AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

The primary purpose of my research is to introduce different 20th-century color analog positive processes on transparent support found in central Europe - with emphasis on Slovakia, where the main part of the research was carried out. The focus is on additive and subtractive color photographic techniques on various bases, such as glass, cellulose film sheets or film roll. The first real full-color photographs in history were made on transparent supports using the physical principle of merging the colored components of light and additive color screens. The urgency of this topic lies mainly in the fact that Slovak museum collections and institutions do not have identified or correctly categorised these valuable pieces in their depositories, and as a result, these may suddenly deteriorate in inappropriate storage conditions. Extensive research on this topic is constantly carried out in the world but publications of international literature are mostly in English and only limited information is accessible in Slovakia, which is not widely available for all. The lack of Slovak professional literature and higher education of museum staff are few of the problems we are facing. As a conservator I realised that revision of the collections is necessary, because proper identification is the first step of preventive care. The research focusing on early color photography is the foundation for understanding the nature of color photographs. The recognition of the various processes from a physical and technological point of view also provides a starting point for their conservation. These materials may suffer from two main forms of possible deterioration: firstly, the transparent support itself is either made of breakable glass or highly flammable plastics such as cellulose nitrate or acetate films, which can suffer from vinegar syndrome. Secondly, the color image can degrade very quickly, not only when exposed to light but also in the dark. Since even the slightest damage can have severe consequences that fully devalue the work, we generally emphasise protection over repair when conserving photographs. Proper identification should always be the first step of conservation, preventive care of these rare color positives is extremely important for their future preservation. Creating suitable storage conditions and collaboration with national and local museums in Slovakia is a challenging task. The state of collections in museum storage sites is far from ideal. The institutions struggle with financial problems and lack of trained professionals. How can a conservator help to manage the conditions of the archives and create an acceptable environment for the color photograph collection?