Victoria Mansion

VICTORIA MANSION WILL CONSERVE THE PAINTED FINISHES IN THE SECOND STORY OF ITS GRAND CENTRAL STAIR HALL THAT DATE BACK TO 1859-1860. THE STAIRCASE PAINTINGS WERE COMPLETED BY GIUSEPPE GUIDICINI, AN ITALIAN-BORN ARTIST WHO EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1832 AND LATER HELPED TO DISSEMINATE A TASTE FOR ITALIANATE FRESCO-STYLE DECORATION IN THE NATION’S OPERA HOUSES AND THEATERS. PROJECT CONSERVATORS WILL ADDRESS AT-RISK AREAS BY STABILIZING AND CLEANING THE SECOND STORY STAIR HALL PAINT AND REVERSIBLY IN-PAINTING SMALL AREAS OF LOSS. CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE IN PUBLIC VIEW TO FURTHER THE MUSEUM’S EFFORT TO PROMOTE EDUCATION ABOUT CONSERVATION PRACTICES.

VICTORIA MANSION?S PROJECT TO CONSERVE THE PAINTED DECORATION OF ONE OF ITS MOST ELABORATE AND ART-HISTORICALLY RICH SPACES, THE PARLOR, SEEKS TO STABILIZE AND PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL DECORATIVE PAINT SURFACES, REMOVE OVER 160 YEARS OF ACCUMULATED SOOT AND GRIME, AND IN-PAINT SMALL LOSSES AND ABRASIONS TO PRESERVE AND REVEAL THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF ARTIST GIUSEPPE GUIDICINI. GUIDICINI?S WORK, THOUGH NOW LARGELY DESTROYED AND FORGOTTEN, WAS FAMED IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, AND A FORTHCOMING MAJOR SCHOLARLY PUBLICATION DETAILING HIS INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN ART HISTORY WILL ONCE AGAIN PLACE HIM IN HIS PROPER HISTORICAL CONTEXT. THE DECORATIONS IN VICTORIA MANSION COMPRISE THE ONLY EXTANT SURVIVAL OF HIS MURALS IN AMERICA, THUS MAKING IT A SINGULAR TOUCHSTONE FOR UNDERSTANDING THIS ARTIST?S WORK AND CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN CULTURAL GROWTH AT AN IMPORTANT JUNCTURE IN THE NATION?S HISTORY. THE THREAT OF LOSS TO IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THIS VISUALLY-RICH ROOM WAS UNDERLINED BY THE RELATIVELY RAPID DETERIORATION OF TWO ILIAD THEMED CEILING PAINTINGS, WHICH WERE REMOVED AND PLACED IN PROTECTIVE STORAGE IN 2014 TO AWAIT FURTHER TREATMENT. CLOSELY MONITORED BY OUR STAFF CONSERVATOR SINCE THEN, THE WALLS AND CEILING HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE BUT ARE CLEARLY COMPROMISED BY ACCUMULATED SURFACE DIRT AND WATER DAMAGE DUE TO LEAKS FROM A HISTORIC BATHROOM (NOW DISCONNECTED) ABOVE THE NORTH-EAST CORNER OF THE ROOM ALONG WITH SCATTERED AREAS OF POORLY MATCHED AND DISFIGURING IN-PAINT FROM PRE-1942 AMATEUR CAMPAIGNS TO "FRESHEN" THE ROOM?S APPEARANCE. THE PROPOSED TREATMENT FOLLOWS SUCCESSFUL PROTOCOLS DEVELOPED IN PREVIOUS CONSERVATION WORK IN THE MANSION AND INVOLVES CONCURRENT PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THAT PUBLICIZES AND EMPHASIZES NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SURVIVING WORK, BUT ALSO THE ROLE CONSERVATION PLAYS IN PRESERVING THESE WORKS TODAY. AT ITS FINISH, THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A STABLE AND FULLY-CLEANED ROOM THAT WILL REVEAL THE ART-HISTORICAL ROOTS, LUSH CONCEPT OF DECORATION, AND DAZZLING TONAL AND COLOR INTERACTIONS INTENDED BY ITS ORIGINAL CREATOR AND HIS PATRONS.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

CONSERVATION PROGRAM

VICTORIA MANSION WILL IMPROVE THE DOCUMENTATION OF ACCESSION RECORDS FOR ITS COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING FURNITURE, SCULPTURE, CARPETING, PAINTINGS, AND GLASS AND CERAMIC ARTS OBJECTS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON SYSTEMATICALLY IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING INACCURACIES, DUPLICATIONS, AND OMISSIONS IN THE PHYSICAL COLLECTIONS RECORDS. THE MUSEUM WILL WORK WITH TOUR GUIDES TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS FOR DIGITAL ACCESS TO IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION IN ORDER TO ANSWER VISITOR QUESTIONS AND CONDUCT RESEARCH. THE MUSEUM WILL MAKE PROGRESS IN COMPLETING A DIGITAL DATABASE TO MAKE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ITS COLLECTIONS READILY ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF AND DOCENTS, ULTIMATELY ENRICHING INTERPRETATION OF THE HOUSE FOR VISITORS.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA