Conserving Dürer's Triumphal Arch

Follow the latest stages of the complex conservation process of Albrecht Dürer's Triumphal Arch - one of the largest prints ever produced.
Curator Giulia Bartrum and Paper Conservator Caroline Barry talk through some of the steps involved in tackling this unusually large conservation challenge.

[@ManuelDornbusch]

You are all experts and real masters at your craft. You have to be. At the sight of a Dürer print being put into a water bath, my heart missed some beats. To be able to do all that you achieve in conservation, needs experience and dedication

[@jorgenmac]

Check out Liam Hipple

[@Melicoy]

yes but why dont they wear gloves when handling the prints?

[@peterudbjorg]

@Artemis Fowl Pretty mich like good quality photographic print paper of the "Baryt" type, the oldfashioned kind. And my dad was a graphic artist, and of course he used "rag paper" for his prints. :)

[@mortalclown3812]

@@Melicoy The answer to that can be found online; rest assured, they know exactly what they're doing.

[@LPdedicated]

I actually did a case study for the process of conservation of the Copenhagen print. The technical and also ethical considerations of the process was insanely fascinating (from a heritage worker's perspective anyway!) Sometimes curators and conservators have to invent new conservation methods and use entirely new theoretical perspectives for each piece as they go along.

[@arturoe6957]

Wow, I have been looking into this piece for some time now, could I give you my email and ask you some questions? Thanks.

[@mazgaj2]

Redefining the meaning of "meticulously done". Stunning effort!

[@Vladdie777]

Thank you for preserving our cultural history and making this interesting video about the process.

[@BriarRouge]

Albrecht Durer is my absolute favorite Northern Renaissance artist! Such intricate work!

[@joeisabella6811]

Same here! My house is decorated with many of his prints. It's so easy to get lost in the sheer amount of detail in his etchings and I still find new things in them after all these years.

[@Kaalokalawaia]

The amount of patience you have to have to work in this profession. Kudos to you all

[@starcrib]

Conservation on this level is phenomenally articulated and fascinating, these extraordinary people invest in surgical precision, mastering all manner of complications and with extreme dexterity. FANTASTIC. !!

[@sail2byzantium]

I love this stuff--archival research and conservation where science meets the visual arts, with everyone speaking with delightfully impeccable English accents.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

I completed four semesters or about 1 year of printing in my degree. I enjoyed it very much. I found the cleaning, repair and possibility of full restoration of this beautiful print mesmerising. Thank you

[@robertafierro5592]

I was AMAZED at the size of the pieces!

[@star2705]

I am so glad you people are out here fixing these! I love watching the videos, and my brain keeps popping up "well, learn how to do it! you need a career!" but... I think you are like doctors... I am in awe of what you do, fascinated by it, and exceptionally grateful, but I'd rather leave it to people with more confidence! Also, the music choice was absolutely wonderful.

[@kabokuti]

Wow. This work the conservators do is amazing! Great video. So educational. Great footage and very well explained! I liked everything, specially the part around 7:04 when "they make their own strip of paper" WOW!!!

[@maryr1923]

So good to see this level of expertise conserving both art and history. Well done to those experts.

[@prettynoose8497]

Thank you to your wonderful team for seeing the great value in this piece as artisans and craftsmen and *NOT* as businessmen see it ($$$ only). And mostly...thank you for caring!

[@andi.popescu]

Brilliant! I think this would've been a good "before and after" situation.

[@robert-brydson-1]

that was great, pity allllll these restoration videos are not full length doco's

[@conscience-commenter]

I feel this Durer work should be scanned and printed onto fabric or canvas that can be rolled up for transfer to other museums . The fact that it survived with acids in the paper for so long is miraculous .

[@threethrushes]

This conservation of European history and art by the British Museum makes me proud to be British.

[@davidwarrilow7083]

I hope they take digital copies (and 3d copies where applicable) of all their works. The Museum could have a holographic roadshow setup in other museums around the world allowing visitors to virtually see their entire catalog. Most people will never travel to Britain, parts of the collection in storage may not be seen in a person's time, transportation to other museums is hard on the items ... digital not so much. Those fools drunken with religious fervour who destroyed the memory of their own forefathers also destroyed the opportunity for the rest of the world for the rest of time to appreciate and learn from the lives of their forefathers. Digital copies would ensure the essence continues on well after the original may be gone...

[@davidwarrilow7083]

nope Thanks for the info.

[@TheRealMythril]

Look up the person that believed that god told them to destroy the Dali of Jesus looking down from the cross in Glasgow.

[@randomtask3539]

You digital fetishists are mentally ill.

[@IFortuna2]

@Wang On Yuen Well put!

[@IFortuna2]

@@pofict This is a great link. I enjoy it very much. Thank you for posting.

[@kevenquinlan]

I know doing this work means a lot to you people or you wouldn't be doing it. I hope you know how much it means to art lovers too. Humans are really the most awful creatures to ever plague the earth and the only thing that makes us viable is our creation of Art and Music and Writing. We do nothing else that would absolve us from the evil we all inflict on each other and the other living things around us. Durer's etchings are world renowned and this one, in particulaR, IS A MASTERPIECE. I also Love how technical restoration techniques are, it's mindboggling and the best use of science I can think of. Thank you all and to the 2 people who so generously donated the money to have this done, the last of the dying cultured people of the world THANK YOU.

