Boston Public Library, Abbey Room |
Looking for a cozy winter activity? Consider visiting your local library to curl up with a good book by the fire. And while you're there, take a moment to appreciate the historic beauty of the building around you. Visiting historic sites, particularly libraries, can be an excellent cozy winter activity that provides a quiet and peaceful environment to read and allows one to appreciate the historic beauty of the building itself. John Canning & Co. is proud to have been a part of the restoration of many historic landmarks and libraries throughout the country. From cities to small towns, our team has tackled interior and exterior restoration projects, including mural and artwork restoration. We take pride in our ability to analyze, interpret, and implement historic conservation and restoration services.
We've had the privilege of working on some of the grandest and most historic libraries in America, including the McKim building at the Boston Public Library and the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University. At the Boston Public Library, we restored spaces such as the Abbey Room, Bates Hall, Sargent Gallery, the Elliot Room, and the entrance hall. Each space presented unique challenges due to the creativity of artists like Pierre Puvis de Chevannes, Edwin Austin Abbey, Elmer Garnsey, and John Singer Sargent. Our services included historic finish investigations and consultation, repairs of historic woodwork, restoration of wood finishes and metals, conservation and restoration of ornamental plaster and decorative finishes, including stenciling, lining, gilding, and glazing. Conservation of fine art murals was completed in collaboration with the talented team at Gianfranco Pocobene Studio. At Yale, our team researched and restored decorative finishes, woodwork, plaster, and nave, including the conservation and restoration of the Alma Mater mural by Eugene Savage, again in collaboration with Gianfranco Pocobene Studio. The conservation cleaning and restoration of the coffered barrel vault ceiling required a unique cleaning method using rottenstone, as specified by the original architect, James Gamble Rogers, to achieve the effect of a weathered, fifteenth-century finish.
We have worked on many libraries over the years, and you can check out some of the work for the ones that are featured on our website including the Hale Library at Kansas State University and the Barker Library at MIT. Our work in these treasured spaces involved conservation cleaning, woodwork restoration, mural and artwork conservation, historic paint studies, and decorative painting to reinstate original paint campaigns.
Our restoration work ensures that these historic libraries will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. These places hold not only books but also cultural and historical significance, and the architecture and artwork within them are a testament to the creativity and skill of generations past. So, the next time you cozy up with a book, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and history of the library around you. To learn more about some of the preservation and restoration services we use to restore spaces like historic libraries, including how we determine the type of paint used in these buildings, check out the links below.
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Latest Articles & Announcements |
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| The Use of Decorative Paint in College Chapels and Churches |
A church is a safe haven, a quiet place to think, pray, and step away from the worries of everyday life to worship God. The architecture and decoration of a church are extremely important since the aesthetic of a building is very influential in providing an environment conducive to its purpose. It is crucial to provide and maintain beauty and decoration in churches on college campuses as they serve young adults seeking to grow spiritually and mentally. This blog discusses the design of college chapels and churches and why it is imperative that these places of worship maintain their beauty for the betterment of the students worshiping within them.
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What to Expect from a Mural Conditions Assessment |
Conducting a conditions assessment is the first step in returning a historical mural to its former glory. Conditions assessments are comprehensive studies of the existing condition of a historic building, architectural element, fine art, or mural. These investigative reports provide an understanding of the architectural or design element in question, supported by thorough documentation. This blog looks at the ins and outs of mural conditions assessments, including what one can expect when receiving an assessment from an experienced conservation professional.
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On February 2nd, we celebrated the 110th anniversary of the opening of Grand Central Terminal. Our project cleaning the historic sky mural on the ceiling of the terminal was a major project for our company, and one that helped give us recognition as one of the nation’s experts in historic restoration, conservation, and preservation. During our project, we stabilized existing finishes and removed the heavy buildup of soot and grime without damaging the artwork. We are still so grateful to have been a part of restoring such a magnificent historic landmark. To celebrate this milestone, HISTORY wrote an incredible article about the secrets and myths inside Grand Central Terminal. Visit the HISTORY website to read the article titled 8 Secret Features of Grand Central Terminal.
