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Virtual Symposium at the Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Removal of lining papers from the back of a Japanese painting using transmitted light (F1904.202).

East Asian Painting Conservation: Perspectives on Education, Research, and Practice
Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 8 – 10 am

Register here

Please visit the Symposium webpage to see a complete list of talks, summaries and speaker biographies in English and either Chinese, Korean or Japanese.

East Asian painting conservation and mounting have a long history of traditional practices rooted in the cultures of China, Korea, and Japan. Since the late twentieth century, however, internationalization and the influences of modern technology and scientific research have rapidly advanced the field. This symposium will explore the three themes—“Education and Training,” “Conservation and Research,” and “Materials and Methods”—that are central to these current developments. Six speakers will share perspectives as conservators, scientists, curators, and educators to broaden our understanding of East Asian painting conservation and related disciplines. By presenting diverse viewpoints, we hope to enrich the ongoing discussion of shifting educational models, the integration of traditional practice and modern innovation, the impact of cross-cultural influences, and the growing importance of interdisciplinary cooperation.

This symposium is organized by the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.