Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. RE: Paintings research query response summary 2. Institute of Conservators-Restorers in Ireland - Conference Registration Open! 3. RE: Fellowship in Painting Conservation at NYU 4. RE: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility 5. RE: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Sonia Santos Gómez Posted: Tuesday August 11, 2026 6:36 AM Subject: RE: Paintings research query response summary Message: Muy interesante. Muchas gracias ------------------------------ Sonia Santos Gómez Professor, Paintings Conservation Universidad Compultense de Madrid, Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural Madrid Spain ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 08-10-2026 17:13 From: Elizabeth Mansfield Subject: Paintings research query response summary Thanks to everyone who responded to my original query regarding the use of cut-and-paste techniques by European portrait painters. Several members of the list asked for a summary of the information I received. Here it is: It seems the cut-and-paste technique was as not as unusual among oil painters as 18th-century British commentators seem to suggest (George Vertue referred to its use by Hamlet Winstanley in 1739 "quite new and extraordinary"). Aside from Winstanley and R.E. Pine, whose works prompted my query, 18th-century British examples include Hogarth's portrait of David Garrick as Richard III (Walker Art Gallery), Zoffany's portrait of the Drummond Family (see Jessica David's paper on this painting in the collection of the YCBA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmUscyrPhtY <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmUscyrPhtY>), and Reynolds' portrait of George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend in Ontario (see Mannings, no. 1764). Thanks to the specialists in pastel portraits and paper conservation who informed me of the frequency with which Hugh Douglas Hamilton and Maurice-Quentin La Tour used a cut-and-paste method in their pastel portraits on paper. On Hamilton, see Louise O'Connor's article, https://doi.org/10.1080/18680860.2018.1642024 <https://doi.org/10.1080/18680860.2018.1642024>; on La Tour, see Rena Hoisington's 2006 IFA dissertation on La Tour. The earliest examples of the technique that I heard about are 16th-century Venetian paintings. Research on pasted heads in a work by Tintoretto is currently underway at the NGA in Washington, with results to be published in the future (Joanna Dunn and Christie Romano are among those involved in the research). Late 17th- / early 18th-century French portrait painters also made use of the technique. Curator Elodie Vaysse (Chateau de Versailles) will publish her research on the technique in a forthcoming monograph. Also brought to my attention were painted photographs, popular in the 19th century. Some portrait painters (especially miniaturists) pasted a photographic portrait onto a support and then painted over the photograph and support, resulting in a compelling painted likeness with no obvious trace of the underlying photo visible. I would be glad to learn of further examples, should others come to mind. Sincere thanks to all, Elizabeth [email protected] <[email protected]> 2.From: Bethany Skuce Posted: Tuesday August 11, 2026 6:37 AM Subject: Institute of Conservators-Restorers in Ireland - Conference Registration Open! Message: The Institute of Conservators - Restorers in Ireland is delighted to announce that registration <https://www.icriconservation.ie/icri-biennial-conference/registration> for our Biennial Conference is now open! Tickets, including early bird pricing, are now available for attendance online and in person in Galway on the 23rd October 2026. Tickets are free for students and members. If you would like to become a member, please visit our membership page <https://www.icriconservation.ie/membership>. This year's conference aims to explore conservation practice in changing conditions, bringing together practice-based and research-led contributions that address storage, environmental uncertainty, and evolving ethical frameworks. It seeks to advance both technical understanding and critical reflection on how conservation decisions are made, communicated, and enacted in contemporary contexts. For further information on this year's themes, please visit our conference page <https://www.icriconservation.ie/icri-biennial-conference/conference-theme-being-moved>. Further information on our venue, including transport links, is also available on our conference page <https://www.icriconservation.ie/icri-biennial-conference/conference-theme-being-moved>. ICRI Conservation - REGISTRATION <https://www.icriconservation.ie/icri-biennial-conference/registration> ------------------------------ Bethany Skuce Education Bursary Manager Institute of Conservators-Restorers in Ireland ------------------------------ 3.From: Matthew Hayes Posted: Tuesday August 11, 2026 4:48 PM Subject: RE: Fellowship in Painting Conservation at NYU Message: Dear Colleagues, A reminder that the deadline for applications for the Samuel H. Kress Fellowship in paintings conservation at NYU is August 15. Apply here: https://apply.interfolio.com/189349 <https://apply.interfolio.com/189349> Please note that while the names of two recommenders are requested, letters of recommendation are not required at this time. Be in touch with any questions. Very best wishes, Matt Hayes ------------------------------ Matthew Hayes, PhD Assistant Professor of Paintings Conservation Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University 14 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10075 [email protected] ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 07-29-2026 09:22 From: Matthew Hayes Subject: Fellowship in Painting Conservation at NYU Dear Colleagues, I am excited to share the posting below for a one-year fellowship in paintings conservation in The Samuel H. Kress Program in Painting Conservation at the Conservation Center, funded by the Kress Foundation: https://apply.interfolio.com/189349 <https://apply.interfolio.com/189349> The start date is flexible; the application deadline is