Many Hands, One Method: the Weissman Consolidation Protocol for Illuminated Manuscripts

Abstract

The Harvard Library's Weissman Preservation Center has developed a protocol for the consolidation of flaking and friable media common to European illuminated manuscripts. The protocol was refined and tested during the preparation of 160 illuminated manuscripts for the scholarly exhibition Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts from Boston Collections (2016-17). The protocol is rigorous and includes guidelines for the evaluation, treatment, and documentation of the manuscripts.

The purpose of the protocol is to ensure uniform judgment across a team of conservators. Consensus between conservators is essential with large projects that involve many hands, and we have learned that treatment quality is greater when team members agree to follow the same guiding principles.

The result is the appearance that a single, experienced conservator treated the entire collection of manuscripts. Most surprising was our conclusion that a team was able to arrive at the minimum amount of consolidation required to stabilize flaking media more efficiently than the solo conservator.

link to: Web version of the Weissman Consolidation Protocol for Illuminated Manuscripts

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