Preservation Assessment of Works on Paper at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

FAIN: PG-50494-09

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust, Inc. (Miami, FL 33129-2831)
Gina Wouters (Project Director: May 2008 to August 2009)

The hiring of a consultant to assess the individual storage and preservation needs of forty works of art on paper. Grant funds would also be used to purchase basic preservation supplies as recommended by the consultant.

The Vizcayans is requesting a grant in the amount of $3,874 on behalf of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens to assess the storage and preservation needs of the Museum's collection of approximately 40 works on paper. These works - the majority of which were purchased by Vizcaya's creator, James Deering, during the construction of the estate in the 1910s - represent a diverse range of media and styles, including Japanese woodcut prints, Art Nouveau lithographs, etchings, and watercolor prints. Currently, the collection is stored in poor environmental conditions that have resulted in mold growth, pest infestation, water damage and, in some cases, light damage. A grant from NEH will enable Vizcaya to hire a conservator to assess the condition of the collection, including current storage issues and the individual preservation needs of each object.