During the Summer of 2021, a team of conservators preserved a unique component of the Museum’s Main Building—a series of ornate murals painted by Elmer E. Garnsey (1862–1946). The Garnsey Mural Conservation Project united efforts to investigate early 20th-century American mural painting, conserve works of art integral to the Museum, and highlighted the significance of the Richardson Memorial Library.
From 1915 to 1938 Gallery 203 served as a grand entrance to the library. The Museum commissioned American artist Elmer E. Garnsey to adorn the space with decorative murals and a painted domed ceiling. More than a century later, these architectural decorations show signs of deterioration, fading, and grime. Although partially conserved in 1977, the murals will now be preserved with a full conservation treatment to structurally stabilize artist materials and restore their original splendor. Today this gallery displays works of art from the 19th century. The library, an art historical resource for scholars and the public, is currently housed in the South Building.
The scope of the conservation project included a campaign that studied, cleaned, restored, and protected the painted walls and ceiling. Armed with a contemporary tool kit of conservation-grade resources and informed by research, testing, and technical analysis, conservators restored Garnsey’s architectural decoration of applied artist materials so the murals continue to endure.
The scientific, technical, and art historical details—as well as the expertise involved in the treatment and preservation of these murals—are accessible through virtual programs, photography, videos, and on-demand videos below, as well as the Museum’s social media channels.
#SLAMMuralConservation
@STLArtMuseum
On-Demand Virtual Program
This recorded program was originally presented via Zoom on August 26, 2021.
When the preservation of a painting moves from easel to wall, the logistics of a conservation project grow in exciting ways. This talk focused on the technical analysis and conservation treatment of the Garnsey Murals in SLAM's Gallery 203 and the complex decision-making involved in a large-scale, public-facing project. Join SLAM conservator Courtney June Books and conservation interns Alex Chipkin and Laura Richter for a glimpse into their team’s work. They discussed how conservators tackle various challenges, including anything from cleaning decades’ worth of sooty grime to removing bowling alley wax from paint layers. This conservation project, which occurred during the summer of 2021, aimed to ensure that these architectural decorations last for generations to come.
This recorded program was originally presented via Zoom on May 19, 2021.
During summer 2021 conservators at the Saint Louis Art Museum undertook the treatment of wall and ceiling murals in Gallery 203. Painted by Elmer E. Garnsey in 1915, these architectural decorations once marked the original entrance to the Museum’s Richardson Memorial Library. Museum archivist Jenna Stout, conservator Courtney June Books, and curator Amy Torbert introduce the history of the Museum’s library, its grand paintings, and their current condition.