Papers by Kari Rayner
Conference Postprints, "Trading Paintings and Painters' Materials 1550-1800," Center for Art Technological Studies and Conservation, 2018
During the eighteenth century, the onset of the industrial revolution, explosion in international... more During the eighteenth century, the onset of the industrial revolution, explosion in international trade, and increased migration between countries had profound effects on artistic production in Great Britain. The tangential rise of artists’ colourmen in London during this time period is widely recognized to have resulted in artists’ increased reliance on pre-prepared materials. An ongoing study at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. investigates a number of trends in painters’ material preferences during this dynamic period in Britain, with a focus on the practical and aesthetic
evolution of prepared grounds for canvas paintings.
The nascent genre of British landscape painting was particularly impacted by continental influence. This paper draws on the broader research project described above to explore the ways that foreign aesthetics were adopted and adapted for materials locally supplied to British painters in the creation of these works. While acknowledging the significance that French and Italian landscapes also had on the development of this genre, it will primarily examine the outcomes of exchange between Great Britain and the Netherlands. In the seventeenth century, immigrant craftsmen had
steadily made their way from the Netherlands to London, and the beginning of the eighteenth century saw a thriving import of Dutch paintings as well as expanded trade in art materials. Demand from collectors for Old Master artworks encouraged the production of copies and forgeries and inspired contemporary artists to emulate Dutch tropes and aesthetic conventions.
The imitation of Dutch compositions in British landscape paintings from the time has been well established. However, in a variety of ways, the material composition and paint application used by certain artists also approximated Dutch painting methods. Thomas Gainsborough’s efforts to recreate certain aesthetic effects, for instance, will be examined through the example of the technical analysis and reconstruction of Peasant and Donkeys, 1755-7. Relevant works by two lesser-known painters George Morland and Samuel Scott will also be discussed.
These examples provide evidence that British landscape paintings which imitated Dutch artworks were generally achieved with different materials and processes and thus gained a distinctive essence in translation. This had significant ramifications for later artists, supporting the development of a uniquely British style of landscape painting that paved the way for revolutionary landscape artists like John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner in the nineteenth century.
Hamilton Kerr Institute Bulletin, 2018
Thomas Gainsborough has long been considered a remarkable exception to the notion that successful... more Thomas Gainsborough has long been considered a remarkable exception to the notion that successful artists in eighteenth-century England relied on the assistance of apprentices. Gainsborough’s only long-term assistant was his nephew Gainsborough Dupont, whose precise responsibilities within Gainsborough’s workshop are still unknown to this day. Portrait of Mrs. Audley, a painting dated to 1769 and acquired in 2015 by Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury as an autograph work by Thomas Gainsborough, afforded the opportunity to reconsider the scope of Dupont’s role in Gainsborough’s studio. Treatment and study of the work was conducted at the Hamilton Kerr Institute, University of Cambridge, as part of a collaborative research project on Thomas Gainsborough’s materials and techniques between the Hamilton Kerr Institute and Gainsborough’s House, with the support of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. Technical analysis suggests that both Gainsborough and Gainsborough Dupont had a hand in painting the work, and this text explores the implications for Gainsborough’s studio practice engendered by this hypothesized joint attribution.
AIC Paintings Specialty Group Postprints, 2018
Co-authored with John Delaney, Kathryn Dooley, E. Melanie Gifford, and Michael Palmer
Material... more Co-authored with John Delaney, Kathryn Dooley, E. Melanie Gifford, and Michael Palmer
Material analysis was crucial in treating Portrait of an Old Woman by Maarten de Vos (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Non-invasive anaytical imaging and invasive analytical methods were used to determine the composition and distribution of non original materials, including a cross-linked synthetic varnish, discolored drying-oil layer, and overpaint covering the background, cap, and garment. The treatment of Portrait of a Woman offers an example of the important role analytical techniques can play when carried out before and during treatment in making informed treatment decisions, while highlighting the humbling physical limitations of treatment options that conservators often encounter.
