Mr. Vanderbilt’s bedroom tapestries returned from conservation treatment following an 18-month project to clean, repair, and design a new support and hanging system for their continued preservation.
One of the most unique rooms in all the United States, Mr. Vanderbilt’s walls are upholstered with 18th century tapestries originating from two workshops—one set woven in Flanders and the other in Lille, France. Both sets probably date to the early 1700s. The tapestries had not been removed from the walls since the house was completed in 1898. For this project, the park addressed accumulation of dust and soot, slumping, and many areas of weakened fibers.
Conservators carefully removed thousands of upholstery tacks, and in some areas glue, to prepare them for their long voyage to the Belgium workshop De Wit Royal Manufacturers, a world leader in the conservation of tapestries. Each panel underwent eight cycles of wet washing to completely remove the soiling, and hundreds of hours of hand-sewing to repair slits and add support. The park’s museum team spent many days cleaning the walls in preparation for their return. The installation represents an inventive approach designed to make future maintenance much easier.
You can learn more about this project on the park website; Conservation of Mr. Vanderbilt’s Tapestries.
Watch Piere Maes, Director of De Wit Manufacturers, explain the process.
