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CMA Conservator of Objects Beth Edelstein (left) and Conservator of Objects Colleen Snyder (right) examining x-rays.
At the Cleveland Museum of Art, nine conservators and three technicians work in the following labs: Asian paintings, objects, paintings, paper, and textiles. Three technicians, specializing in preventive conservation - frames and gilding, matting, hinging, and framing of works of art on paper - expand the work done by the department.
Some of the most common art conservation specializations are:
Archaeology: Objects, structures, and sites that constitute the archaeological record
Architecture: Immovable properties such as buildings, monuments, and outdoor sculpture
Book and Paper: Paper materials including art on paper, books, manuscripts, and library material
Electronic Media: Conservation of artworks and cultural heritage employing durational, digital, electronic media, and 20th and 21st-century technologies
Objects: Archaeological and cultural materials from indigenous communities, decorative arts, and sculpture
Paintings: Paintings in oil, acrylic, or mixed media and their supports, coatings, and varnishes
Photographic Materials: Media in film and composite objects like paper prints and albums
Preventive Conservation: Assessing and managing deterioration risks for all collection types
Textiles: Objects include carpets, tapestries, clothing, upholstered furniture, fiber art, and more
Wooden Artifacts: Ethnographic carvings, furniture, upholstery, frames, and veneer/marquetry/boulle