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Fall 2001
Class Meetings: Wednesdays, 2:15-5:15 p.m., SC 223
Instructor:
Margaret V. Merritt
Office, Science Center 262; Lab, Science Center, 233
Telephone, x3016
Office Hours (tentative): Tuesday, 10-11 AM; Wednesday, 11-12 AM, or by appointment
Textbook:
Taft, W. Stanley, Jr. and Mayer, James W. (2000) The Science of
Painting. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Overview. Environmental Chemistry and Art has been designed so that students can apply their scientific backgrounds to develop an understanding of artists’ materials and the chemistry associated with the creation and conservation of art as they examine the interaction of the environment with works of art. In this seminar course, students will gain experience in reading and analyzing papers from the original literature on the interaction of the environment with works of art. Class meetings will combine a mixture of components: an introductory lecture/demonstration by the instructor on a specific topic; a video, a studio or museum visit, lab/studio work; and student presentations. The segment of the course on fresco painting, for example, will include the following: videos on fresco making and the restoration of the Sistine Chapel; in-depth studies and discussions of published literature on the conservation of these art forms; and lab-studio work in which each student will prepare one or more fresco paintings.
Course Material. The text will provide the general background for the segment of the course dealing with paintings, approximately a third of the course. Additional readings from the scientific and art conservation literature will serve as source material for the other course topics of fiber arts, photography, sculpture, and printmaking
Assessment: The course grade will be based on the following course components (approximate weight):
Two in-term
papers (5-7 pages) 40%
2-3 short written assignments 10%
Final paper 15%
Class Participation including individual presentations 35%
Class Attendance: The seminar format of the course requires full student participation. Consequently, attendance at all class meetings is expected. No student will, however, be penalized for missing one class because of illness or family crises. Class participation will be assessed on the basis of a maximum of 120 points; a bonus of 10 points will be given to students who attend and participate in every class and submit all work on time.
Syllabus and Tentative Schedule for
Fall Semester, 2001
| Week | Date | Topic | Activities (SP= Student Presentations; L = Lecture) |
| 1 | 9/05 | Components and Structure of Paintings |
L: General Intro to course; Structure and Components of Paintings;
Video, Italian Renaissance Lab/Studio: Making Paint |
| 2 | 9/12 | Pigments and Optics of Paint Films | SP:
Presentations: Chemistry of Pigments L: Optics of Paint Films Visit to Davis Museum to see Selected Paintings/Pigments |
| 3 | 9/17 | Pigments
in the Environment: Paint Shop Pond Remediation |
SP:
Environmental Effects on and of PbCrO4 and Prussian Blue Visit to Paint Shop Pond Site Video on Fresco Painting |
| 4 | 9/26 | Fresco Painting | Restoration
of Sistine Chapel SP: Conservation of Fresco Paintings Video on Restoration of Sistine Chapel Lab/Studio: Week 1 of Fresco Painting |
| 5 | 10/03 | Light
and Color Measurement: Photochemistry and Museum Objects |
SP:
Ideas for Paper 1: Environmental Effects on/of Colorant L: Demonstration/Talk on Light, Color, and Color Measurement Lab/Studio: Week 2 of Fresco Painting |
| 6 | 10/10 | Analytical Sciences and Paintings Detection of Fakes | SP:
Color Measurement in Art Conservation L: Analytical Methods for Authenticating Paintings Lab/Studio: Demonstration of IR/Microscopy: Video |
| 7 | 10/17 | Organic
Chemistry of Paintings: Yellowing and Darkening |
SP:
Paper 1 L: Organic Chemistry associated with paintings Video on Handpapermaking/Demonstration |
| 8 | 10/31 | Paper
Chemistry: Manufacture and Degradation |
SP:
Conservation Issues with Yellowing/darkening of paintings L: Chemistry of Papermaking/Demonstration Visit to Davis Museum (works on paper)/special collections |
| 9 | 11/7 | Deacidification of Books and Other Works on Paper | SP:
Deacidification chemistry of books Demonstrations: pH of paper measurements; indigo dyeing L: Textile Chemistry |
| 10 | 11/14 | Textile Chemistry and Dyeing Conservation of Textiles | SP:
Textile Conservation L: Introduction to chemistry of photography Visit to photography studio |
| 11 | 11/21 Week |
Chemistry
of Photography Conservation of Photographs |
SP:
Photographic Preservation L: Metals in art: Printmaking and Metallurgy |
| 12 | 11/28 | Metals in Art: Printmaking and Metallurgy |
SP:
Chemistry of corrosion and conservation of outdoor art Visit to Printmaking or Sculpture Studio |
| 13 | 12/05 | Final Student Presentations/Field Trip |
- Professor Margaret Merritt, Wellesley College Chemistry Department
- Created by: Leslie Chang '04 & Jerina Hajno '04
- Page Created: August 5, 2001
-
Last Modified: August 6, 2001
- Page Expires: August 31, 2002