The Japanese and Chinese Paintings at Taliesin: Their Display and Conservation

Abstract

Taliesin is the home and working facility that Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) began for himself in 1911 and which remained a work in progress for the rest of his life. Integral to its esthetic is the display of the Japanese and Chinese paintings of which Wright was a discriminating collector; these were mounted specifically to fit locations in the important public rooms. Their conservation was framed by the restoration of the building to address inherent compromises, later unsympathetic changes, and mitigation of internal environmental extremes. It considered the decision to display the original works rather than seasonal removal or replacement with photo-reproductions. Importance was attached to the conservation objectives, procedures, materials, techniques, and sensibilities inherent in the treatment of large format Asian paintings, with particular emphases on the variations from traditional practices that have proved valuable for treatment of works displayed in Western contexts. Attention was given to how the paintings could be reintegrated into their original locations with protective glazing and framing that are sympathetic to the original decorative schemes. The place of specialization within the conservation profession is considered, the rationales that substantiate it, and what value it has in the cross-pollination of technical developments.

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