In July the George Museum of Art opened the exhibition One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection. Curated by Professor of Art History and Parker Curator of Russian Art Asen Kirin, the exhibition features the Belosselsky-Belozersky Collection, a promised gift of Marina Belosselsky-Belozersky Kasarda to the museum.

Along with Kirin’s conception, scholarly research, and curation of this exhibition, three additional Dodd personnel contributed to the collection’s preparation. Libby Hatmaker, Lecturer in Drawing and Painting, was conservator to the collection, treating paintings for the exhibition. Additionally, Jennifer Niswonger-Morris (MFA candidate) and Drema Montgomery (MFA 2016) aided in preparing the frames for view and refitting the paintings.

“Hatmaker and her team worked tirelessly and in a short span of time to prepare eleven large paintings for display dating from 1748 to 1885,” said Kirin. Hatmaker, Niswonger-Morris, and Montgomery attended to a variety of problems common for old paintings of oil on canvas such as replacing aged varnish and deteriorated areas of old restorations, as well as damaged gesso and gilding that covers the carved-wood frame. Kirin shared that, “Libby and her team accomplished these challenging tasks with notable expertise and precision. I am so grateful for their outstanding work and proud that we accomplished all of this in house.” 

Of the project Montgomery said, “As a painter, contributing to the restoration of these artworks from the exhibition is a rare privilege. Being allowed to be in close contact with and learn from such historic works is gratifying and enlightening. I feel the weight and honor of contributing to the long journey of each of these pieces and knowing they will continue on long after me. I hope that others through this wonderful exhibition will also feel a piece of that awe.”

Read more about the promised gift of Marina Belosselsky-Belozersky Kasarda to the Georgia Museum of Art here.

Read more about the One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection exhibition here, on view through January 6, 2019.