Research Scholarship in Photograph Conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Research Scholar in the Department of Photograph Conservation (DPhC) is based in the Sherman Fairchild Center for Works on Paper and Photograph Conservation. The Research Scholar is fully integrated into the life of The Met and is given unique access to the inner workings of the Museum through a rich program of tours, roundtable discussions, and workshops. The scholar conducts a research project based on the Museum’s resources and its collections of photographs, in addition to participating in the preservation- and exhibition-related activities of the Photograph Conservation Department. Successful candidates will propose focused research, built around The Met collection, which furthers the Museum’s academic mission and contributes to the field of photograph conservation.

Projects

Current topics of interest for the DPhC include the characterization of the photographic papers and applied media used by James Van Der Zee (1886–1983) or Charles DeForest Fredricks (1823–1894). The Met’s Department of Photographs has recently acquired the archive of the former and a large group of works by the latter. 

Examples of previous research projects include a technical and historical investigation of E. J. Bellocq’s working methods; methods for imaging and tracking silver mirroring; the characterization of photographs in The Diane Arbus Archive; measurement and documentation of color change in photographs using densitometry, spectrophotometry, and micro-fading; and the application of anoxic enclosures for conservation of photographic objects, focusing on the effectiveness of these packages for long-term preservation of autochrome plates. Further information about the DPhC’s research endeavors and analytical capabilities can be accessed here.

Fellowship Period

Fellowships are for 24 months, beginning on September 1 following the application deadline.

The Research Scholar in Photograph Conservation Fellowship carries the possibility of renewal for a third year.

Eligibility

The Research Scholar is expected to have a graduate degree in conservation or equivalent experience and should be completely committed to the conservation of photographs as their area of specialization.

Funding

The stipend amount is $57,000 per year, with up to an additional $6,000 for travel (maximum of six weeks).