This six-minute documentary explores a behind-the-scenes look at
how the Museum cares for its collections. During a routine
condition survey of Reynolda's paintings collection, contract
conservator Ruth Cox found Grant Wood's Spring Turning, 1936, to
be in need of attention. A heavily yellowed varnish layer and
large traction cracks in the surface of the painting indicated
the need for treatment. The Museum was awarded a grant from The
Henry Luce Foundation for the treatment of the Wood painting
along with several other masterpieces in the collection. The
video gives viewers a general idea of the process that takes
place over months of treatment by a skilled conservator. The
care and preservation of the Reynolda House collections is one
of the cardinal responsibilities of the Museum and is an
integral part of our mission. The practice of conservation has
evolved over the centuries, and as conservators have come to
understand the chemical processes underlying their treatments,
they have become more conservativ