August 15. Please be in touch with any questions. Best wishes, Matt Hayes ------------------------------ Matthew Hayes, PhD Assistant Professor of Paintings Conservation Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University 14 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10075 [email protected] <[email protected]> ------------------------------ 4.From: Rosa Lowinger Posted: Tuesday August 11, 2026 4:49 PM Subject: RE: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility Message: In most professions, ethical standards are set by trained, peer-reviewed practitioners - its hard to imagine the AIA, AMA, or American Bar Association opening a vote on core ethical matters to non-professionals or those still working toward credentials. Theres a lot of value in being inclusive, but if standards arent ultimately set by trained professionals across career stages, they risk losing real meaning. Rosa Lowinger, F-AIC, FAPT, FAAR 09Founder/ Principal ConservatorRLA Conservation of Art + Architecture <http://www.rlaconservation.com> Miami Los Angeles 305.573.7011 323.377.8425Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/RLAConservation> | Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/rlaconservation/> | Website <https://rlaconservation.com/> New Yorker on Dwell Time <https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/the-woman-restoring-basquiats-forgotten-ferris-wheel> Kirkus Starred Review of Dwell Time <https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rosa-lowinger/dwell-time/> This email message and any files attached are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s), are confidential and may contain privileged information from Rosa Lowinger & Associates. The information is intended solely for use by the individual(s) or entit(ies) named as the recipient hereof and is also covered by the electronic communications privacy act (18 USC Sections 2510-2521). Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email immediately and destroy copies of the original message. ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 8/10/2026 9:33:00 AM From: Anthony Hita Subject: RE: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility In addition to what you've said, George, I think there is one other thing we ought to consider: Voting to extend voting rights and therefore Code of Ethics modification power to the entire AIC membership and not just fellows or PMs also opens structural and philosophical changes up to a not insignificant avenue of manipulation since the bar for regular membership is "pay a due". PMs and Fellows have undergone screening and peer review, and so are known to be engaged practitioners who have committed to the organization and industry already. As the membership solicitation page says "We welcome as a member anyone who has an interest in the field of conservation, regardless of where they are from or located." At just $15/month for this access, it is a very low bar to give access to a portion of power that then theoretically binds the practice of all members. Whatever we might think about the PM and Fellow review process or the qualifications for those states, it is at least a peer review process. AIC isn't a nation that derives rule from the consent of the people that then has the authority to enact legal guidelines that are enforced by temporal state power in a Enlightenment philosophical sense, it is a professional organization that works by voluntary participation and then grants status based on professional qualifications and review. Voting to change the Code of Ethics has far less impact on an average member than it does on a PM or Fellow whose status is explicitly tied to conformance with that Code in a way average membership is not (even if the average member is obliged to follow the Code). I sympathize with the desire to be more open, fair, and just through extending voting rights to more people, and I also believe that those who have considered and proposed these changes have already debated many of these factors internally and are not in anyway proposing something nefarious. It may ultimately be a good thing for voting to be extended to all, I'm open to that possibility. But an increased voting pool means it will be exceptionally difficult to undo the change if it goes through and turns out to have been a poor decision since we'd have to then ask people to vote to remove their own voting rights, which I cannot see reasonably happening. It also means that the Code at the point of the expansion is going to be more calcified since it is harder to mobilize a larger voting pool towards any given end. So this is certainly not a simple change that should be made without consideration by individual voters. ------------------------------ Anthony Hita, PM-AIC Architectural Conservator LimeWorks.us Telford United States ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 08-08-2026 17:12 From: George Wheeler Subject: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility I am grateful to Bonnie Naugle and Noah Smutz for providing background and information as I try to focus my thinking on the upcoming vote to expand voting rights to all AIC members. What follows are some points that I hope that members will consider before casting their vote. First, I am uncomfortable with members of the AIC leadership, whether officers, committee members, or staff, urging us to vote a certain way (in this case "for"). This is particularly concerning when those solicitations do not include full discussions of plusses, minuses, and implications, or, when the argument is framed as standing on higher moral and ethical grounds. Strictly from a political strategy point of view, doing so is risky and often leads to backlash. Put in simple language, no one likes to be told what to do, particularly from those in positions of authority. This is human nature. A version of this played out during the exploration of certification in 2010, which led to a strong vote against certification. Second, some members have characterized the vote as "simply" bringing our By-Laws into conformity. There are some good arguments for that conformity. One is fairness: if you are obliged to follow the Code of Ethics, then you should be able to vote on it. Another is: if you want to enjoy the benefits of membership, you should pay a price for that. However, there is nothing "simple" about this decision and to characterize it in that way is either naive or disingenuous. In conversations with other AIC members, the questions that arise are: 1. Has this vote and the previous vote that expanded conformity to the Code of Ethics to all members been fully thought through? 