Panorama, “Second International Pageant of Pulchritude and Eighth Annual Bathing Girl Revue, Galveston, TX” - humidification, flattening, mending, filling, re-house

Before Treatment

During Treatment

After Treatment

TREATMENT PROPOSAL/AUTHORIZATION FOR TREATMENT

SUMMARY OF PRIOR TREATMENT
Prior to sending the photograph to the Kilgarlin Center for treatment, it was freeze dried and irradiated by a private vendor as part of a disaster recovery effort from Hurricane Katrina.  After the recovery process and with curatorial approval, humidification and flattening of the photograph allowed further examination.

DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
The panorama is an unmounted, silver gelatin, developing out photograph of a 1927 beauty pageant in Galveston, TX.  The photograph has three layers: silver gelatin emulsion, baryta and paper support. 
 
The condition of the photograph is fair, overall.  It was stored tightly rolled and had sustained water damage. 

Silver gelatin emulsion
The silver gelatin emulsion layer is in fair condition.  The binder has slightly yellowed and silver mirroring is visible in the darker areas of the image.  The most severe areas of sliver mirroring are seen in the hair and clothing of the bathers, the densest areas of the image.  The silver mirroring is a result of an oxidative-reductive deterioration common in silver gelatin developing out prints.  There are small vertical cracks in the image area on the left and right edges of the photograph. In these areas, the gelatin is fragile and lifting. These cracks are possibly a result of the photograph being stored rolled.

Baryta layer
The baryta layer overall is in good condition.  The small vertical cracks in the gelatin, mentioned above, extend into the baryta layer. 

Paper support
The paper support layer is a piece of heavy weight, machine made, creamed colored paper.  The paper has discolored along the edges and shows evidence of foxing.  An approximately 7˝ x 8˝ area along the left side of the back of the support has discolored to a beige color and has brown accretions.  The discoloration and accretions suggest that this area was the outside edge when rolled.  The photo has six losses and five scarf tears, which extend into the image area. Four small losses at the corners of the print suggest that the photograph may have once been fastened to a support or wall. The following list provides a brief description and approximate location of the losses and tears:

Losses

• 1 approximately 2˝ x 5/8 ˝ loss, 9 inches in from the left upper corner
• 1 approximately ½˝ x ½ ˝ loss, middle of the bottom edge
• 3 approximately ½˝ x ½ ˝ losses, one on each of the left corners and one on the bottom right corner.
• 1 pinprick size loss, upper right corner
  

Tears

• 2 approximately 2˝ long scarf tears, top edge
• 1 approximately 2˝ long scarf tear, middle of the bottom edge
• 2 approximately 1˝ and 1½˝ long scarf tears, middle of left edge

Media
Graphite
A graphite annotation appears in the upper, left corner on the back of the photograph. The pencil is in good condition and shows minimal sign of abrasion.

PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Digital photographs were taken before and after treatment in ambient, raking, and transmitted light.  The photographs include overall shots, as well as detailed shots.

TREATMENT PROPOSAL

• Humidify and Flatten
• Consolidate flaking gelatin, as possible
• Mend tears and fill losses
• Create custom housing that will allow the photograph to be stored flat

TREATMENT PERFORMED
Chicago, IL – Munters

• Photograph was desiccant freeze-dried and then irradiated

Winterthur, DE – Winterthur Museum and Country Estate*

• The photo was first humidified in a tray humidity chamber at 100% humidity for 4 hours.  When the photo had sufficiently relaxed, it placed in a Gortex pack for an additional 2 hours. (6 hrs.)
• Dried flat overnight under polyester web and felts with minimal weight
• Created custom housing for storage and transport (1 hr)

Austin, TX – Kilgarlin Center

• Dry-cleaned back of the photo with a soot sponge.  (30 min.)
• Locally humidified tears from the back with a swab damped with deionized water and then dried under blotter and weight to flatten distortion.  Repeated the local humidification process on the front, but used a small brush to dampen the visible paper fibers and slightly swell the baryta and emulsion layers and then dried under blotter and weight. (2.5 hrs.)
• Mended tears on the back with two layers of remoistenable tissue.  The second layer of applied tissue was narrower than the first and was placed in the middle of the first in an effort to decrease visible tenting of the tear from the front.  (2 hrs.)
• Adhered lifted areas along the tears on the front by delivering a tiny amount of diluted 2.5% methylcellulose with a small brush.  Gently tacked down the areas with a Teflon tool and removed excess methylcellulose with blotter.  Allowed these areas to dry under blotter and weight. (1 hr.)
• Created a laminated fill structure out of a piece of acrylic toned Light Impressions Renaissance Paper adhered with Lamatec adhesive to a piece of western handmade paper.  The fills were adhered with a diluted 2.5% methylcellulose and allowed to dry under blotter and weight.  Remoistenable tissue strips were applied to back of the photo along the fill edges to support them.  (7 hrs.)

Total Treatment Time: 20 hrs.