Disclosing Architecture: 18 Stories of Heritage and InnovationDisclosing Architecture: 18 Stories of Heritage and Innovation

Text Kelly James

Some photographic prints are in pristine condition, with virtually no signs of wear or damage, but this is not always the case. Many architects and other archive creators pinned photographs to the wall with drawing pins, cut them up into collages, drew over them, stuck them on a sheet of paper or in an album (and sometimes took them out again), rolled them up or taped them together.

The National Collection is made up of various archives and parts of archives, but it does not, in principle, contain objects that have been acquired individually. Conservation or restoration decisions are therefore never made without taking into account the importance of the object in the context of the archive. Furthermore, the aim is not to create a collection of perfect objects. Traces of use can tell us a lot about how the object was used by the creator of the archive, or how it functioned in the design process.

For passive conservation, all photographs are packed according to size, i.e. placed in a box that is as close as possible to the dimensions of the object. This is done to prevent damage, for example, from sliding around in the packaging, but also with regard to the use of space in the depots. The photos are packed in boxes that are suitable for contact with photographic materials. Inside the packaging, the photos are separated from each other by sheets of archival paper. One function of these interleaves is to prevent the emulsion layer of the photo from coming into contact with, for example, glue from a label on the back of the photo above. This reduces the risk of damage

In Hendrik Salomonson’s archive we find a number of photographs with a label on the verso (back). Labels are often a valuable source of information, helping to place the object in a wider context. In this case, the label includes information about the maker and the copyrights that may apply to the image. The photographs were stored in a stack and damaged by the labels which caused chemical (redox) damage. In this case, it is unlikely that this damage will worsen, provided that the object is packaged with suitable material, separated from other photos with archival paper, and stored in a stable climate with controlled humidity. As the existing damage is irreversible and unlikely to worsen, and as the label is important for the context, it has been decided to record the damage so that it can be monitored in the future. If necessary, it may be decided to remove the label at a later date.

To ensure that different members of staff make a clear selection of the photographs that may require treatment during the project, guidelines have been drawn up to separate works that require active conservation due to their physical condition from those that are in good condition. All the damage that can be expected in a collection such as this has been divided into four categories. For each category, it has been determined how urgent the treatment of the damage is. A guideline for recording the damage has been established so that it can be monitored in the future.

• Treatment of the damage is urgent. Without treatment, these objects are too fragile to be properly handled (and digitised).
• Treatment is recommended but not necessary for safe handling of the object. Treatment can be carried out at a later date.
• Treatment is often risky and the objects are fragile.
• Treatment is not necessary or risky/selection is not feasible in practice.

Setting priorities and packing guidelines was done by the project team with consultation of photo restorer Katrin Pietsch. The following considerations were taken into account:

• How necessary is treatment to preserve the collection?
• Is treatment desirable for every object with the damage in question, or only if the damage is present to a certain extent? (For example, if it is an obstacle to handling or digitising)

In addition, a working method has been established for each category: categories 1 to 3 are registered in Axiell Collections, for category 4 this is not necessary or feasible. By establishing a fixed notation in the guidelines, this damage can be monitored and all objects in category 2 can be reviewed in a few years’ time to see if treatment has become urgent.

The archive of Martinus van Schijndel contains a photomontage consisting of four cut-up internal dye diffusion transfer prints, which together show a front view of the Art Lease art library in Utrecht. The different prints are held together by a few pieces of tape on the back. Internal dye diffusion transfer printing, also known by the brand name Polaroid, consists of several layers. Because the photos are cut up, the layers are no longer held together by the white border, which makes them particularly fragile when handled.

Most of the photographs in the Photo Project are being digitised as part of a mass digitisation process. Although this photomontage does not require immediate active conservation – with stable storage this can also be done at a later date – this object cannot be digitised as part of the process. It should be handled with care and it may be better to digitise this montage on the glass plate rather than underneath it. During the registration process, the project staff will also make a selection of photographs that require special attention during digitisation. Because of the care required, this type of damage will always be registered in Axiell Collections.

In the Jan Verhoeven archive, in the file section Photos of Housing Construction in Helmond, we find another example of a photomontage whose physical condition requires some attention. In this montage, consisting of four gelatin silver prints, some of the photos have been stuck together by sticky glue residues from the montage, so that the image is no longer completely visible. Digitisation of the entire photomontage is only possible if the object is first treated by a photo restorer. Registration is only partially possible because the entire image is not visible. After restoration, the registration can be completed.

While in the examples from Jan Verhoeven’s and Mart van Schijndel’s archives most of the image is still visible and can be (partially) digitised in a separate process, we face a different problem with these rolled-up photos from the Reinder Blijstra’s archive. The photos were rolled up by Blijstra into tight rolls. While normal paper can often be unrolled without risk of damage, this is much riskier with a photographic print. It is a layered object, often consisting of a paper layer, a baryta layer and an emulsion layer containing the image. Simply unrolling a photo that has been stored rolled up can damage the emulsion layer. The damage will not worsen as long as the rolled photo is stored in a stable environment, but the contents will not be visible and digitisation will not be possible. Flattening this photo can only be justified if done by a photo restorer.

As part of the Photo Project, a pilot photo restoration project was launched in which 43 works from Theo van Doesburg’s archive were treated by photographic restorers Fotorestauratie Atelier V.O.F. This photo of the Rietveld-Schröder House in Utrecht suffered insect damage to the image layer. As a result, parts of the previously dark image have been eaten away, revealing the white of the baryta layer or paper. We do not want to erase traces of use and damage that tell us something about the history of the object. In this case, a small retouch was made after the damaged had been consolidated. By colouring the white part, the image’s legibility is no longer disturbed. By limiting the amount of retouching, it is still possible to see where the adjustment was made. The photo has also been (dry) cleaned.

In many archives, including Theo van Doesburg’s, photographs are mounted on a secondary support. This photo of three parts of a stained-glass window is one of them. In this case, not only were the photographs cleaned, but the secondary support was also conserved. For example, the cardboard was also cleaned and strengthened and the black paper tape around the edges and the original hanging system were reinforced. All the notes on the front and back, as well as the labels on the back, are of great importance to the historical context of the object and have therefore all been retained.