[@rubberdc]

incredibly detailed and painstaking work. Bloody well done to the guys working within the Museum!

[@robertafierro5592]

I saw the show around thirty years ago at The Met. They had his tools, the Pear Wood blocks. It was just Magical.for me!

[@katiekat4457]

The people that work at the museums are so smart and so very patient.

[@Alfablue227]

Wow...washing prints? Amazing work! Congrats...

[@asthmen]

Superb artefact and conservation efforts.

[@DjJooze]

Asthmen indeed

[@nigelcarren]

As a maker and restorer of armour I have recently had to etch some Tassets (The steel flaps that hang from the skirt around the waist and protect the exposed area above the the leg armour). Referencing Durer has been my go-to for re creating the illusion of 2D being 3D. Clearly a master of his craft. Best wishes from an Englishman in a French forest, and of course all the mice in the workshop. 🇬🇧🧐⚒️🐭🐭🐭🐭

[@usualweirdo8654]

I love all this stuff! Looks incredibly difficult and stressful but the results are amazing!

[@raymondchavez329]

I'm not saying there 2 roll method isn't the best way to clean the middle but clearly they never saw honey I shrunk the kids

[@pullenr93]

Exactly my first thought.

[@joycechahinepiano]

Haha!!

[@splehcar]

Or _Mission Impossible_ A harness to suspend people in a prone position over the art being cleansed would be just the thing for laaaaaarge works of art.

[@gastonbell108]

@@splehcar That was my first thought. My second thought was "Imagine dropping something 3 feet above the art..."

[@RoelfvanderMerwe]

This was awesome! More content like this please!

[@tizianacarso5704]

stunning work

[@g-r-a-e-m-e-]

Thanks for putting this out, very interesting and inspiring. I was especially impressed by the thickening of the paper with drops of paper fibre slurry. I hadn't heard of that technique.

[@emilyblack7342]

What strikes me in in this video was that I had never actually considered how these pieces get moved. The fact that this huge, delicate piece was removed from the gallery by a team of people is strange, but fitting

[@garrygrewal149]

Such an educative video. Thank you for the upload. Keep 'em coming.

[@DjJooze]

love the womans voice. good job to all the ladies that worked hard on this

[@Ntyler01mil]

I hope they make a digital copy

[@austind3459]

The Cincinnati Art Museum just finished an exhibition on Durer.. I wish this was a part of it...stunning piece.

[@footsoldier857]

Very satisfying to see the fruits of your labours.

[@mauraronda1265]

Omg. I would hate being anyone who would mess this treasure. Awesome video!

[@ginahill503]

Bravo!! Wonderful documentary! More like this please, with even greater detail? Thank you, BBC!

[@2209009pm]

This work fascinates me; I would have loved to have entered this area of work had I thought of it when I was young. I’m far too old to even think about that now.

[@chrisperry7963]

This was absolutely fantastic, great information well presented. Thanks very much!

[@robertafierro5592]

I made it a POINT to attend theDurer show at the Met close to 30 years ago

[@Abiils]

imagine showing this video to the original painter to show that people still valued his work and appreciate it.

[@sydneygrace2665]

♡♡♡

[@beth12svist]

Being a long time lover of Dürer and a somewhat fanciful person, I'm slightly miffed this thought didn't cross my mind... ;-)

[@coopsevy5664]

I was holding my breath.. then out loud said oh scary... NO way would I want your job. However THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO PROTECT OUR HISTORY!

[@JoelHudson]

Hello British Museum, is there a digital version of this piece? I don't have a way to come across the pond to see it in person, and would love a close (even digital) look. Thanks!

[@TRISMDRIVER]

Quite impressed by how well it cleaned up

[@janeharris6925]

Loved this! More!

[@powerofanime1]

This was wonderful to watch!

[@rikikokikok]

Betapa mahal dan elegan, hasil dari buah pikiran orang. Saya merindukan penerapan metode seperti ini di Indonesia. Saya berharap di negara saya berada, selain menjunjung tinggi nilai nilai ketuhanan, juga menjunjung nilai nilai kesenian. Terimakasih

[@willcwhite]

Um cliffhanger!!??

[@deckleedge9848]

I think they are planning to display it, but a frame that big is very expensive.

[@vegeta9621]

@JONATHAN SUTCLIFFE Calm down, they said at the end that it would go into storage untill a furhter time when they decide what to do with it. No cliff hanger there.

[@beth12svist]

@@vegeta9621 Well, more like, it IS a cliffhanger for us viewers this way while the people going "you can't just put it in storage" are suggesting a decision has been made which would be no cliffhanger. :D

[@italotter]

They did imply that they came into some funds for the restoration. Did the money not stretch as far as they thought it would?

