Picture This: An Artwork Spa

Cleaning Vaquero

Members of American Art's Conservation department wash Luis Jiménez's Vaquero

SAAM Staff
Blog Editor
July 21, 2011

Artworks within American Art are meticulously attended to. Humidity and lighting are kept at optimum conditions. But how do you take care of an artwork that adorns the outside entrance to the museum and stands tall during the heat and humidity of the summer as well as the cold of the winter? Also very attentively.

This year American Art's conservators are paying special attention to Luis Jiménez's Vaquero with a good washing, waxing and buffing. And that's what is taking place this week at our 8th and G streets entrance. At the end of the process Vaquero will be ready to stand up to all the elements D.C.'s weather can hand out. With the heat and humidity of this week's weather, he looks quite a bit better than the rest of us walking down the street.

Categories

Recent Posts

Large-scale installation of corncob piñatas.
Gold-fringed walls and piñata corncobs transform the Grand Salon of SAAM's Renwick Gallery and highlight the role of maize in North American visual culture.
Headshot of woman with black hair
Rebekah Mejorado
Public Relations Specialist
Jane Carpenter-Rock standing in the Kogod Courtyard.
Acting Director Jane Carpenter-Rock on the inspiring collections at SAAM
Professional photo of Jane Carpenter-Rock
Jane Carpenter-Rock
Acting Director
Detail of black and white quilt with rows of stylized human figures.
Carolyn Mazloomi on the importance of art and community in her life.