Page 12 - Copper and Bronze in Art: Corrosion, Colorants, Getty Museum Conservation, By David Scott

F O R E W O R D

The use of copper dates back to the Neolithic period, ten thousand years ago. In the millennia
that have followed, the alloying of copper to make bronze and the employment of copper com­
pounds as pigments have been central aspects of the human use of metallic materials.
The pervasive use of copper and bronze through time —from the Bronze Age to the pres­
i
ent—has left us with a wealth of cultural objects that demand attention f they are to survive
into the future. Among the challenges for the conservation field is finding the means to arrest
the corrosion that threatens copper and bronze artifacts and works of art. The success of that
effort requires comprehensive insight into how and why the corrosion process occurs.
Since its establishment, the Getty Conservation Institute has studied materials used in art
to better understand their character and the factors responsible for their deterioration. The
objective of that research is the development of conservation approaches that can slow deterio­
ration of materials and prevent further damage.
The principal aim of this book is to provide an in-depth survey of the relevant literature
produced over the last two centuries that relates to the corrosion of copper and bronze in dif­
ferent environments; the use of some of these corrosion products as colorants, especially the
brilliant blue and green pigments of antiquity; and various conservation treatments used to treat
copper alloy objects from ancient times to the present.
As a member of the Institute's scientific staff since its early years, David A. Scott has devoted
considerable energy and effort to the study of ancient and historic metallic materials, including
copper and bronze. The author presents a personal view of the subject, drawing salient issues
from this large body of information across a broad spectrum of fields that are often kept sepa­
rate. The result is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary review that is certain to be of interest as
well as practical use to conservation scientists, conservators, mineralogists, art historians, and
students.
This publication is part of an ongoing effort by the Getty Conservation Institute to offer
resources to those charged with preserving our heritage. I hope this volume will provide con­
servation professionals with an additional tool to help them sustain a treasured portion of that
heritage.

Timothy P. Whalen
Director
The Getty Conservation Institute