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== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==


It is hard to think of any staff more central to the successful operation of the National Gallery than the Art Handling Team - they are fundamental to our own Exhibitions and Displays of course, as well as providing an essential service without which continuing research, conservation and photography of the Collection would be impossible.
The National Gallery’s art handling department exists to provide the necessary technical support to the display of this major collection. We work closely with all the gallery’s departments but have a particularly strong relationship with conservation, curatorial, collections registrars, exhibitions, framing and imaging. Our role is to help realise the goals of the gallery by taking responsibility for all aspects of installation, transportation, preparation, storage and manual handling of the collection at the gallery.
As well as their day to day work, the Art Handlers have also been active developing new techniques and equipment to improve care for the pictures and the safety of the staff. Most noticeable are large, sophisticated items such as the ‘Blue Hoist’ used for all large picture moves within the National Gallery. This has enabled a common, but problematic and high risk task to be done much more simply and safely. Less noticeable, but equally impressive are simple yet highly effective ideas such as the ‘gadget’ fixings which will reduce both the amount and complexity of handling for small and medium sized pictures for years to come.


In recent years the Department has been working hard to develop their procedures for managing and forward planning their work. They have been successful too in leveraging the Gallery’s Collection Management Database (TMS) to automate and improve the information given to the team staff on the floor doing the jobs.
In carrying out our work, our remit is to follow the highest standard of care for the collection. As a principal, the department is considered as an arm of conservation and our activity is informed by all current conservation recommendations. Our primary aim is to successfully carry out our tasks by first fully considering the reduction or elimination of risk to the objects in our care.


Much of what they now do sets a benchmark for good practice which is the envy of sister institutions in the UK and beyond. So I am delighted to welcome the first edition of the Art Handling Manual which will be an invaluable resource for the Art Handling Team themselves, as well as the wider staff at the National Gallery and further afield.  
To organise our work, we have created a system of classification. This has allowed us to develop processes and procedures that can be measured and assessed. As part of this approach, we have also developed our own specialised equipment and hanging systems unique to The National Gallery. Within the department, we continue to look to improve our methods and take a keen interest in the work of other teams within our field, with the intention of informing our own ideas.


A very big thank you goes to all the Art Handling staff for the expertise and hard work they put into the most professional service they provide to the Gallery, as well as the extra effort to produce this manual. Many other staff within the Gallery have advised and helped with the manual’s production too, and we also thank them very much.
We also feel it is our responsibility to promote the work of art handling outside of our environment. This includes cultivating contacts within the area by exchanging ideas and developing training opportunities that we can both participate in and deliver.


Tim Henbrey
The art handling department occupies a significant, practical role within the life of The National Gallery. By developing and promoting an environment of care and innovation within our discipline, we aim to ensure the conservation and preservation of the national’s collection, allowing it to continue to be enjoyed as intended.
| Head of Collections Management


Patrick O’Sullivan, Head of Art Handling


== Categories: ==
== Highlighted Project ==


=== [[1|Category 1: General and Preface]] ===
Installation of NG1 The Raising of Lazarus by Sebastiano del Piombo
This opening chapter describes the purpose of the Manual and contains a preface by the Head of Collections.
<br clear=all> incorporating designs by Michelangelo in Gallery 32


=== [[Category 2: Department Statements]] ===
[[File:NG1moveFeb2023.mp4|600px|left]]
This chapter contains a Mission Statement from the Head of Department and information on the nature of the Team. The intention here is to illustrate a typical day in the life of the team. This chapter also includes a brief history of the Department.


=== [[Category 3: Recruitment]] ===
<br clear=all>
This chapter describes the current departmental structure and also contains all the current job descriptions for each team role. The chapter also contains an outline of the qualities we look for when recruiting new technicians as well as an example of the background and experience of some of our technicians. The Induction Program used to train new members to the Department is also included.


=== [[Category 4: Installation & Preparation]] ===
== [[The Team|The Team]] ==
This chapter involves written explanations of the procedures we adopt in the transportation/handling and de/installation of the Gallery Collection. Further information on equipment or more complicated technical issues are held elsewhere in the manual.
This opening category include history of the department, current job descriptions, organisation chart and then profile of staff; past and present 


=== [[Category 5: Admin Working Procedures]] ===
== [[The Collection|The Collection]] ==
This chapter describes the function of the office and the administration procedures for all the Departments activities.  
This category describes the colour category system. This followed by description of each category including equipment associated with it and how to use it. Then complicated / bespoke examples (NG6337 Leonardo Cartoon) and finally how to prepare the collection for loan. This will include all the casing stuff plus a description of the relationship with KSL.


