Cartoons and preparatory drawings

In the last few years I have become increasingly interested in
conservation treatment of "working drawings". By working drawings I
refer to mock ups, cartoons for murals and stain glass, preparatory
sketches, etc..

I am finding that often an 'archival approach'--i.e. stabilize and
not compensate aesthetically--is the most appropriate. However
recently I worked on a Tiffany cartoon for a stained glass window
and have come across quite a dilemma. The cartoons were used
extensively during the making of the glass and are in extremely poor
condition. Part of the damage is due to the methods of repair used
in the artists studio during the working process. These repairs are
therefore important historically as they give excellent evidence of
the workings of Tiffany's studio, but they are also causing
continuing damage to the work.  Of particular concern were layers,
sometimes up to 5, of patches put on a damaged area with (very
liberally applied) animal glue.

If there are conservators working on
these types of drawings (cartoons or preparatory drawings)  I would
be very interested to hear what is being done. If anyone is
interested in the topic in general and would like to discuss if
further please contact me here or directly; I can be reached by
email or phone (212-645-5245).

Daria Keynan

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:28
                Distributed: Sunday, September 24, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-28-004
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