Description
The project aims to protect and preserve Czech cultural heritage by conservation of historical tapestries and liturgical textiles from the largest and most important collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts and present them to the public. From collections of textiles containing around 20,000 items, seven tapestries from the 16th -18th centuries and nine assorted pieces of liturgical textile from the 15th – 20th century were selected for conservation. The choice was influenced by the quality of the design and their singularity within the context of the collection, as well as the level of damage and the amount of time required for their conservation. Modern and innovative approaches (such as textile-technological analysis for precise description of the structure of the fabric) and chemical and physical analyses will help to determine the origin of the textile and select the best method of the conservation process, which can bring new information and interpretation of its history. The entire renovation process is based on the relation between the conserver/restorer – the art historian – the foreign partner/textile conserver. The Norwegian partner - University Museum of Bergen, is experienced with textile materials and guarantees a high level of expertise at a European level. As the project partner it will cooperate on the organization of a workshop and a cycle of expert lectures for more than 40 experts. Preserved textiles will be temporarily displayed at the chateau in Valašské Meziříčí (1.7.-30.10.2016 ) and at the chateau in Jindřichův Hradec (15.4.-29.10.2017). Within the opening ceremony at the chateau in Valašské Meziříčí (30.6.2016) an expert conference focused on methods of tapestries and liturgical textile conservation will take place. After completion of the reconstruction of the main building of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague in 2017, the textiles will become part of a new permanent exhibition.
Summary of project results
Production of tapestries has tradition in the Czech Republic since 1898. There are still two workshops that hand over the generation of the tapestry weaving and restoration. In the neighboring countries, similar workshops have already been closed. Tapestries and historical textiles from the Museum of Decorative Arts collection are among the most valuable pieces. The project has enabled restoration and promotion of this cultural heritage of international significance. Thanks to savings, the convolute of objects has been extended from 16 to 21. The restoration of tapestries and liturgical textiles to such an extent within one project is unprecedented. The extension of project implementation period enabled to conduct works in desired quality and to implement additionally approved restoration works. An important output was the exhibition held in the Museum and Gallery Center in Valašské Meziříčí and at the State Castle and Chateau in Jindřichův Hradec. The textiles will be then stored in the new Museum depository, which meets the highest requirements for the storage of textiles. Textiles will be presented in a permanent exhibition of the reconstructed Museum building in Prague in 2018. For the needs of the professional community, a browser program was created containing detailed restoration reports. Great attention was paid to the educational program, which focused on presentation of restored objects and manufacturing and restoration processes. Promotional materials and accompanying publication have been created, which are a permanent reminder of the project's results. The project is unique with its focus on introduction of conservation and restoration techniques, as well as the involvement of modern communication media. The most important benefit of the project was the provision of care for the collection of objects, renewal of interest in tapestry and historical textiles. It had direct impact on employees of the Museum who spread their knowledge and further presented it to representatives of the professional public from the Czech Republic and abroad at a workshop and several conferences. The huge interest of the public was reflected in the request for an article for the popular Czech educational magazine 100+1, published in the amount of 60,000 pieces. The professional and lay public responded actively to the project´s Facebook profile. A time-lapse videospot depicting of the restoration works was presented on YouTube.
Summary of bilateral results
Cooperation with the Norwegian partner, the University Museum in Bergen represented by Ms Hana Lukešová, was established individually, based on personal recommendations. The partner provided counseling during and cooperated on organisation of a workshop. Hana Lukešová visited the Czech Republic on 13 - 17 April 2015. Her main activity was active participation at the workshop "Restoration and Conservation of Historical Textiles" held on 15 April 2015 at the Ministry of Culture - 31 participants. The main subject of the workshop was an interdisciplinary meeting of museum staff and the exchange of professional experience, discussions on the following topics: documentation, preventive preservation and work safety, curator-conservator cooperation, past and present restoration in practice. The workshop was attended also by Ms. Siri Ellen Sletner, the Ambassador of Norway to the Czech Republic. The programme of the visit in the Czech Republic included presentation of the project of new depository, consultation of restoration procedures within the project, visit of the restoration workshop in the Museum of the Capital City of Prague, participation at the conference "Museum Presentations of Collections: Approaches, Strategies, Trends" at the National Museum, visiting the exhibitions in the Museum of Decorative Arts. Further communication with the partner was solved by emails and information about project results on Facebook.