Conservation applies the science of chemistry to the craft of restoration. It requires a scientific understanding of the materials used in the artwork, as well as an understanding of art itself. The overall goal of this conservation treatment was to stabilize the Houston-Raguet Letter against further deterioration, restore its appearance in an appropriate and responsible manner, and prolong its existence.

The terms restoration, preservation and conservation are often confused, but there is a difference between them.

Restoration returns a piece to its original appearance, often with the addition of non-original material. The overall goal is to make the piece look like it was originally intended, without specific regard to retaining its value. Restoration may or may not take into account prevention of further damage.

Preservation minimizes deterioration, both chemical and physical. The overall goal is to prolong the life of the article. Fixing damage or restoring its unblemished appearance is not usually done.

Written and photographic documentation is standard for all conservation treatments. Photographic documentation is carried out prior to and following the treatment with additional images during treatment as needed. This project has also been documented with digital video. Using the lastest streaming media standard, MP4, we have made the video of this conservation process available on the Site. To view the video segments, Quicktime Player 6 or RealOne Player Basic is required. We recommend Quicktime for Macs and RealPlayer for PCs.

Download Quicktime 6 Player

Download RealOnePlayer Basic