Lynne Harrison
Conservator of organic artefacts
Conservation of organic
artefacts
Department: Conservation and Scientific
Research
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7323 8252
Email: conservation @ thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Lynne Harrison is a senior conservator of
organic artefacts and lead conservator for paintings, with a
special interest in the conservation of Orthodox icons. Lynne
undertakes all aspects of conservation of the museum’s organic
artefacts collection including advice on preventive care, display,
storage and loan.
She works in the Egyptian organic studio
and supervises junior staff and students, participating in training
and skill-sharing activities with section colleagues.
Lynne is conservation contact for paintings,
icons and painted surfaces.
Lynne attained a BA(Hons) in Fine Art Painting
and a Postgraduate diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings
from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London (1995).
Before joining the British Museum in 2003 she
was previously employed as a freelance paintings conservator in
Cyprus and the UK.
Current British Museum projects
Research project – conservation and
re-mounting of ancient Egyptian portraits belonging to the British
Museum. A collaborative project with conservation, curators and
external colleagues.
Supervisor of a student research project – British Museum
supervisor for a Courtauld Institute of Art student studying
materials and techniques for the 'Shield of Parade'
(1863,0501.1)
Research project – Establishing an approach to the care and
conservation of Orthodox icons at The British Museum
– principle researcher in project involving curatorial,
scientific and conservation input and contributions to
the Icons Online research catalogue.
Research project - Study and conservation
of two Indian oil paintings on paper – principle researcher in
collaborative project with WAPS conservation and scientific
research.
Mediaeval Gallery refurbishment – collaborate
in the assessment and conservation of organic objects for permanent
display
Store survey – collaborate in survey of
museums reserve collection storage areas.
Previous British Museum projects
Conservation project – Collaborative treatment on a 19th
century Ethiopian church painting for an exhibition display.
Conservation project – Egyptian storage basement 85 decant
collaborative project including condition assessment and first aid
treatment to facilitate movement of organic objects to new storage
facility.
Conservation project – 21st Dynasty coffin – treatment
to stabilise deteriorating mud plaster and painted decorative
surface.
Research project – Corroding lead on Japanese lacquered
objects – collaborative research project with Metals
conservation.
Exhibition Word in to Art – led
conservation treatment of a group of contemporary Middle Eastern
paintings for display and loan.
Japanese galleries refurbishment –
led collaborative project to assess and conserve Japanese organic
artifacts for permanent display.
Ethiopian icons – conservation of the
museum’s collection for storage and display.
Painted Egyptian shroud and Ethiopian
painting – collaborative project between paintings and
textiles conservators to conserve two painted textiles.
Trustees oil
paintings collection – Condition survey and
treatment recommendations
Qing lacquer catalogue –
collaborative work to conserve lacquered surfaces on Qing ceramic
for catalogue publication.
External fellowships/ honorary positions/ membership of professional bodies
Accredited paintings conservator (ACR) with
the Institute of Conservation (ICON)
Member of the Institute of Conservation
(ICON)
Member of the International Institute of
Conservation (IIC)
Member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM)
Publications
L. Harrison, 'An Icon of St George: preparation for a portrait
of a saint', with C.Cormack, C.R. Cartwright and J. Ambers in
Preparation for Painting: The Artist's choices and its
consequences. Contributions to a two day interim meeting
ICOM-CC, 31 May – 1 June 2007, (2008,
forthcoming)
L. Harrison, ‘Painted textiles and canvas paintings: a
collaborative approach to lining and mounting’, with P. Cruickshank
and H. Delaunay, The Conservator, 30 (2007)
L. Harrison, ‘Orthodox icons at the British
Museum: an approach to ethical conservation practice’, with J.
Ambers, C. Cartwright, R. Stacey, in Icon: Approaches to
research, conservation and ethical issues, [CD-ROM]. (Athens,
Benaki Museum, 2006)
L. Harrison, 'Orthodox icons at the British
Museum: an approach to ethical conservation practice,’ with J.
Ambers, C. Cartwright, R. Stacey, in Icon: Approaches to
research, conservation and ethical issues, Archaeology and
Arts Magazine, S. Stassinopoulos and A.Lambraki (eds.),
(Athens, 2006), pp. 131-133
L. Harrison, 'Sacred to Secular: the care and
conservation of Orthodox icons at the British Museum’, with J.
Ambers, C. Cartwright, R. Stacey, D. Hook and C. Entwistle, in D.
Saunders, J.H. Townsend, and S. Woodcock (eds.) in The Object
in Context: Crossing Conservation Boundaries (London,
International Institute of Conservation, 2006), p. 317