Lighting Levels
Temperature & Humidity
Handling & Care
Transport & Storage
Conservation Challenges
100
This instrument is used to measure the amount of light falling on an artwork.
What is a lux meter?
100
In conservation, what does the abbreviation RH stand for?
What is relative humidity?
100
Before moving an artwork, this document should be checked to identify any existing damage or areas of vulnerability.
What is a condition report?
100
This rigid protective container is commonly custom-fitted to protect an artwork during transportation.
What is a crate?
100
This term describes how resistant or vulnerable an artwork’s materials are to deterioration or change over time.
What is material stability?
200
This is the unit used to measure lighting levels in an exhibition space.
What is lux?
200
High relative humidity can encourage the growth of this on artworks made from organic materials.
What is mould?
200
Valuable or fragile artworks should ideally be moved and installed by people specifically trained in the safe handling of artworks.
Who are trained art handlers?
200
Foam or other inert cushioning inside a transport crate helps reduce these two major risks during transit.
What are vibration and impact?
200
This gallery practice involves staff supervising an exhibition space to help protect artworks while they are on display.
What is invigilation?
300
Prolonged exposure to high light levels can cause pigments and dyes to permanently lose their colour. What type of damage is this?
What is fading?
300
Very low humidity can cause materials such as paper, wood or canvas to dry out and become susceptible to this type of damage.
What is cracking / brittleness?
300
This handling principle means moving or touching an artwork only when necessary to reduce the risk of damage.
What is minimal handling?
300
This type of chemically stable material is used when packing or storing artworks to reduce the risk of deterioration.
What are archival / acid-free materials?
300
A digital artwork relies on hardware or software that is no longer manufactured or supported. What conservation problem does this present?
What are obsolete technologies?
400
What effects might prolonged light exposure have on a highly light-sensitive work on paper?
Fading, discolouration and deterioration of the paper/pigments.
400
Why can repeated fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity damage an artwork?
They can cause materials to expand and contract, leading to warping, cracking or other physical deterioration.
400
When carrying a framed artwork, this part should never be used as a handle because it may fail or damage the frame.
What is the hanging wire?
400
This type of specialist vehicle may be used to transport valuable artworks while maintaining suitable environmental conditions.
What is an art transport / climate-controlled vehicle?
400
Materials that naturally deteriorate, change or break down over time are described by this term
What are unstable materials?
500
A highly light-sensitive drawing is displayed for one month, then kept in dark storage for three months. What conservation guideline is being followed?
What is the 1:3 display-to-storage ratio?
500
This instrument can be used to monitor both temperature and relative humidity within an exhibition or storage space.
What is a thermohygrometer / thermo-hygrometer?
500
On a condition report, these two terms are used to refer to the front and back of an artwork.
What are recto and verso?
500
This enclosed archival box is commonly used to safely store or transport works on paper.
What is a Solander box?
500
An artwork created specifically for a particular location, where the location forms an important part of the work, is known as this.
What is site-specific art?