The conservation of botanical illustrations on vellum: past, present and future

Abstract

Botanical illustrations record the physical characteristics of plants. As well as providing a scientific record, the resulting paintings and drawings are often of great artistic merit. This article describes the conservation treatment and preparation of illustrations on vellum for exhibition and long-term storage, focusing on the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Information is given on the history of the collections, their display at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art during 2008–10 and their future preservation. Methods developed for the humidification, reshaping and mounting of paintings on vellum from the Kew collections are described. This article also reports on interviews with leading contemporary artists working on vellum. Aspects of their materials and working methods that relate to future conservation issues are recorded and future directions for collaboration between botanical artists and conservators are suggested.

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