Conservation is all about materials. It is about history, but the history of materials. It is about treatment, but the treatment of materials. That's why chemistry is such an importation element in conservation.
I have started a recent project working on textiles, and I look forward to learning more about the materials involved in textiles. The structure of silk thread, the sensitivity of cotton to chemicals, etc. When you work with different materials, you have to research and read as much as you can on said materials. In conservation you deconstruct the materials in order to assess the situation. So I currently am reading more about textiles and trying to understand the histories, strengths and weaknesses of various weaving patterns, and looking forward to learning more about the basis of the textile: the material.
Hopefully my next post will delve into the subject more.
