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Belt for a Lady's Dress
Italy, Siena (?), about 1375-1400
Enamel and gilding on silver, silver thread, gilt-silver buckle, cast and chased, 236.5 x 2.9 cm
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1930.742
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How to Display the Silver Belt
Conservation Issues Determine How an Object is Displayed
The museum uses display cases and their environments as a means of preserving works of art. Although the Belt for a Lady's Dress was made as a utilitarian object, the materials used to create it are susceptible to changes from environment. The majority of the belt is made from silver and woven wire. Sulfur in the atmosphere readily reacts with the silver, causing it to corrode and turn black. The enamels have deteriorated over time, and some have flaked off because of tensions created at the time of manufacture or with the chemical deterioration of the glass. Any application or removal of a coating to protect the silver from tarnishing would likely cause some loss of glass from the enameled areas.
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This display case has been constructed of chemically inert (unreactive) materials. Many paints, fabrics, glues, and woods contain volatile materials that will chemically react with works of art. All materials used in building the cases are carefully tested to determine if they are free of harmful chemicals. The cases are designed to hold and hide materials that will help preserve the work of art.
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A chamber has been constructed to hold either silica gel or sulfur-scavenging materials, such as zinc oxide or activated charcoal. Using silica gel keeps a constant relative humidity inside the case. The silica gel acts like a sponge. If the case starts to become dry, the gel releases moisture; if the case starts to become moist, it absorbs moisture. The silica gel is able to maintain a stable relative humidity level because it has a tremendous capacity to hold and release moisture, and is convenient to use in the museum since no moving parts or electricity are required.
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For this case, silica gel has been placed in the chamber to help preserve the enameled glass. The silver must also be protected from damage caused by sulfur. For the Belt for a Lady's Dress a specially treated cloth, called silver or pacific cloth, has been used. This cloth is able to absorb any sulfur that enters the case and prevent the sulfur from reacting with the silver. The cloth has been placed beneath the green display fabric. The case needs to be airtight so that the silica gel and the pacific cloth are effective for long periods of time.
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A hygrometer has been placed inside the case to monitor the temperature and relative humidity. And finally, a small piece of silver inside the case serves as a proxy to monitor the effectiveness of the pacific cloth.
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Page 2 of 2 | On the next page:
About the Belt for a Lady's Dress
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