Workshop on medieval pigments and inks

History and Use of Medieval Pigments
The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
University of Texas, Austin
March 13-17, 2000

The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center will host a five day
workshop on the History and Use of Medieval Pigments and Inks. The
morning sessions will include discussions of original recipes,
methods of manufacture, trade routes, cost, and iconographic
importance. Chemical and physical properties of pigments and media
will also be addressed. Pigments including earth colors, medieval
blues, gold and verdigris; inks including iron gall, sepia, carbon
blacks; media including gum and egg; and dyes and lakes will be
examined. Various methods of identifying pigments will be discussed.
The afternoon laboratory sessions will include preparation of
samples of the colorants discussed in the morning sessions, as well
as the painting of samples to produce a pigment chart. Appropriate
methods for taking samples from original manuscripts will be
demonstrated. Practical methods for consolidating flaking and
friable pigments will be discussed and demonstrated. The coloring of
alum tawed animal skins used for conservation work will also be
given practical consideration.

The workshop will be presented by Cheryl Porter. Ms Porter,
following her conservation studies at Camberwell College of Arts in
London, worked at University College London in the Painting Analysis
Unit and in the History of Art Department analyzing pigments and
application techniques used to illuminate medieval manuscripts. She
has worked closely with the University of Cambridge on the analysis
and conservation of pigments and dyes. Ms Porter lectures and
teaches throughout the UK, Europe, and Australia and has been
director of the Montefiascone Library Conservation Project in Italy
since its inception in 1988.

Location: Conservation facilities at the HRHRC on the University of
Texas campus. Registration Options: Participants can register for
the morning lecture session or the full workshop. The afternoon
session will be limited to 12 participants.

Morning Session:    9 - 11:30
Full Session:       9 - 11:30 and 1 - 4:30 or 5
Cost: $300.00 Full workshop
      $50.00 Morning sessions only
Registration and fees must be received by February 2, 1999. For more
information contact:

    Olivia Primanis
    Conservation Department
    Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
    University of Texas at Austin
    P.O. Box 7219
    Austin, Texas 78713-7219
    512-471-9117
    Fax: 471-9646
    primanis [at] mail__utexas__edu


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:40
                 Distributed: Friday, January 14, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-40-007
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