shape. This innovative exhibit contains numerous photographs, artifacts, art objects, and informational materials from the last 165 years showcasing the growth and development of Elmhurst, a Chicago suburb. After an on-site assessment at the museum, The Center identified a few objects that needed our conservation team's attention--notably a vintage barber pole, dated from the turn of the 19th century. Presumed to be from a local barbershop, the all-wood, painted barber pole was found in a local resident's barn, and came to the museum by way of a donation in 1983.

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When Considering Paper Conservation...A Moment With an Albrecht Durer Etching

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When Considering Paper Conservation...A Moment With an Albrecht Durer Etching

In the field of paper conservation, there are a myriad of challenges that one can encounter. Some of the biggest issues that arise when treating works of art on paper are the result of fragile media and temperamental fibers within the sheet. “Works on paper were intended for daily use and handling, and thus do not stand the test of time as well as other art forms that were meant to be admired from a distance,” said Brian Kapernekas, The Conservation Center’s Senior Paper Conservator. “Many of the conditions we encounter are not only related to age, but also to improper storage.” Acid-free and archival housing materials are relatively new in the scope of framing practices. Most people do not even realize that acidic materials are usually the cause of the gradual deterioration of paper—until it is too late and the sheet is heavily yellowed, embrittled, and the damage is too severe to reverse.

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Holy Kreuzer Konigsberg! Conserving a Lilliputian Battleship Model

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Holy Kreuzer Konigsberg! Conserving a Lilliputian Battleship Model

Whether massive in size or delicate in material, many projects taken on by The Conservation Center pose unique challenges for our team of expert conservators. Recently, the Robert R. McCormick Museum located in Wheaton, Illinois, brought us a curious object from its collection: a wooden model replica of a naval cruiser named the Kreuzer Konigsberg, commissioned during the WWII era. The amount of detail and veracity in the ship’s execution is staggering. However, upon closer examination, the model—which measures a miniscule 15” wide, 3” depth, 6” high—was found to be in poor condition, with broken segments throughout and worthy of a thorough cleaning and treatment effort.

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Saving A 10th Century Greek Codex From Water Damage

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Saving A 10th Century Greek Codex From Water Damage

After more than three decades of preserving fine art and heirlooms at The Conservation Center, we now have an impressive answer to one of the most the frequently asked questions by our clients and visitors: “What is the oldest piece that The Center has ever conserved?” Recently, a 10th century Greek Codex—which contains portions of the New Testament Gospels of Luke and John—arrived at our conservation lab, and we, admittedly, are truly impressed. This rare book belongs to Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a Bible-based university supported by Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Piecing Back Together A Family Heirloom, and Learning About The Past

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Piecing Back Together A Family Heirloom, and Learning About The Past

Here at The Conservation Center, we strive to protect and preserve objects that hold intrinsic value to individuals and families, not just monetary value. During treatment, we often uncover forgotten details about a piece, and it can mean so much more to our clients when this information relates to their own family members and heritage. In this way, we approach each and every object with the highest level of care and attention. Recently, Naomi Steinberg, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at DePaul University in Chicago, brought us a badly torn ketubah that was believed to belong to her paternal grandparent’s. Our conservators were able to meticulously piece this document back together, and through this process, Naomi also uncovered a slice of family history.

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Gene Tunney, Portrait of a Legendary Boxer

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"Boxing is what you did, not what you are." That's what Nobel Prize-winning author George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) once said to the legendary heavyweight champion, Gene Tunney (1897-1978). Gene Tunney was recently introduced to The Conservation Center by way of his son, Jay Tunney, when he brought in a beautiful portrait of his father painted by family friend and Irish artist Sir John Lavery (1856-1941) in 1928. While Gene Tunney's heart was in boxing—a fighter Muhammad Ali called "the greatest of the old-timers"—the painting does not depict what you would traditionally expect to see in a portrait of a tough, prominent athlete. 

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EXPO CHICAGO/2014 Highlight: "Girl with a Spray Can" by Roy Lichtenstein, 1963

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EXPO CHICAGO/2014 Highlight: "Girl with a Spray Can" by Roy Lichtenstein, 1963

Girl with a Spray Can was first printed in Wallace Ting’s book 1¢ Life, often viewed as a compact visual manifesto of the sixties. Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein’s color lithographs were printed on pages 118-119. This piece offers a unique juxtaposition. The right panel of the diptych consists of a reference to the simple printing process of using Ben-day dots (which dates back to 1879). The left side of the diptych consists of a small segment of a comic-strip imagery for which Lichtenstein became quite famous. This piece is the first instance of Lichtenstein featuring a blonde girl in his works, iconography which now is considered some of the most desirable in his oeuvre.

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EXPO CHICAGO/2014 Highlight: Charles Cressent Boulle Clock

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EXPO CHICAGO/2014 Highlight: Charles Cressent Boulle Clock

The Cressent Boulle Clock is on view at The Conservation Center's Pop-Up Lab @ EXPO CHICAGO/2014 (Booth 113) from September 18–21.

Charles Cressent (1685-1768) was a descendant of a family of furniture makers and talented sculptors. As a pupil of André Charles Boulle (1642–1732)—the French cabinetmaker who is generally considered to be the preeminent artist in the field of marquetry—Cressent's work is characteristic of the Rococo period with adornments of feminine figures and motifs, floral Arabesques, and exotic animals. To combine the gilt-bronze elements of his unique style and to ensure the quality of his mounts, Cressent broke the rules of the French guild system and was prosecuted for practicing two professions in the same workshop—cabinetmaking and gilding.

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