Reassessing the Production of the Chelsea Maypole Group, 1755

I am currently working on a chapter for the edited volume Care and Repair entitled ‘Reassessing the Production of the Chelsea Maypole Group, 1755’. This is the published output of my 2025 presentation at Artefacts 30, co-authored with technical art historian Paul Van Laar, heritage scientist Giulia Moretti, and conservator Jessica Mantoan. I am acting as lead author.

The chapter documents our two-year collaboration to return the Chelsea Maypole Group in the Fitzwilliam Museum to display condition. It brings together archive research, XRF and micro-computed tomography with practical documentation of conservation decision-making to argue that the group was repaired in the midst of its very making. It takes the perspective that repair and production are not opposed activities; indeed, that they can be co-substantive.

A preprint of the article will be hosted on this website when appropriate.

C.111-1932, with paste repairs, Victoria and Albert Museum — C.111-1932, with paste repairs © V&A.

Conference excursion in Oslo during Artefacts 30, Norsk Teknisk Museum, 2025 — Conference excursion in Oslo.