ERIC BREITUNG
BY JEREMY BERLIN PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN WINTERSEMBARK
GENIUSTOOLS HE USES:
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY,
MASS SPECTROMETRY,
ION CHROMATOGRAPHY,
ULTRAVIOLET-VISIBLE
SPECTROSCOPY‘Preventive conservation’
of art through chemistry
Eric Breitung works at the intersec-
tion of art and science—literally.
A conservation scientist at New York’s
Metropolitan Museum of Art, he uses
analytical chemistry to help preserve
priceless artwork. But where others
concentrate on specific paintings or
sculptures, Breitung—a lifelong art
lover and former General Electric
research scientist—takes a broad
approach: “My focus is the environ-
ment of the whole museum.”
That means preparing the Met for
some 60 exhibitions each year, in
spaces that range from 100 to 20,000
square feet. Design elements for each
exhibit contain chemicals that could be
damaging, depending on the art. For
instance, acetic acid in a fabric display-
case liner might be safe for a clothing
exhibit but would corrode metallic
art. Breitung and his three-member
team are trying to develop a first ever
“Rosetta stone of volatile chemicals
that are in modern materials, so we can
determine what levels are problematic
for different types of art.”
Breitung’s lab is at the forefront
of preventive conservation in the
museum world. “Conservation started
by looking at how to treat objects that
have been damaged ... Now we’re think-
ing about how to set up displays and
storage so that kind of damage doesn’t
happen in the first place.”
The concept isn’t new, says Breit-
ung. But the focus is. “We’re sharing
everything we’re learning on the web in
hopes that others will apply the same
principles to their cultural heritage.”
That goes for anyone with art, whether
it’s in a museum or a home. jEric Breitung is a scientist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.