AIC Paintings Specialty Group Postprints, 2017
Co-authored with Julie Ribits
AIC Paintings Specialty Group and Wooden Artifacts Group Postprints, 2014
A double-sided, polychromed panel in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, Germany was treated ... more A double-sided, polychromed panel in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, Germany was treated for exhibition during the summer of 2013. Originating from Cologne and dated to around 1450, the panel once formed the cover of a wooden chest. The extreme discrepancy in condition between the two sides of the panel necessitated the methodical development of a restoration concept prior to treatment. An overview of the ethical and philosophical considerations confronted during the restoration of this object is provided, and two similar case studies are discussed.The treatment philosophy is proposed as a potential model for complex objects with similar challenges.
The former studio of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, located at the New York Studio School in lower ... more The former studio of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, located at the New York Studio School in lower Manhattan, contains one of the most important commissions of artist Robert Winthrop Chanler: a 20-foot high, painted plaster-and-bronze fireplace, likely completed in 1923. A study of the structure began in January 2013, initiated by the World Monuments Fund as a joint effort between the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University and Columbia University’s Historic Preservation Program. This paper outlines the background and findings of the project, including the conditions assessment, technical analysis undertaken, and preservation recommendations. We will discuss issues of approach and interpretation in the evaluation of cross-sections and reveals, and we will relate the development of a theoretical color reconstruction. This project was supervised by Mary Jablonski (Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, Columbia University) and Michele Marincola (Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, NYU). We are also greatly indebted to our fifth team member, Alafia Akhtar (M.S. Historic Preservation, Columbia University, 2013).
Analytical Chemistry, 2009
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been developed as a direct, extractionless, nonhyd... more Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been developed as a direct, extractionless, nonhydrolysis tool to detect lake pigments and colorants of various classes used in a variety of artist materials. Presented first is the SERS analysis of the natural colorant turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), main component curcumin, as present in dry lake pigment grains, dyed textile yarns, and reference paint layers containing the lake pigment bound in animal glue painted on glass. This experiment demonstrated that it is possible to detect the chromophore in various matrixes of increasing complexity, allowing its unambiguous identification in a wide range of artists' materials, even at very low concentration and in the presence of binders such as glue. In addition, removal of the colorant from the complex with the inorganic substrate or mordanted yarn was not necessary for identification. This proof-ofconcept study was then extended to include analysis of several pastel sticks from a historical pastel box and two samples from a pastel artwork, both attributed to American painter Mary Cassatt (1844-1926). This study represents the first extractionless, nonhydrolysis direct SERS study of multiple artist materials, including identification of natural and synthetic colorants and organic pigments contained in historic artists' pastels spanning a broad range of chemical classes: polyphenols, rhodamines, azo pigments, and anthraquinones. Successful identification is demonstrated on samples as small as a single grain of pigment.
Presentations by Kari Rayner
Co-authored with Jacinta Johnson, Jessica Walthew, Anisha Gupta, Joelle Wickens, and Hannelore Ro... more Co-authored with Jacinta Johnson, Jessica Walthew, Anisha Gupta, Joelle Wickens, and Hannelore Roemich
The development and implementation of a collection emergency preparedness plan can appear to be a monumental task. Low institution-wide collection emergency awareness paired with minimal staff time and limited resources are common factors.
Though literature on developing plans continues to grow, knowing how to start can still be challenging. A team of students and faculty from the Conservation Center (Institute of Fine Arts at New York University) and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation pursued this challenge at an institution where no collections-oriented emergency plan existed: Schloss Leopoldskron, an 18th-century palace in Salzburg, Austria. Through collaboration with the Schloss’ staff and local authorities, the team identified the elements of an emergency plan that should be completed while the team was on-site. As outside consultants, the challenge was not only choosing how to begin, but also how to teach the staff the notion of collections emergencies and introduce them to potential preventive measures. Based on a risk assessment completed by the team, a collection emergency scale system was developed to educate the staff and define various levels of collection emergencies, particularly focusing on small-scale, day-to-day situations. The Schloss staff had previously established emergency reporting systems for medical emergencies and fires.
