A death

Mr. Francis W. Dolloff passed away on July 7, 2006 at the age of 98
in Hudson, New Hampshire. Mr. Dolloff began working at the Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston, in the early 1920s. After working in various
departments at the Museum, he was recruited in 1928 by the curator
of prints, Henry P. Rossiter, to assist with the care and
presentation of works of art on paper. This was at a time when the
field of conservation as we know it today, incorporating knowledge
from science, art history, and studio art, was in its infancy in the
United States, and there were very few resources for the would-be
conservator. But in the spirit of a true pioneer, Mr. Dolloff
persisted and in time amassed a considerable amount of practical
knowledge based almost entirely on his own observations and
experiences, supplemented by contact with those who were involved
with the care of the Museum's collections of Asian art. In time,
collectors and other museums began to turn to him for help with
needs relating to treatment and preservation of works of art on
paper. The great collector, Lessing Rosenwald, sought his aid in the
treatment of an important 15th century Flemish woodcut, which is now
in the collection of the National Gallery in Washington and was
featured in a recent exhibition of early woodcuts.

Except for a short period during WWII when he was employed as a
supervisor at the Raytheon Company, Mr. Dolloff continued working
for the Museum of Fine Arts until his retirement in 1976. His work
was featured in an article in Esquire Magazine in January of 1968.
He co-authored a book entitled "How to Care for Works of Art on
Paper" with his long time assistant and current Conservator, Roy
Perkinson. Mr. Dolloff was a long time member of the Boston
Badminton and Tennis Club, and he continued to play until age 90. He
was an avid photographer and lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox.
Those of who who knew him will miss his lively wit, his energetic
and competitive drive to succeed, his unbounded enthusiasm for art,
and his generosity in imparting his hard-won knowledge.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:4
                 Distributed: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
                        Message Id: cdl-20-4-001
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