Marienbad: hotel Stern (1900) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
Glass Positive
Colored glass positive with mother-of-pearl details
[Portrait of Councilor Ferreira Viana in the company of his grandson Paulo José Pires Brandão] (1900-1903 (circa)) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
Glass negative
Silver gelatin glass negative before conservation treatment. After the treatment, it was decided to highlight the original format (13x18cm) by including cardboard to complement the missing area.
[Portrait of Councilor Ferreira Viana in the company of his grandson Paulo José Pires Brandão] (1900-1903 (circa)) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
[Portrait of the Countess of Pinhal] (1945) by M. SilvaMuseu Histórico Nacional
Carbon print on porcelain
Carbon print process on porcelain : gelatin impregnated with light-sensitive chromium salts. Pigments form the image.
[Portrait of Alfredo Rodrigues Fernandes Chaves] (1886) by José Ferreira GuimarãesMuseu Histórico Nacional
Photograph on metal
Photographs on enameled metal: carbon print process on
enameled surface. One of them dates from 1886 and has the photographer's identification on the back.
Conservation: team working (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
The conservation treatment
The conservation treatment of daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, stereograms and other special photographs involved the hiring of a specialized interdisciplinary team.
Conservation: team working (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
The work lasted for six months and took place in a studio set up in the Historical Archive, under the supervision of museum staff.
Conservation team (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
Fundação Nacional de Artes [National Arts Foundation] (Funarte), through Centro de Conservação e Preservação Fotográfica (Center for Photographic Conservation and Preservation), acted as a consultant during preliminary stages of the project implementation.
Funarte established work guidelines and the profile of the specialized team.
Conservation: team working (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
Each one of the treated photographs has undergone a diagnosis. The treatment included preliminary cleaning, followed by opening the set - when necessary - and eventual replacement of glasses.
[Portrait of unidentified man] by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
Historical cases and frames
The main objective of the interventions carried out in the cases and frames was to recover their historical identity with minimum intervention as to safeguard them. All materials used were similar to the originals and of proven conservation quality.
[Portrait of unidentified man] by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
The conservation and restoration treatment of the 10 cases in the collection was carried out in the studio set up in the museum.
Special box for storing the restored collection (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
The housing
All treated items were individually stored in boxes made in suitable formats and with specific materials to ensure the protection of the originals. Finally, the new cases were placed in an existing storage cabinet at the museum.
Special boxes for storing the restored collection (2022) by Francisco Moreira da CostaMuseu Histórico Nacional
[Portrait of a boy from the Melo Franco family]. (1856 (circa)) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
The photographic reproduction
The photographic documentation aimed to record all the items selected for the conservation treatment, as well as to register the work of the technicians and to expand the access to this collection, now digitized.
[Portrait of a boy from the Melo Franco family]. (1856 (circa)) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
The 83 pieces of the collection were pictured before and after the conservation to document the results of the interventions.
[Portrait of D. Pedro II] (1850-1859 (circa)) by UnknownMuseu Histórico Nacional
Dom Pedro II was a great enthusiast of photography and attributed honors to several photographers who worked in Brazil. The pose chair used by him in this image served to immobilize the portrayed.
If, in 1839, the subject had to wait, immobile, about 15 to 30 minutes to obtain the desired photograph, in 1842 this time would be drastically reduced to 10 to 60 seconds.
This technological leap highlights the clamor and the thrill that photography represented for 19th century society, excited by the possibility of portraying itself and the world at a speed and precision never seen before.
Today, amid the selfie generation, we trivialize the profusion of images that surround us, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that the resources we have are heirs of these techniques that MHN has the honor to preserve.
This is Part 2 of 2. Go back to Part 1.
Credits:
President of the Republic: Jair Messias Bolsonaro
Minister of Tourism: Gilson Machado Neto
Special Secretary of Culture: Mario Frias
President of Instituto Brasileiro de Museus: Pedro Machado Mastrobuono
Museu Histórico Nacional (National Historical Museum)
Director: Aline Montenegro Magalhães (substitute)
Technical Division: Fernanda Santana Rabello de Castro
Museum staff
Adriana Bandeira Cordeiro
Bárbara Deslandes Primo
Daniella Gomes dos Santos
Maria Isabel Ribeiro Lenzi
Conservation Project team
Marcia Mello and Sandra Baruki: photograph conservators and restorers, conservation and restoration treatment and project coordination
Edmar M. Gonçalves: conservator and restorer (cases and housing)
Francisco Moreira da Costa: photographer and conservator
Maria Julia Fróes e Costa: conservation assistant
Associação de Amigos do Museu Histórico Nacional (Association of Friends of National Historical Museum)
President: Maria Linhares Pinto
Vice President: Rosane Maria Rocha de Carvalho
Executive Director: Heleny Pires de Castro
Deputy Director: Solange de Sampaio Godoy
Artepadilla
Executive Producer: Roberto Padilla
Project Management: Mariana Oscar
Project Assistant: Maíra Rocha
Video
Photography: Franco Salvoni
Camera 1: Franco Salvoni
Camera 2: Felipe Luz
Editing: Franco Salvoni
Lei de Incentivo à Cultura (Culture Incentive Law)
PRODUCTION
Associação de Amigos do Museu Histórico Nacional
Artepadilla
SPONSORSHIP
Instituto Cultural Vale (Vale Cultural Institute)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Centro de Conservação e Preservação Fotográfica da FUNARTE (Photographic Conservation and Preservation Center of FUNARTE)
Paulo Knauss
PRESENTATION
Museu Histórico Nacional (National Historical Museum)
Sistema Brasileiro de Museus (Brazilian Museums System)
Instituto Brasileiro de Museus (Brazilian Institute of Museums)
Secretaria Especial da Cultura (Special Secretary of Culture)
Ministério do Turismo (Ministry of Tourism)
Governo Federal (Brazilian Federal Government)
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