AIC's 53rd Annual Meeting

From May 2019 through December 2024, 201 ancient objects from the island of Cyprus were examined, documented, and treated in preparation for permanent installation in The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. From 2020 onward, this conservation effort was led by Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts Emily Brown, collaborating with guest curator and Cypriot specialist Joanna Smith and private conservator Dimitra Pantoulia. Along with her own treatments, Emily delegated and managed the majority of this treatment, which was completed by four other conservators working in close collaboration: The Ringling Kress Conservation Fellow Tara Johnston, Objects Conservator Dimitra Pantoulia, and RLA Conservation conservators Elena Bowen and Krista Vaughn. After a brief introduction to the collection and conservation history of The Ringling’s ancient collection, this presentation will focus on an overview of the collaborative treatment methodology applied to the 201 objects prepared for permanent display. Material types included limestone, ceramics and terracotta, bronze and precious metals, glass, and gemstones. The talk will include case studies for several treated objects and conclude with a brief post-mortem reflection on the treatment approach, including both successes and lessons learned.