Conservation of Photographs

Significance, Use and Care

Debra Hess Norris, Nora W. Kennedy, Bertrand Lavédrine

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9780367469559
• eBook ISBN: 9781040039618
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Museum Studies

Conservation of Photographs: Significance, Use and Care provides a comprehensive and inclusive overview of theory, research, and practice in the conservation of photograph collections, from the analogue to the digital era.

Including insights from nearly 100 leading international professionals, this book is a tribute to the synergistic advancements in photograph conservation in recent decades. Connecting material, imaging, computational and natural sciences, aesthetics, ethics and philosophy, history, art history, art and cultural context studies, these engaging writings contextualize our photographic heritage and its long-term preservation – past, present, and future. This book explores the philosophical underpinnings and evolution of the field, before moving on to detail innovative methodologies for assessing photographic heritage. The inclusion of material on characterization, imaging and authentication studies, conservation practice, innovation and ethical constraints, as well as on current approaches to effective collections management and preventive care, ensures that this volume is an invaluable resource and important practical reference.

Conservation of Photographs: Significance, Use and Care will spark a collective drive towards a more complete understanding and preservation of the world's photographic legacy. As such, the volume is useful for scholars, students, and practitioners working in the fields of photography, conservation, art, art history, history, and cultural heritage.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Figures
• Tables
• Contributors
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• List of Abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1 The Value and (Re)Use of Photograph Collections Globally
• 2 Evolution of the Field of Photograph Conservation
• 3 Technological Context: Characterizing a Photograph and Its Permanence
• 4 Conservation Practice
• 5 Collaboration in Preventive Conservation
• 6 Practicing Advocacy, Advancing Strategic Preservation, and Developing Outreach Initiatives
• Appendix A: Photograph Conservation Historical Timeline (1802–2023)
• Appendix B.1 Sample Examination Report and Treatment Proposal
• Appendix B.2 Sample Treatment Report
• Appendix C: Example of a Quick Guide for Using a Modified UV-VIS-IR DSLR Camera for Advanced Imaging Techniques
• Index