2. Is possible that we would be compounding an error we have already made? I wonder if we could engage in the wonderful development in recent years at the AIC Annual Meeting where we openly discuss our "mistakes"? Third, there are other options for membership, and the associated responsibilities and obligations of that membership, that many other professional organizations enact. Some such categories of membership do not provide voting rights or demand professional ethical obligations. These memberships could apply to people from allied disciplines who wish to be a member in AIC, or to those in conservation who do not want to make the effort and take on responsibilities of a PM or a Fellow. It also allows someone to retain membership even when they object to all or parts of the Code of Ethics. This is not a trivial point. The recent draft of the Code (currently being edited), replete with virtue signaling and legal concerns for those in private practice, gave many of us pause and would undoubtedly have led to loss of membership. Finally, my hope is that the current vote for extension of voting rights will be withdrawn or that members reject the proposal. I believe we need to fully consider (and perhaps reconsider) the impact of the decisions we have and might make. *(See optional personal note) My further hope is that those working on the next draft of the Code of Ethics make it simple. Important issues like climate change and global warming (which all members might not agree on) might be better addressed in The Guidelines for Practice or even better, in a position or white paper that helps guide or stimulate people's thinking without demanding agreement or conformity (such as the AIC's position paper on the trade in African elephant ivory). In my view the Code of Ethics boils down to: don't hurt art and anyone associated with it. *Personal note: I have often heard and have sometimes fallen prey to: elders have wisdom and youth has energy. This statement flies in the face of my personal experience. While I know a few elders with lots of energy, I have had the experience and privilege of working with bright, energetic and indeed wise students and other young professionals. It is a false dichotomy that promotes intergenerational divide when what we need, particularly at this time, is intergenerational solidarity. ------------------------------ George Wheeler Senior Scientist Highbridge Materials Consulting, Inc. New York United States ------------------------------ 5.From: Bonnie Naugle Posted: Tuesday August 11, 2026 4:49 PM Subject: RE: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility Message: Hi everyone, Since this topic was posted on the Global Forum and not in the AIC Member Community, I'd love to get more perspectives from our allied and international colleagues! How do other associations and organizations around the world consider their own codes of ethics and/or guidelines for practice? How often do you update or change them, and what processes do you use? Here are a few codes/guidelines I found: AICCM: https://aiccm.org.au/about/code-ethics-and-practice/ CAC-ACCR: https://www.cac-accr.ca/about-us/ AASLH: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/download.us.aaslh.org/NOV+2025+FINAL_+AASLH+Statement+of+Standards+and+Ethics.pdf E.C.CO.: https://www.ecco-eu.org/home/ecco-documents/ Are there others? I think most importantly, what do you refer to in your work? All the best, Bonnie ------------------------------ Bonnie Naugle Communications & Membership Director American Institute for Conservation and Foundation for Advancement in Conservation Washington, DC ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 08-10-2026 12:28 From: Suzanne Davis Subject: Expanding AIC Voter Eligibility Dear George, Thanks for your message. For a bit of recent historical context, I was serving as AIC vice president when this issue first began to be discussed about seven years ago. It grew in importance as members worked to update the Bylaws and revise the Code of Ethics. During my time on the board, the issue was considered and debated by the board and several committees and task forces before being brought to increasingly broader groups, including the Internal Advisory Group, annual meeting attendees, and all members for further discussion both in person and online. AIC's culture strongly values consensus, which can mean that projects take a long time to move from discussion to completion. By the time an issue reaches a vote, it's understandable that many members may not remember the full history. For those who have been involved throughout, however, this vote may feel like the natural culmination of years of thoughtful discussion. Although I no longer serve AIC in a volunteer capacity, my own view is that all AIC members should abide by the organization's Code of Ethics, as is the case in other professional organizations I belong to. It has never made sense to me that this applies to some members but not others. I also agree that the Code should be simple. And if members are expected to abide by it, they should be able to vote on it. To me, these points feel straightforward, although I know other AIC members might see the issue differently. I'll be very interested to learn the outcome of the vote. Best wishes, Suzanne------------------------ Suzanne L. Davis (she/her/hers) <https://www.mypronouns.org/>Senior Associate Curator and Head of ConservationKelsey Museum of Archaeology <https://lsa.umich.edu/kelsey>University of Michigan, 434 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1390 USA You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. 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