PRIVATE VIEW 12NADFAS REVIEW / SUMMER 2010www.nadfas.org.ukreceived huge support from ourdesignated adviser and departments atNADFAS House, but the mostchallenging aspects of establishing anew organisation were the economicconstraints. We were very grateful toreceive the NADFAS New SocietiesGrant and, along with bids submitted byour Treasurer to funding agencies, wewere able to purchase the requisiteequipment and develop effectivepublicity and marketing tools, including awebsite. Now we have 240 members,an eclectic and exciting programme oflectures and study days, events andexcursions, and a visit to Krakowplanned for 2011. Church Recordingand Young Arts projects are developing,alongside involvement in shaping theFylde Heritage Strategy."SUZANNE SACORAFOUSuzanne applied to NADFAS forfunding for her second year as anintern at Tate Frames Conservation inLondon and was awarded £2,500from the Patricia Fay Memorial Fundand a further £2,500 from the GreaterLondon Area. She describes a projectduring this period of funding linked tolast year's Turner and the Mastersblockbuster exhibition at Tate Britain."When people consider art and itsconservation, they mostly think aboutpaintings rather than their frames. In factframes bear the brunt of handling, andtheir degradation typically occurs at agreater rate than the painting. In recentdecades some galleries haveestablished frame conservation sectionswithin their conservation departments towork in conjunction with paintingconservation. In contrast to paintingconservation, which has specialisedtraining, the path to frame conservationis via degree courses, which are moregeneral. Subsequently, it is vital for properdevelopment as a frame conservator tohave post-academic training alongsideexperienced practitioners. Tate isparticularly well placed to hostinternships as it has as large a framessection as any UK gallery and values theopportunity to train new practitioners inthis still relatively new specialism."The project I worked on mainlyduring this period of funding was aframe surrounding a work (Sans Souci)by Thomas Stothard, a contemporary ofJMW Turner, which needed extensiveconservation work before it could beincluded in the autumn exhibition of2009, Turner and the Masters. "The frame was altered in the late19th century. At this time galleries werebecoming aware of pollution damagingpaintings. Insertion of a glazing doorprotected the painting. However, thedoor left the frame unattractive. Toimprove the display of this painting forthe exhibition, the frame was returned toa condition closer to its original design,with a frieze and a carved sight edge. Iresearched decorative carving and theconsideration of the potential choicesand ethical decisions to be made toreturn it to what was considered a moreappropriate appearance. "The frame was then cleaned, andold oxidised bronze paint, applied overthe gold leaf in a previous restorationtreatment, was removed. The old repairsto the applied compo ornament withtheir layers of white where removedback to the wooden substrate. It wasthen noted that in several places wherethe white layers had been removedcarving marks were revealed, from aprevious carved ornamental scheme. X-raying the frame revealed the carvingmarks of bell-flower ornament repeatingalong all four members. A mould wastaken of a bell-flower and stem detail.The replacement composition partswere adhered with pearl glue."Research was carried out toestablish the most appropriate design ofthe new sight edge. All other Stothardframes in the Tate collection weredocumented as part of the project, butnone was close in design to this particularframe. Looking at other carved frames ofthe same period, a sanded frieze with acarved leaf and dart profile sight edgewas deduced to be historically correct."The width of the flat beforetreatment was 35mm. This wasmaintained in order to show the sameamount of the painting. Lime was usedfor the new carved profile, and pine forthe sanded frieze. Lengths were carvedusing the traditional method of markingout the design first, then carving withchisel and a mallet. The new carved sight-edge was then cut into the appropriatelengths, mitred at the corners, screwedand glued together and inserted intoposition. Once in place the wood waswhitened up, boled and the gold leafapplied. Finally, a light toning was appliedto match the existing scheme." Above:SuzanneSacorafou workson the frame forSans Souci,which featured at Tate Britain'sTurner and theMastersexhibitionRight:Apromotionalleaflet for FyldeDFAS