A death

Ross Merrill, former Chief of Conservation (1983-2009) and Head of
Painting Conservation (1981-1983) at the National Gallery of Art
(NGA), died at home on December 15, 2010, after a two and a half
year battle with multiple myeloma.  Ross built one of the most
respected conservation departments in the world, brought together a
highly productive and creative team of conservators and scientists,
expanded the conservation staff from 15 to 55 people, established
new conservation positions and departments, and laid the political
and financial groundwork in the museum for the expanded scientific
research department as it exists today.

Ross's contributions to the conservation field are too numerous to
list here but it is worth mentioning a few.  He inspired and
supported numerous conservation and scientific research programs,
including the Conservation Research publication, the Artists'
Pigments series, Art in Transit, the Gallery's fellowship programs,
the Rembrandt Watermark Project and the Art Materials and Research
Study Center.  He encouraged the study of and improvement of
artists' materials through collaborative projects with the National
Art Materials Trade Association and the American Society for Testing
and Materials.  He continually advocated that conservators conduct
research, both championing the need for research along with bench
work and establishing all the structural support necessary to
facilitate their work.  He encouraged the staff and fellows to
publish their research: the NGA staff has produced over 20
contributions to exhibition catalogues, countless articles in
conservation journals, art historical and scientific publications,
and other professional publications, and has contributed to every
volume of the NGA's systematic catalog of works of art in the
museums' collection. He actively sought funding and political
support for numerous symposia, colloquia and meetings hosted at the
Gallery, including AIC.  His support for scientific research was
unique in the field, resulting in countless publications and several
post doctoral fellowships that trained future museum conservation
scientists.  Ross was given the AIC President's Award for
outstanding contributions to the field in 2009. In addition to these
interests, outside of his day job he was very active in and served
as president of Heritage Preservation and its predecessor the
National Institute for Conservation.  He was also an enthusiastic
and talented artist and art instructor, dedicated to teaching
artists to improve their working methods and use chemically stable
materials.  He had hoped to actively pursue his painting during his
retirement.

Ross was born in Texas in 1943; he received his initial artistic
training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; returned briefly
to Texas, working as a technician at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort
Worth; and then received his M. A. from the Oberlin College
conservation training program in 1974.  He was immediately hired by
Sherman Lee, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art, to head the
conservation department there where he spent nearly 6 years prior to
coming to the NGA.

Ross is survived by his loving wife, Alice, his two children, David
and Ashley, and their spouses.  His family, colleagues and friends
will miss his larger than life presence and vision, his zest for
living, his impressive diplomatic savvy and shrewdness, his Texas
stories, his Cleveland stories, and his hospitality and charm.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Alice Merrill, at 3206
Norwich Terrace, Alexandria, VA  22309.

Michelle LeBleu
National Gallery of Art
Conservation Division
Staff Assistant
6th St and Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565
202-789-3214
Fax: 202-842-6886


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:31
                 Distributed: Monday, December 20, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-31-001
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