Natural Components in Decorative Arts: Cataloguing Winterthur’s Hard Matrices and Collagen-Based Organics
An implementation project to identify, catalog,
and photograph 350-500 composite objects containing organic materials, such as
bone, horn, ivory, shells, skins, and quill. These objects represent a subset
of Winterthur collections, which include nearly 90,000 fine and decorative art
objects made or used in America between 1640 and 1860.
The Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library seeks a grant of $268,172 to catalogue its collection of “overlooked organic” objects through physical identification and research. These artifacts, crafted from hard matrices and collagen-based organics like horn, ivories, bone, and skins by artists whose craft traditions are culturally, historically, and artistically important. This project focuses on cataloguing a prioritized group of organic objects with accuracy that meets Winterthur’s high standards, acquiring information through visual analysis, research, scientific analysis, and expert consultation. We will create a position for one full-time cataloguing assistant for two years to help Winterthur’s curatorial and conservation staff identify and continue to make the organics collection publicly accessible online. The cataloguing assistant and staff will research, analyze, and fully record materials and culturally significant information for at least 350 objects, and as many as 500 objects.
[Grant products]
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Project fields:
Arts, General; History, General; Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Program:
Humanities Collections and Reference Resources
Division:
Preservation and Access
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Totals:
$268,172 (approved) $268,172 (awarded)
Grant period:
5/1/2019 – 6/30/2022
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