The drawings on top of the shelf
We have been up on top of the shelves and rediscovered old drawings. Some of them were in several pieces. They are now preserved and registered after many years in the dark.
Text by the Editorial Staff
In conjunction with the National Museum's relocation, the entire graphic and drawing collection has been reviewed. The review has ensured that each of the approximately 50 000 works of art in this collection now have a unique inventory number and are registered as part of the collection.
Unknown rolled-up drawings
The review included registering and providing new packaging for the partially unknown material that was rolled up in one of the museum's storage rooms. Most of the drawings had not been rolled out for decades. Many were in large format and very fragile.
Putting Tidemand back together
Some of the drawings were in several pieces and required conservation work. The biggest effort was spent on Adolph Tidemand's Young Male Figure Leading a Horse with Carriage which was drawn between 1869 and 1873. The drawing is a study for the painting The Wedding Procession Through the Forest from 1873.
Before conservation: The drawing was in several pieces. Photo: Trine Nordkvelle
After cleaning and pressing, the pieces were put together with strips of Japanese paper. Photo: Tina Grette Poulsson
The drawing was then reinforced on the back because the paper was very worn and fragile. This method is an attempt to avoid new tears occurring in the future. Photo: Tina Grette Poulsson
After conservation. Photo: The National Museum / Børre Høstland
61 unregistered drawings
95 drawings were taken down from the shelf and rolled out onto the table. 61 of them were not previously registered in the museum's collection catalogue. The drawings were identified where possible and assigned their own number. After their condition was assessed, they were repackaged more securely than previously.
