The Art and Science of Conservation: Behind the Scenes at the Freer Gallery of Art

What's possibly the most calming yet nerve-racking job in the world? Come behind the scenes of the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art to find out!
The conservation and scientific research of ancient Asian art takes a large team of experts from many fields. In order to bring thousands of treasures from the East to the galleries of the Smithsonian in downtown Washington, D.C., several critical and careful steps toward ensuring the objects' continued longevity must be taken.
Learn more about the hard work taking place to keep these works alive and on display at www.asia.si.edu...

[@kamym4937]

It's amazing seeing how many people bashing them for *conserving* the pieces of art. No they are not stolen, they are found or bought. They are conserving the pieces properly with certain techniques. Remember these people studied hard to not damage these beautiful works of art.

[@codename9824]

Kamy M THANK YOU!!! These beautiful works would more than likely been destroyed, damaged, lost or simply forgotten but because they are in this collection literally millions of dollars are being spent to conserve and restore them. I absolutely believe in nationalism to a degree but simply because a work was made in one country doesn’t mean it should or has to remain there.

[@MissingmyBabbu]

There are likely many works there (that are and were of high cultural value to the people of the original nations) that were stolen during wars and conquerings. However that was the norm of ancient people. You would come in and take over a nation, then either destroy or take cultural artifacts as trophies. Was it wrong to do so? Absolutely. The way we as humans (of all races, mind you) have hurt each other and the planet in power struggles is horrific. But the people there working at the museum aren't the ancient pillagers who did that. They're people who are passionate about seeing the cultures of these places thrive for as long as possible. They pour their heart and soul into their work. By all means, talk all you want about the awful way we came to have these works of art, but don't blame the people who work there today for the sins of people centuries ago.

[@zacharybond23]

@@MissingmyBabbu If only more people shared your viewpoint.

[@SororityVegeta]

Not going to lie. I totally had a heart attack when the woman started brushing water all over the Chinese painting. Haha!

[@Stop4MotionMakr]

Same I didn't understand how it didn't smear the ink since Chinese paintings are generally painted with waterbased ink.

[@lucstockdale]

I've been watching a lot of art conservation videos and this was the 1st to show art away from Europe. European art is great but it dominates what a lot of people know about art history. Would love to see conservation of more Asian pieces and African pieces as well.

[@ArtConservators]

Watching this, I feel we need more research and education on Asian art and its conservation - there are so many different techniques, periods and styles presented here!

[@DougieFresh13]

It's a beautiful place. Also the Freer homestead in New Paltz which was built in 1694 by Hugo my first American ancestor is beautiful and so spiritual.

[@MissKatie5098]

This is amazing!

[@DougieFresh13]

No there was $ from many ventures. Mainely the Freer Lumber Co. in the ADK's which provided the lumber to build the tracks into Grand Central Terminal, along w/ so much more. No stealing. Hugo started it all for 'us' in the U.S.

[@robkemp7291]

The industry is definitely under represented and it can just take one person to ruin the effort taken to preserve historical pieces.

[@WilliamAshleyOnline]

do people not wear gloves at the smithsonian?

[@andrewlace55]

Great ideas on conservation.

[@sauroman1]

Pretty dumb idea to use low framerate digital microscope. You need 60FPS ideally or more

[@atmakali9599]

Why is all that stuff in America?

[@ukforever1000]

CAN'T AGREE MORE. I wonder how many antique in the British Museum do belong to the british

[@Hypatia4242]

All of them? The artifacts shown were donated or purchased through auction. The point of the museum is to display cultures of the world, so they acquire representative artifacts.

[@katerinam1020]

@@Hypatia4242 Are you joking? Most of them are stolen.

[@chimini4724]

those arts are islamic but they are Iranian(persian) and they are made by persian people and there is clearly persian poems written on them....can't you just say it is from iran? also some of the ones that they say are from northen india are also some sort of persian- indian art cuz in that time india and persia were close and the empire in india in that time originally came from iran sooooo

[@codename9824]

chimini because the type of art is Islamic. It’s describing the type of art not the country of origin, much like a surrealist painting can be from any country.

[@edanurguzel58]

Code Name I totally agree with you.

[@anishulislam148]

Those paintings are Indian and always will be Indian coz Farsi was widely spoken in India we Indians not only spoke it but we combined Farsi and Hindi and made a different very very beautiful language called Urdu... we still have Farsi language as a subject in lot of colleges and universities... have a great day...

[@luditebreaker5065]

Those were truly Indian. They even used ochres and pigments found in India. Persian paintings had calligraphy combined in painting but jehangir totally changed that and made only paintings not even calligraphy. He asked his painters to use cinnabar ...a form of mercury for the bright Indian red worn by married Indian women as sindur

[@morganolfursson2560]

Actually those brushes are Japanese and so is the lady treating the painting. Know your place little assistant and your craft too . Not everything is Chinese >

[@yin_xing]

The assistant comes from Taiwan. The first painting is japanese and the water-washed second one is chinese. The brush are both common for chinese, korean and japanese mounting process and restoration. It's just more known in the occident as japanese hake as well as japanese papers.

[@tylerdurdonxx]

This is just wrong..