Lunchtime Lecture: The History and Conservation of the V&A Cast Courts

In December 2018 the V&A completed the second and final phase of its FuturePlan redevelopment project which returned the Cast Courts to their original magnificence. A new Cast Courts Interpretation Gallery will open and Gallery 46A reopened after extensive renovation and conservation work. This lecture will explore the history of the galleries, key considerations in the re-displaying of historic copies for 21st century audiences, and will demonstrate how the museum has re-addressed these historic copies in the context of preservation and new methods of digital replication. The second half of the lecture will discuss the complexities and challenges of conserving these fragile works.

The conservation of the casts was a key part of the project. This work helped us to comprehend better the original techniques used for the casting and the workshops behind it, but also enabled the investigation of the casts complex structures, surfaces, and identify the best ways to treat the deterioration processes. Please join, Curator Rebecca Knot and Conservator Victor Borges.

Visit our SoundCloud channel to listen to past Lunchtime Lectures: soundcloud.com/vamuseum/sets/v-a-lunchtime-lecture-series