Preventive Conservation

Most damage isn't sudden — it accumulates. Humidity and temperature swings move canvas, wood, paper, and ivory until they crack or fail; most works are safest around 45–55% relative humidity (50–60% for paper) and 18–21°C, with daily fluctuation kept under 2°C. Light causes fading that can never be recovered, and ultraviolet breaks pigments and fibres down at a molecular level — UV-filtering glazing, low-UV lighting, and simply keeping work out of direct sun do most of the protecting.

Airborne pollutants, off-gassing materials, and even a nearby candle degrade surfaces slowly and invisibly; careful housekeeping holds that off. In practice, though, most harm happens during handling and storage rather than from the air — acid-free, lignin-free materials and simply always working in cotton gloves prevent the majority of it.

Collections are monitored on a rhythm: condition checked and photographed regularly, with a fuller professional survey every three to five years for significant holdings, all set down alongside provenance and insurance records — so a collection's history and its risks are both on paper, not just in memory.