Online Talk: Caring for Historic Textiles

Caring for Historic Textiles

Have you ever opened a box of woollen costumes to find that moths have eaten away at the historic garments? Or that the embroidered sampler opposite a window has slowly lost its colour? Or that the upholstered chair that visitors accidentally sit on has tears on the seat? Attend this online talk to learn how to prevent these issues with professional textile conservator Isabella Rossi of Rossi Conservation. 

Isabella will cover the ‘agents of deterioration’, the elements that turn historic textiles into antiquated rags. These include pests, mould, light damage, mishandling, and more. She will explain how these problems arise, how to address them, how to prevent them, and when to call in a professional textile conservator. Afterwards, there will be a brief Q&A session to address more specific concerns.

Audience

This talk is aimed at members of the cultural heritage sector, emerging professionals, collectors of historic textiles, or anyone else who is interested in the preservation of historic objects. No previous knowledge of art conservation or historic textiles is necessary.

About the Speaker

Isabella Rossi is the textile conservator behind Rossi Conservation, a textile conservation studio based in Scotland. She earned her MPhil in Textile Conservation from the University of Glasgow in 2020. She has worked with institutions such as the Glasgow School of Art, National Museums Scotland, and the V&A Dundee. She is also passionate about teaching the public about textile crafts and preservation through talks, workshops, and articles.