From the time they are acquired by the Museum to when they are put on display to the public, images and other objects undergo a process that will subsequently make them easier to identify, but also easier to use and to preserve for many years to come.
Entering public collections
Museums buy works but they may also be given gifts or bequests. In all cases, a regional committee checks the appropriateness of these acquisitions according to the Museum’s cultural policy and their cost, ensuring that any works being added to the collection will actually be shown, are of relevance to the Museum’s exhibits and are being sold at a reasonable price.
Images are then marked with an inventory number, which becomes a real identification "tattoo". The works are listed, described, analysed and dated using documentation software (Actimuséo). Then they are included in the many works housed in the Museum’s collections.
Digitisation
In the photographic studio, the images are reproduced using a digital camera. The resulting file is stored on a DVD and is also the backup in the event of loss or deterioration. The photograph is not only essential for identifying the work but also allows storage conditions to be improved.
A reproduction of the image is included in the Museum’s database together with its description. From then on, any handling that risks altering the images will be limited. The Museum’s team will consult the database for any research and exhibition planning requirements, without any risk of damaging the images. Any members of the public who wish to work on our collections can consult the Museum’s public database: students and researchers find this useful.
Packing and storage
Images are then packed for many years. They are cleaned using a powdered eraser to remove dust and other pollutants. Popular images are by their nature extremely fragile. The paper used in the 19th century was a very fine acidic wood-pulp paper which yellows with age. For this reason, images are stored in paper sleeves with a neutral pH and an alkaline reserve that will limit ageing. The sleeves are placed in a cardboard storage box. Storage in the Museum’s vaults is facilitated through pre-sorting the images into 3 pre-defined formats.
The environment in the vaults is constantly monitored. Good preservation requires the images to be protected from sudden fluctuations and excessive temperatures or humidity. As a general rule, the temperature in the vaults is kept at around 18°C and the relative humidity at 50%. Dry air makes the paper brittle and fragile. Excessive dampness stimulates mould growth.
For these same preservation purposes, lighting in the exhibition rooms is limited to 50 lux. Daylight, and especially camera flashes, accelerate the ageing of images: the paper yellows and the ink colours fade.
The need to preserve the works is always considered when planning all the Museum’s exhibitions.