The team worked with the staff to build on this by assembling an emergency response team, defining roles specifically for collec-
tions emergency situations. Additional resources were gathered for the staff to continue expanding their preparedness materials, including a simple pocket guide that can be used during an emergency. Communication between the staff, the emergency response team, and local authorities was an essential component of developing a sustainable emergency plan. This collaboration highlighted significant cultural differences in the approach to emergency planning between institutions in Austria and the U.S. and thus allowed the exploration of foreign territory on many levels. The team developed new skills in the areas of learning and teaching, understanding the big picture while balancing the day-to-day activities, working with limited resources, and accepting the need for flexibility. In the end, two weeks on-site provided constructive recommendations for emergencies, a safer environment for the collection and the Schloss, and a learning experience that, when shared through this presentation, will provide valuable knowledge for others. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and Salzburg Global Seminar.
Institute of Fine Arts New York University Conference, "Surfaces (15th-19th centuries)", 2015
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Papers by Kari Rayner
evolution of prepared grounds for canvas paintings.
The nascent genre of British landscape painting was particularly impacted by continental influence. This paper draws on the broader research project described above to explore the ways that foreign aesthetics were adopted and adapted for materials locally supplied to British painters in the creation of these works. While acknowledging the significance that French and Italian landscapes also had on the development of this genre, it will primarily examine the outcomes of exchange between Great Britain and the Netherlands. In the seventeenth century, immigrant craftsmen had
steadily made their way from the Netherlands to London, and the beginning of the eighteenth century saw a thriving import of Dutch paintings as well as expanded trade in art materials. Demand from collectors for Old Master artworks encouraged the production of copies and forgeries and inspired contemporary artists to emulate Dutch tropes and aesthetic conventions.
The imitation of Dutch compositions in British landscape paintings from the time has been well established. However, in a variety of ways, the material composition and paint application used by certain artists also approximated Dutch painting methods. Thomas Gainsborough’s efforts to recreate certain aesthetic effects, for instance, will be examined through the example of the technical analysis and reconstruction of Peasant and Donkeys, 1755-7. Relevant works by two lesser-known painters George Morland and Samuel Scott will also be discussed.
These examples provide evidence that British landscape paintings which imitated Dutch artworks were generally achieved with different materials and processes and thus gained a distinctive essence in translation. This had significant ramifications for later artists, supporting the development of a uniquely British style of landscape painting that paved the way for revolutionary landscape artists like John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner in the nineteenth century.
Material analysis was crucial in treating Portrait of an Old Woman by Maarten de Vos (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Non-invasive anaytical imaging and invasive analytical methods were used to determine the composition and distribution of non original materials, including a cross-linked synthetic varnish, discolored drying-oil layer, and overpaint covering the background, cap, and garment. The treatment of Portrait of a Woman offers an example of the important role analytical techniques can play when carried out before and during treatment in making informed treatment decisions, while highlighting the humbling physical limitations of treatment options that conservators often encounter.
Presentations by Kari Rayner
The development and implementation of a collection emergency preparedness plan can appear to be a monumental task. Low institution-wide collection emergency awareness paired with minimal staff time and limited resources are common factors.
Though literature on developing plans continues to grow, knowing how to start can still be challenging. A team of students and faculty from the Conservation Center (Institute of Fine Arts at New York University) and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation pursued this challenge at an institution where no collections-oriented emergency plan existed: Schloss Leopoldskron, an 18th-century palace in Salzburg, Austria. Through collaboration with the Schloss’ staff and local authorities, the team identified the elements of an emergency plan that should be completed while the team was on-site. As outside consultants, the challenge was not only choosing how to begin, but also how to teach the staff the notion of collections emergencies and introduce them to potential preventive measures. Based on a risk assessment completed by the team, a collection emergency scale system was developed to educate the staff and define various levels of collection emergencies, particularly focusing on small-scale, day-to-day situations. The Schloss staff had previously established emergency reporting systems for medical emergencies and fires.
The team worked with the staff to build on this by assembling an emergency response team, defining roles specifically for collec-
tions emergency situations. Additional resources were gathered for the staff to continue expanding their preparedness materials, including a simple pocket guide that can be used during an emergency. Communication between the staff, the emergency response team, and local authorities was an essential component of developing a sustainable emergency plan. This collaboration highlighted significant cultural differences in the approach to emergency planning between institutions in Austria and the U.S. and thus allowed the exploration of foreign territory on many levels. The team developed new skills in the areas of learning and teaching, understanding the big picture while balancing the day-to-day activities, working with limited resources, and accepting the need for flexibility. In the end, two weeks on-site provided constructive recommendations for emergencies, a safer environment for the collection and the Schloss, and a learning experience that, when shared through this presentation, will provide valuable knowledge for others. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and Salzburg Global Seminar.
evolution of prepared grounds for canvas paintings.