[@XPALYDO]

It had been on display for years and years. It’s best for the piece to not be continually on display as it was, but to be rotated in and out. Probably at first they will show it so they can show their work, but eventually it needs to be preserved for the future generations...

[@giantred]

Wow, beautiful work ^_^ Thank you for protecting history.

[@mrirurfkjsdo]

Fascinating work and high skills !! Thx ++

[@CistemOne]

Amazing work!

[@mrbarbelbarbello2332]

Durer was a German, He was not called Herman, Albrecht was his name, And he achieved considerable fame.

[@hkkhgffh3613]

Wicked! Respect!

[@windyridge9591]

Oh my what a wonder....I would love to visit the V&A museum someday.

[@voraciousreader3341]

I would so loved to have seen before/after shots.

[@onlygodcanjudgeme936]

The opening shot of this video looks like a Wes Anderson film.

[@jellyfishbones0]

a few of the people wouldnt be out of place there either :)

[@AB-dg2tb]

I watch these videos if i'm having trouble falling asleep...

[@aspektx]

Wow. You folks are amazing.

[@Anymodal]

What a great video and craftmanship. Would LOVE to work with you guys restoring stuff

[@robertafierro5592]

They even preserved his tools inside a little glass desk! He carved on Pear Wood.

[@A92_]

thanks for fixing my drawing.

[@ingeborg-anne]

This is absolutely amazing!

[@3ktor]

Beautiful work

[@sarahbear1236]

I saw one of these prints in the Biltmore Estate it was gorgeous

[@RancidGravy]

Adhesive removal is fascinating

[@allysmith2284]

Wow this is amazing work!

[@colindunn7583]

brilliant and deeply fascinating

[@CompuKonstantin]

Das ist der deutsche Kommentar, nach dem du gesucht hast! This is the german comment you were looking for!

[@frenchjr25]

I'm sure they made HD scans or took HD photos of each piece.

[@threethrushes]

If they don't, I have a scanner in my garage that they can use.

[@KarlaJTanner]

I’d love to do this work. Boring and most exhilarating!

[@knight848484]

A wonderful video.

[@RocLobo358]

Tombow mono zero should sponsor this video

[@TariqKhan-np2wx]

utterly fascinating!!!

[@5chr4pn3ll]

That looks so scary o_o But really cool work, would love to be able to work with preservation like this.

[@davidlavery719]

This is an amazing video.

[@JacobafJelling]

Very nice video. Interesting

[@AmandaKayHowell]

Does all this movement and washing weaken the piece in the long run? I'd love to know more about how they came up with these methods and how they tested them before doing this to such major pieces...

[@stephmo371]

I need more of this

[@RobertAustinKelly]

Just wonderful...

[@CoxJoxSox]

I own a copy of this - it's a beautiful piece.

[@Devils-advocate78]

great job!

[@cranberrycanvas]

I wish I had access to quality paper like they used back then. I mean you can probably find some similar but I feel like I would never really know and it probably wouldn’t be anything close lol

[@cranberrycanvas]

Also I wish they showed the whole thing but I bet you can look it up

[@XX-gy7ue]

MAGNIFICENT

[@Carboncluster]

now please scan it, photoshop out the mistakes and then print it perfectly on a new big piece of paper, please. And of course, f****** amazing work there! My heart stopped when you put the paper into the waterbath. I didn't even know that a restoration like that is possible.

[@ricklauzon2063]

wonderful

[@cyndifoore7743]

Amazing!

[@marshallgibson7817]

Just fuckin killin it. Good job folks.

[@verdatum]

I how we get a followup on this project, this was fascinating.

What a drawing!

[@davidbradbury3232]

Glad to see Parcelforce weren’t involved

[@furuyawn]

hhhhhghghg my dream job will always be a conservator somewhere in the field of paper artifacts but every time i watch videos of conservators at work i can just. feel my back killing me lmao it certainly does not seem like the most ergonomic job

[@ShannonL7]

The museum's website said it's still not on display 😥

[@paul3v767]

This is magic

[@sweetlullaby5156]

quite shocked to see the entire paper cut into parts.. but they did a great job

[@deckleedge9848]

Watch the video again - it was printed in sections originally and wasn't cut by the conservators.

[@danialholt4174]

What precautions have been made to protect this print from a nuclear blast?

[@TheRockybar]

Denfktinso Noyb asking the important questions

[@radish6691]

Patience, patrons of The British Museum, some day your prints will come!

[@kimbye1]

Impressive!

[@egarulastinn7438]

I wonder what happened to the original matrices, it seems like it'd be easier to just make another print

[@willhouse]

Egaru Lastinn A few years ago I was lucky enough to see an original cut block from Durer's workshop alongside a print that it had made. While the wood had remained surprisingly intact, it still seemed in no condition to go through the rigors of printing after so many years of use and disuse. Humidity alone can degrade and destroy not only woodcuts like that one, but even etched copper plates. The inherent flexibility of high-quality paper adds a level of stability that other materials simply cannot maintain. That said, I'd LOVE to find out that I'm wrong here... How great would a video be if it showcased such a printing process?!?

[@09nob]

amazing.