29128
Accession Number
26930
Editor
Bachmann, Konstanze
Title Of Article Chaper
Control of temperature and humidity in small collections
Title Of Journal Book
Conservation concerns: a guide for collectors and curators
Pages
15-22
Collation
0.833333333
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Cooper-Hewitt Museum
Publisher City
Washington; New York
ISBN
1-56098-174-1
Language Of Text
English
Literature Type
Monograph
Literature Level
Analytic
Abstract
The control of temperature and relative humidity is a vital factor in the preservation of a collection. Inappropriate of fluctuating environmental conditions can cause irreparable damage to works of art. High temperatures and high levels of relative humidity can initiate chemical reactions that may lead to deterioration, cause physical changes, promote corrosion, and permit mold to grow. Low levels of relative humidity may cause desiccation, embrittlement, and irreversible dimensional changes. Rapidly fluctuating temperature and relative humidity compound all of these effects. The contents and condition of a collection must be reviewed to determine what range of temperature and relative humidity can be tolerated. A collection may need to be organized by materials with similar needs. Pieces with exceptional problems may require special rooms or cases. Following the assessment of a collection, a building's environment must be monitored to establish which areas are most in need of adjustment. An understanding of the interrelationship of temperature and relative humidity and their effects upon the materials of works of art will make it possible for staff to establish safe parameters for a collection.
Keywords
control; temperature; humidity; art; deterioration; environment -- CAL
pub_id
29128