Rutherford J. Gettens | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rutherford John Gettens January 17, 1900 |
| Died | June 17, 1974 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Middlebury College, Harvard University[1] |
| Spouse | Katharine Covelle[1] |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions | Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, Freer Gallery of Art[1] |
Rutherford John Gettens (January 17, 1900 - June 17, 1974) was an American chemist and art conservator known for his manifold publications advancing the field of art conservation.[1] He worked closely with George L. Stout, who together authored Painting Materials: A Short Encyclopaedia, first published in 1942 and even translated into Japanese in 1972.[1]
He was born on January 17, 1900 to Daniel and Clara (née Rutherford) Gettens in Mooers, New York.[1] He attended Harvard University and became employed at the Fogg Art Museum in 1928.[1] In 1930, he married Katharine Cavalle and they lived in Lexington, Massachusetts.[1] In 1951, soon after becoming the Chief of Museum Technical Research, Gettens was recruited to join the Smithsonian Institution Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and helped found its Tech Lab.[1][2]
He had problems of deficient eyesight throughout his life such that he wore heavy lenses.[1]
He was a founding fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, later serving as council member, vice president and then president from 1968-1971.[1]
Biography edit
Early life edit
He attended school in Mooers, NY and was the valedictorian of his graduating class in 1918.[1]
College education and early career edit
In 1923, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Middlebury College in Vermont.[1] He also taught chemistry at Colby College in Maine.[1] Gettens went on to attend Harvard University, where he completed a Master of Arts in 1929.[1] In 1928, he joined the staff of the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard, and 21 years later, became the Chief of Museum Technical Research.[1]
Mid-career edit
In 1951, Gettens became Associate in Technical Research at the Freer Gallery of Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.[1] The then-director Archibald Wenley had recruited him to fill a three-year gap between the retirement of Japanese painting mounter Kinoshita Kōkichi in 1950 and Kinoshita's successor, Sugiyura Takashi.[2] With Rutherford J. Gettens' arrival, the Laboratory for Technical Studies in Oriental Art and Archaeology (now known as the "Tech Lab") was established.[2] Gettens brought with him samples, books, equipment, and records.[2] As of 2013, several of Gettens' books and those that he asked to purchase from the Harvard Library to support the Tech Lab's establishment are still part of the Freer Library.[2] In 1961, he became the Head Curator of the Tech Lab, though the position is now known as "conservation scientist".[1][2]
Later years and death edit
In 1968, Gettens became President of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, and research consultant to the Freer Gallery.[1]
In January of 1974, he had become interested in the history of conservation and in June, proposed a project on the topic at the second annual meeting (May 30-June 1) of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) in Cooperstown, NY. [1][3] According to a preliminary program of the meeting, his talk was titled "Thoughts Apropos A History of Conservation".[3] At the meeting, he was also made the first honorary member of the AIC.[1]
He also began writing recollections of his time spent at the Fogg Art Museum.[1]
Gettens expected to undergo corrective eye surgery in the fall of 1974.[1] However, he died of a "massive heart ailment" on June 17, 1974, two days after he and his wife purchased a cemetery lot. [1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Robertson, Clements L.; Stout, George L. (November 1974). "In Memoriam Announcement". Bulletin of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. 15 (1). Maney Publishing: 1–5. ISSN 0146-1257. JSTOR 3179207.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c d e f Scientific Research: Tech Lab, Smithsonian Institution, 2013, retrieved July 19, 2013
- ^ a b "Preliminary Program of the Second Annual Meeting". Bulletin of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. 14 (2). Maney Publishing: 1–6. April 1974. ISSN 0146-1257. JSTOR 3179313.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
External links edit
http://books.google.com/books/about/Painting_materials.html?id=bdQVgKWl3f4C
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no88005996.html
http://sulairnews.stanford.edu/issues/news.jsp?issue=080409
See also edit
List of dates in the history of art conservation George L. Stout