=== [[Category 6: Complicated Installations]] ===
== [[Exhibitions|Exhibitions]] ==
This describes the de/installations that require special methods or particular pieces of equipment. There is also a description of the categorisation method adopted by the Department as well as an example of the document used to list further issues for each picture.


=== [[Category 7: Equipment]] ===
== [[Administration Processes|Administration Processes]] ==
This chapter focuses on the design work undertaken by the Department to produce bespoke equipment ideal to our needs. The chapter describes the design approach taken and illustrates some of the results of these efforts.  
This category describes; the way we receive requests, the art handling calendar, forward plan, TMS, loans, exhibitions, salvage committee and GDPR.


=== [[Category 8: Operating Procedures]] ===
== [[Health and Safety|Health and Safety]] ==
This chapter includes copies of the “safe systems of work” documents that it has been necessary to write with regards the equipment designed by the Department.  
This category deals with the relevant legislation applying to the Department, examples of documentation such as risk assessments and our training responsibilities. The chapter also gives a summary of the changes in our working practices as a direct result of Health and Safety Legislation.


=== [[Category 9: Exhibitions]] ===
== [[Business Continuity and Salvage|Business Continuity and Salvage]] ==
This chapter describes our role in the Gallery’s Temporary Exhibition program. It includes our procedures when working with couriers and our relationship to the other relevant departments.
This category will include our role as a department, our training programs equipment etc. possible include some action examples (water ingress)
 
=== [[Category 10: Casing]] ===
This refers to our arrangements for preparing Collection works to go on loan. The chapter also deals with our approach to casing, the contractors we use and possible future developments.
 
=== [[Category 11: Health & Safety:]] ===
This chapter deals with the relevant legislation applying to the Department, examples of documentation such as risk assessments and our training responsibilities. The chapter also gives a summary of the changes in our working practices as a direct result of Health and Safety Legislation.
 
=== [[Category 12: Emergency planning and salvage]] ===
Most of the relevant information for this chapter can be found in more detail in the Galleries Disaster Control Plan. This chapter therefore, deals with the efforts the Department have made to improve our arrangements and the role of individual technicians under emergency measures.

Latest revision as of 11:32, 22 May 2023

Introduction[edit | edit source]

The National Gallery’s art handling department exists to provide the necessary technical support to the display of this major collection. We work closely with all the gallery’s departments but have a particularly strong relationship with conservation, curatorial, collections registrars, exhibitions, framing and imaging. Our role is to help realise the goals of the gallery by taking responsibility for all aspects of installation, transportation, preparation, storage and manual handling of the collection at the gallery.

In carrying out our work, our remit is to follow the highest standard of care for the collection. As a principal, the department is considered as an arm of conservation and our activity is informed by all current conservation recommendations. Our primary aim is to successfully carry out our tasks by first fully considering the reduction or elimination of risk to the objects in our care.

To organise our work, we have created a system of classification. This has allowed us to develop processes and procedures that can be measured and assessed. As part of this approach, we have also developed our own specialised equipment and hanging systems unique to The National Gallery. Within the department, we continue to look to improve our methods and take a keen interest in the work of other teams within our field, with the intention of informing our own ideas.

We also feel it is our responsibility to promote the work of art handling outside of our environment. This includes cultivating contacts within the area by exchanging ideas and developing training opportunities that we can both participate in and deliver.

The art handling department occupies a significant, practical role within the life of The National Gallery. By developing and promoting an environment of care and innovation within our discipline, we aim to ensure the conservation and preservation of the national’s collection, allowing it to continue to be enjoyed as intended.

Patrick O’Sullivan, Head of Art Handling

Highlighted Project[edit | edit source]

Installation of NG1 The Raising of Lazarus by Sebastiano del Piombo
incorporating designs by Michelangelo in Gallery 32


The Team[edit | edit source]

This opening category include history of the department, current job descriptions, organisation chart and then profile of staff; past and present

The Collection[edit | edit source]

This category describes the colour category system. This followed by description of each category including equipment associated with it and how to use it. Then complicated / bespoke examples (NG6337 Leonardo Cartoon) and finally how to prepare the collection for loan. This will include all the casing stuff plus a description of the relationship with KSL.

Exhibitions[edit | edit source]

Administration Processes[edit | edit source]

This category describes; the way we receive requests, the art handling calendar, forward plan, TMS, loans, exhibitions, salvage committee and GDPR.

Health and Safety[edit | edit source]

This category deals with the relevant legislation applying to the Department, examples of documentation such as risk assessments and our training responsibilities. The chapter also gives a summary of the changes in our working practices as a direct result of Health and Safety Legislation.

Business Continuity and Salvage[edit | edit source]

This category will include our role as a department, our training programs equipment etc. possible include some action examples (water ingress)

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