JAIC 1997, Volume 36, Number 1, Article 5 (pp. 59 to 81)

PUVIS DE CHAVANNES'S ALLEGORICAL MURALS IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY: HISTORY, TECHNIQUE, AND CONSERVATION

TERI HENSICK, KATE OLIVIER, & GIANFRANCO POCOBENE

ABSTRACT—Puvis de Chavannes's allegorical murals, installed in the Boston Public Library between 1895 and 1896, were recently conserved by the staff of the Straus Center for Conservation as part of an ongoing major renovation of the building. The treatment of the murals included the consolidation of large areas of flaking paint, the reattachment of detached canvas sections, and the removal of tenacious surface grime. The opportunity to examine and analyze the Boston murals and to study archival material in France, as well as other murals there, has yielded interesting information about the materials and techniques Puvis used to create his highly individual and influential murals. The authors combine information about the Boston Public Library commission with the methods and materials used in the murals, the conservation treatment, and additional materials analysis.
[Spanish Abstract] [French Abstract]

Article Sections:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. NARRATIVE OF THE MURALS
3. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE
4. CONSERVATION
5. CONCLUSIONS
1. APPENDIX 1
2. APPENDIX 2
3. APPENDIX 3
4. FORMULAS
a: Appendix , Materials , References , Author Information

Entire Article