The nascent genre of British landscape painting was particularly impacted by continental influence. This paper draws on the broader research project described above to explore the ways that foreign aesthetics were adopted and adapted for materials locally supplied to British painters in the creation of these works. While acknowledging the significance that French and Italian landscapes also had on the development of this genre, it will primarily examine the outcomes of exchange between Great Britain and the Netherlands. In the seventeenth century, immigrant craftsmen had
steadily made their way from the Netherlands to London, and the beginning of the eighteenth century saw a thriving import of Dutch paintings as well as expanded trade in art materials. Demand from collectors for Old Master artworks encouraged the production of copies and forgeries and inspired contemporary artists to emulate Dutch tropes and aesthetic conventions.
The imitation of Dutch compositions in British landscape paintings from the time has been well established. However, in a variety of ways, the material composition and paint application used by certain artists also approximated Dutch painting methods. Thomas Gainsborough’s efforts to recreate certain aesthetic effects, for instance, will be examined through the example of the technical analysis and reconstruction of Peasant and Donkeys, 1755-7. Relevant works by two lesser-known painters George Morland and Samuel Scott will also be discussed.
These examples provide evidence that British landscape paintings which imitated Dutch artworks were generally achieved with different materials and processes and thus gained a distinctive essence in translation. This had significant ramifications for later artists, supporting the development of a uniquely British style of landscape painting that paved the way for revolutionary landscape artists like John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner in the nineteenth century.
Material analysis was crucial in treating Portrait of an Old Woman by Maarten de Vos (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Non-invasive anaytical imaging and invasive analytical methods were used to determine the composition and distribution of non original materials, including a cross-linked synthetic varnish, discolored drying-oil layer, and overpaint covering the background, cap, and garment. The treatment of Portrait of a Woman offers an example of the important role analytical techniques can play when carried out before and during treatment in making informed treatment decisions, while highlighting the humbling physical limitations of treatment options that conservators often encounter.
The development and implementation of a collection emergency preparedness plan can appear to be a monumental task. Low institution-wide collection emergency awareness paired with minimal staff time and limited resources are common factors.
Though literature on developing plans continues to grow, knowing how to start can still be challenging. A team of students and faculty from the Conservation Center (Institute of Fine Arts at New York University) and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation pursued this challenge at an institution where no collections-oriented emergency plan existed: Schloss Leopoldskron, an 18th-century palace in Salzburg, Austria. Through collaboration with the Schloss’ staff and local authorities, the team identified the elements of an emergency plan that should be completed while the team was on-site. As outside consultants, the challenge was not only choosing how to begin, but also how to teach the staff the notion of collections emergencies and introduce them to potential preventive measures. Based on a risk assessment completed by the team, a collection emergency scale system was developed to educate the staff and define various levels of collection emergencies, particularly focusing on small-scale, day-to-day situations. The Schloss staff had previously established emergency reporting systems for medical emergencies and fires.
The team worked with the staff to build on this by assembling an emergency response team, defining roles specifically for collec-
tions emergency situations. Additional resources were gathered for the staff to continue expanding their preparedness materials, including a simple pocket guide that can be used during an emergency. Communication between the staff, the emergency response team, and local authorities was an essential component of developing a sustainable emergency plan. This collaboration highlighted significant cultural differences in the approach to emergency planning between institutions in Austria and the U.S. and thus allowed the exploration of foreign territory on many levels. The team developed new skills in the areas of learning and teaching, understanding the big picture while balancing the day-to-day activities, working with limited resources, and accepting the need for flexibility. In the end, two weeks on-site provided constructive recommendations for emergencies, a safer environment for the collection and the Schloss, and a learning experience that, when shared through this presentation, will provide valuable knowledge for others. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and Salzburg Global Seminar.