7.4 Condition Reporting and Documentation

Condition reporting and documentation are crucial for preserving art. These practices involve creating detailed records of an artwork's physical state, including written descriptions and high-quality photos. This information helps track changes over time and informs decisions about handling, storage, and conservation.

Accurate condition reports are essential for loans, insurance, and conservation planning. They provide a baseline for comparison, support valuations, and help identify treatment needs. Standardized terminology and thorough photographic documentation ensure clear communication about an artwork's condition across institutions and over time.

Condition Reports for Art Objects

Purpose and Components

Top images from around the web for Purpose and Components

• 

  Conservation - Free of Charge Creative Commons Typewriter image View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The relevance of documentation in museums | Rupert Shepherd View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Symphony of Ideas: Exhibition rubrics & Global Issues Expo View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Conservation - Free of Charge Creative Commons Typewriter image View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The relevance of documentation in museums | Rupert Shepherd View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Purpose and Components

• 

  Conservation - Free of Charge Creative Commons Typewriter image View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The relevance of documentation in museums | Rupert Shepherd View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Symphony of Ideas: Exhibition rubrics & Global Issues Expo View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Conservation - Free of Charge Creative Commons Typewriter image View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The relevance of documentation in museums | Rupert Shepherd View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• A condition report is a detailed written and photographic record that documents the physical state of an art object at a specific point in time
• The main purposes of a condition report are to:
  • Provide an accurate baseline record for future comparison
  • Inform decisions about handling, storage, exhibition and transit
  • Support insurance and indemnity valuations
  • Identify any conservation needs
• Key components of a condition report include:
  • Object identification information
  • Detailed visual description
  • Condition summary
  • High-quality photographs
  • Diagrams indicating locations of damage, loss, or previous repairs
  • Description of materials (oil paint on canvas, cast bronze) and techniques (lost-wax casting, chasing and patination)
  • Measurements
  • Recommendations for care or treatment if needed
• Condition reports should be objective, unambiguous, and use precise standardized terminology to ensure clarity and consistency over time and between different report writers

Standardized Terminology and Descriptions

• Use clear, concise language and avoid subjective or ambiguous terms when describing the condition of an object
  • Phrases like "good condition" or "some wear" are not sufficiently precise
• Accurately identify and describe materials and techniques
  • Examples of materials: oil paint on canvas, cast bronze, carved marble
  • Examples of techniques: lost-wax casting, chasing and patination, additive sculpting
• Note any changes to the original materials, such as paint losses, fading, oxidation, or corrosion
  • Specify the location, extent and severity of any damage
• Distinguish between different types of surface changes, such as scratches, abrasion, flaking, or accretions
  • Use standardized terms like spalling, crazing, blanching, or delamination where appropriate
• Record any evidence of previous restoration, repair, or conservation treatment
  • Note the materials used and assess the condition and stability of repairs
• Describe physical changes like warping, buckling, or dimensional changes in supports and substrates
  • Note if changes appear to be active and progressive
• Include any changes to the original mounting or framing materials that are integral to the artwork
  • Assess if hardware is sound and functioning properly

Photographic Documentation in Condition Reporting

Visual Records and Monitoring

• Photographs provide essential visual documentation to supplement written condition reports
  • They record the appearance of an object at a fixed point in time
• Photos should be high resolution, properly lit, color balanced, and include scale references
  • Both overall and detail shots are necessary to thoroughly document condition
• Photographs allow very precise comparison of an object's condition over time to track any changes, deterioration or damage
  • They are key in monitoring long-term preservation
• Including photos from multiple angles and magnified details provides a more complete and accurate record than written description alone
  • Photos record details that may be inadvertently omitted from written reports

Insurance, Indemnity and Visual Communication

• Photographic documentation is required for insurance and indemnity agreements as a definitive record of an object's state prior to loan or shipment
  • Photos would be essential evidence in the case of any damage claims
• Photos are used to visually communicate an object's condition and treatment needs to conservators, curators, or other collections staff who cannot directly examine the artwork

Condition Reports for Loans, Insurance, and Conservation

Loans and Indemnity

• Condition reports are required for loan agreements between institutions to record the exact state of an object before and after shipping and handling
  • The borrower is responsible for noting and reporting any changes in condition
• Reports made prior to a loan serve as a baseline record of an object's state while in the owner's custody
  • Damage or changes in condition upon return may indicate mishandling or improper packing/environment during transit
• Insurance companies require condition reports as documentation of an object's physical state and to support the declared value
  • The report would be key evidence in any damage claim made against the policy
• Government indemnity programs require condition reports for objects requested for indemnity to confirm that the objects are in a stable state suitable for loan
  • Indemnity may be denied for objects deemed too fragile for travel based on the condition report

Conservation Planning and Documentation

• Condition reports are used to determine and prioritize conservation treatment needs
  • Changes in condition noted over time may signal the need for intervention to address progressive deterioration
• Conservators use condition reports to plan treatments and accurately document the object's state before and after conservation
  • Reports are essential for recording all materials added or altered during treatment