AIC's 42nd Annual Meeting

Objects with tensioned string elements are found in many types of collections, ranging from fine arts sculpture to scientific and historic models. Deterioration and damage to these vulnerable elements in the form of fraying, breakage, and loss of tension can render these pieces undisplayable. This paper presents the treatment of Henry Moore’s stringed sculpture Mother and Child in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. Upon entering the collection, the string elements were in very poor condition, with eleven of the twelve strings broken and one large section missing. This paper discusses aspects of the sculpture’s fabrication and outlines the complex considerations involved in deciding whether to replace or repair the original strings. The development and execution of a treatment technique that retains the original strings and meets both conservation and curatorial standards for exhibition is also presented in detail.