8:12 a.m., Nov. 26, 2008----“Working on the Emperor's Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service in Beijing has been one of the most fascinating and exciting projects I have ever been involved in during my career,” said alumna Susan Buck, who has a master's degree from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation and a doctorate from UD's art conservation program.

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Buck's specialty is paint analysis of historic buildings, furniture and objects, which unlocks important information for conservators and provides a foundation for cleaning and restoration.

Buck has given presentations and workshops in the United States, Great Britain, Germany Austria and the Netherlands, but for the past three years, she has been traveling the other direction to Beijing as a consultant to help with the conservation and restoration of the interior of the Studio of Exhaustion at the invitation of the World Monuments Fund in New York City, which is undertaking the project in partnership with the Palace Museum, Beijing.

In addition to analyzing paints and other materials, Buck has helped train conservators in China.

The Emperor's Studio of Exhaustion (ca. 1771-1776) is located in the Emperor Qianlong Garden complex in the Forbidden City. Known as Juanqinzhai in Chinese, the two-story building houses an entrance, bedchamber and a small intimate theatre with a stage and space for musicians with the audience seated on cushions. There are painted silk murals and large trompe d'oeil paintings on the walls and ceilings giving the feeling of a garden space with a wisteria covered lattice and a moon gate.

The building officially opened on Nov. 10, and Buck and her colleague, Lei Yong, spoke at a symposium on Nov. 11 on the analysis, cleaning, consolidation and in-painting of the gilding, polychrome and faux bamboo painted woodwork of the theatre.

Buck has worked at New England at the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities' Conservation Center, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Mt. Vernon, Monticello and Williamsburg. Currently, she is involved in a large undertaking at Montpelier, the home of James Madison in Orange, Va., which is being restored to its original state.

Buck is in private practice in Williamsburg, Va., and works with another UD graduate, Natasha Loeblich, and has lectured at UD during the fall semester on microscopy analysis and alternative cleaning system methods.

“The University of Delaware is the place for art conservation,” she said. “It's where science and historical background are integrated with hands on experience.”

Article by Sue Moncure