,panel paintings have suffered damage from a
wide range of causes—accidents, natural catastrophes, improper
handling, dramatic environmental changes, and misguided con-
servation treatments. Once damaged, panel paintings can be difficult to
repair. Due to this risk, many museum professionals and collectors are
hesitant to transport panels unless absolutelynecessary. Some institutions
have even adopted policies that forbid their loan. In the United States,
panel paintings are not indemnified by the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity
progr am, a government progr am that provides insurance for international
exhibitions designated as being in the national interest.
Indeed, some paintings on wood supports are very fragile and
should not be transported or loaned to other institutions. Even the most
ideal packing case cannot protect a painting in very poor condition.
Many panel paintings are very stable, however, and can be safely packed
and transported.
Athorough technical examination of panel paintings considered
for loan is probably the most crucial aspect of the loan process. This exami-
nation is especially useful if condition and treatment records have been
maintained for many years. Paintings that have recurring problems such as
flaking paint are poor candidates for loans, unless the cause of the insecu-
rity ofthe paint is clearly understood and controllable.
There are four environmental conditions that should be consid-
ered when evaluating any painting for possible loan: relative humidity
(RH), temperature, shock, and vibration. The overall safety of a painting
during transit is gauged by any expected response to these conditions; this
response must then be evaluated in terms of what the painting will be able
to withstand and what protection the proposed transport is able to pro-
vide. For example, a very fragile painting might suffer impact poorly, and
no packing condition would be able to provide the protection needed to
ensure safe transport. If this is the particular case, transport of the paint-
ing is not recommended. However, if the painting can sustain moderate
fluctuations in RH and temperature (factors easily controlled during trans-
port), and the panel can safely resist the anticipated levels of shock and
vibration, then the panel is a more likely candidate for loan.
There are several things to consider about the painting itself
when contemplating a possible loan, including the following: the size of
the painting, its materials and construction, the condition of the design
(paint and ground) layers, and the condition of the wood supports. Small525Mervin Richard, Marion Mecklenburg, and Charles S. Tumosa
Technical Considerations for the Transport of
Panel Paintings