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Our recent project at Washinton Union Station was featured in the Winter 2023 Preservation Magazine by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. During this project, our team cleaned the original masonry finishes in the Main Hall and West Hall of the station. After experimenting with different methodologies, our conservators settled on soaking the Bethel White granite walls and columns with a water-based solution to restore them to their original color. Additionally, our team restored the historic finishes of the metal doors and bronze plaques, repainted several surfaces, and performed other restoration services, all discussed in the article. Canning is honored to have been invited to return to the station to perform conservation and restoration services; our team had previously been selected by the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) to restore the historic Legionnaire statues in the Main Hall. To read more about this incredible project, check out the article, Washington Union Station Gets a “Quiet” Polish.
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The Honeybee wallpaper from our project at the Mark Twain House was on display at the SFO Museum at the San Francisco International Airport. The exhibit, entitled “The Victorian Papered Wall,” features intricately decorated wallpaper designs recreated by Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers. The company recreated Candace Wheeler’s award-winning Honeybee suite of designs from 1881 as a part of our restoration project in the Mahogany Suite at the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut. A section of the Honeybee wallpaper was on display in the museum; even though it can no longer be viewed in person, make sure to check out the exhibit page on the SFO Museum website to read about these stunning wallpaper designs. If you would like to learn more about this project and see this magnificent wallpaper come to life, check out our restoration video that chronicles the project from start to finish.
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This month we are celebrating architect Detlef Lienau’s birthday. Detlef was a renowned architect born on February 17th in Uetersen, Germany. Among other notable architectural feats, Detlef is credited with introducing the French architectural style to American construction. One of his most notable buildings is the Lockwood Matthews Mansion, a Second-Empire-style country house built in 1864 in Norwalk, Connecticut. Over multiple projects, our team restored several rooms throughout the mansion, including the Renaissance Revival library and the dining room, with woodwork designed and implemented by the Herter Brothers. We repaired and restored the architectural boiserie, wood finishes, ornamental and flat plaster features, decorative paint, and faux finishes. To read more about Canning’s work at the mansion, visit our website, linked here.
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Main Street America is holding their annual Main Street Now Conference from March 27th-29th 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The event will include educational workshops, field events, and networking opportunities. Main Street America is a program of the National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Main Street America’s mission is to revitalize historic main streets and commercial districts across the country with the goal of creating vibrant and thriving communities. To learn more about the conference, including how to register, visit the conference website, linked here.
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The Association for Preservation Technology Northeast Chapter (APTNE) is hosting its 2023 annual meeting and symposium on March 3rd in Salem, Massachusetts. This year’s conference focuses on fired materials including brick, clay, terra cotta, art tile, and more, and how these materials have changed and shaped the cities and towns that we know today. The symposium will include tours, networking events, and presentations from industry professionals. This event is open to both members and non-members, and will include a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person. John Canning & Co. is proud to continue to be a sponsor for APTNE as well as APTI. To learn more about the event, including how to register, visit the APTNE website, linked here.
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We understand the importance in sharing our expertise and knowledge in our field. Besides the monthly newsletter and blogs we post, we also develop and share downloadable resources to help guide you in your conservation, preservation and restoration projects. Check out the Resources page and see if any of the resources can help answer some of your questions and provide a better understanding of some of the intricacies in the preservation field.
Check out our Featured Downloadable Resource below.
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The origins of decorative painting can be traced back 4,000 years, when cultures used different patterns and designs as a means of communication and self-expression. Decorative painting was found in prehistoric times with illustrations on cave walls, tombs in ancient Egypt, and temples in ancient Greece. The historic libraries discussed above have undergone finishes restoration, including the conservation, restoration, or implementation of original color schemes, faux-finishes, and decorative designs. Finishes like trompe l’oeil, glazing, striping, stenciling, and other decorative painting techniques are outlined in A Visual Guide: Decorative Painting & Finishes.
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As a national nonprofit preservation organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America's historic places and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more or get involved. |
| | The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. |
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