Von Chua:

What are the biggest challenges of running a Collection with nearly 5,500 objects?

Dr Yuriko Jackall:

It is quite specific to the Wallace that everything is so thoroughly integrated, paintings, porcelains, works of art, sculpture, etc. Typically, in some places that is less of a house museum, more of a classic museum or gallery, you would see the media separated a little more. I think has both positives and negatives. Of course, the great strengths of The Wallace Collection lies in its richness, and the fact that we can show everything so integrated is - it speaks to the collecting history of the family, and provides a unique space within London, because there is really no other national museum that does this quite as wholeheartedly as the Wallace has been able to do it. In a way, it provides an experience that is maybe more authentic to the 18th-century that is one of the great strengths of the Wallace Collection because that was the period where the decorative arts and the paintings really were kind of, at least in the domestic environment, really meant to be hung side-by-side. Artists that were making one type of work would know and certainly be collaborating with artists that were making another type of work. The real challenge lies in then, keeping every aspect of the collection safe because you have galleries that are now integrated and the objects need different care. For instance, light levels. Paintings can take higher light levels than furniture. But we want to show them together, so that’s a challenge.

It is quite specific to the Wallace that everything is so thoroughly integrated, paintings, porcelains, works of art, sculpture, etc. The real challenge lies in then, keeping every aspect of the collection safe because you have galleries that are now integrated and the objects need different care.

Dr Yuriko Jackall, Curator of French Paintings, The Wallace Collection

In terms of space, you often end up with rooms with paintings that are really so abundant that they are pushed up the walls, literally, that you end up having really great works of art hung so high that nobody can see them. Again, it’s that balance. Our instinct as museum professionals is really to take each work of art unto itself and really take care of it individually, and have it shine on an individual level. But then, trying to integrate it in the overall collection, within the identity of the Wallace Collection, presents a very interesting challenge.

Yunsun Choi:

A collection size of 5,500 is quite a small collection. Looking at British Museum, their collection grows 12 km a year! So if you compare to that, we have quite a small collection. As a conservator, collection care people are used to dealing with large collections. Our challenges come with different materials coming together. Our collection is very unique. For example, if you’re looking at the V&A Museum, if you walk into the glass room, they only have glass in one room. Whereas for us, there is a wealth of different materials and they all need to go in. Paintings and furniture going into one space, it does create challenges. Because we have so many types of materials, we don’t only deal with one type of pest, we are dealing with every aspect of pests. We are dealing with clothes webbing moths, paper pests, cloth pests. We have a different aspect of the problem rather than actually the quantity of the collection. It’s the quality and the depth of the collection that is the challenge. For example, there are different aspects of the collection, like metal and cloth together, organic and inorganic collection being together means there is a different humidity needed to be looked into. Furniture and paintings, there are different light levels. The challenges are having that balance right, rather than the number of the collection we need to look into.

Our challenges come with different materials coming together. Because we have so many types of materials, we don’t only deal with one type of pest, we are dealing with every aspect of pests. It’s the quality and the depth of the collection that is the challenge.

Yunsun Choi, Head of Collection Care, The Wallace Collection

Clare Simpson:

Speaking from a visitor perspective, it’s a balance between not losing that quality of it being a house museum and taking everything in as a sum of its part. Also offering layers of interpretation weighs into the collection. You can walk past star objects and that hierarchy within the collection, we celebrate our star objects but it’s easy to walk past them and not really know what you’re looking at. To try to break down some of those barriers, so we don’t continue to look like we’re on our pedestal, not listening to contemporary learning experiences. To make sure we have a generation coming up that can enjoy The Wallace Collection in taste, aesthetic, and understanding.

Speaking from a visitor perspective, it’s a balance between not losing that quality of it being a house museum and taking everything in as a sum of its part. Also offering layers of interpretation weighs into the collection.

Clare Simpson, Head of Exhibitions, The Wallace Collection

Von Chua:

The Wallace Collection website explains that The Conversation Department consists of one metals and one furniture conservator, together with a conservation craftsman/mount-maker. For art collectors who do not have a collection care team, do you have any advice on the basics of how to care for their collection?

Yunsun Choi:

One thing I always say is that do-it-yourself is your worst enemy. Please don’t do it yourself! If you feel an item is damaged, don’t try to fix it yourself. As a conservation department, from time to time, we receive some emails saying I have this item and it’s peeling, what can I do? Don’t do anything. Your best chance is to talk to a specialist first. If you do anything to your paintings, furniture, or your albums, chances are you will make it a hundred times worse than it is now.

Your best chance is to talk to a specialist first. If you do anything to your paintings, furniture, or your albums, chances are you will make it a hundred times worse than it is now.

Yunsun Choi, Head of Collection Care, The Wallace Collection

The other thing is about handling. Be very careful about handling. 95% of damage occurs to a collection by human. It’s not biological, it’s not chemical, it’s human damage that causes the most serious damage. When you move a collection, when you’re dealing with an item, try not to force anything. All the collection you have, your item will tell you - it will speak to you. If a historic furniture door is not closing, don’t force it to close it. If it’s not opening, don’t pull it out. It’s likely that you will cause damage. I always say don’t force anything, ask for advice, and try not to handle things too much.

Don’t force anything, ask for advice, and try not to handle things too much.

Yunsun Choi, Head of Collection Care, The Wallace Collection

The interview was conducted virtually. With sincere thanks to Yunsun, Clare, and Yuriko for carving their time and sharing their insights. The Wallace Collection is a great example of a house museum, open 7 days a week, so if you have a chance, do visit it in person to experience and appreciate the collection and space. Thank you to The Wallace Collection for the opportunity to make this interview possible.

If you have any questions or would like to further discuss about the relationship between architecture and art, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at von@vonxarchitects.com