As any exhibition team knows, the final stretch before opening can feel equal parts exhilarating and chaotic. The artworks are installed, the lighting is dialed in, and the checklist is complete—but it’s often the smallest details that shape how visitors experience the show. These last-minute finishing touches aren’t just practical; they quietly communicate care, clarity, and professionalism.
A floor-mounted label was built for a larger text panel, set at a 45° viewing angle. This allowed for comfortable reading without interrupting the wall layout, while maintaining a clean visual line through the gallery.
Custom mounts were also created for an artist’s palette, turning it from a loose object into a stable, legible display element. The goal was simple: secure, unobtrusive, and visually aligned with the rest of the presentation.
Vinyl played a critical role in guiding visitor behavior. “Do Not Touch” decals were applied directly where interaction might occur—subtle but clear. A “Not a Trash Can” vinyl sign addressed a surprisingly common issue, preventing misuse of display elements without adding visual clutter.
Finally, temporary vinyl window signage was installed to activate The Brodsky Center Gallery store—quick to produce, easy to apply, and effective in signaling that the the store is open.
These last-minute fabrication decisions aren’t just fixes—they’re part of the craft. They ensure the exhibition reads clearly, functions smoothly, and meets visitors with intention from the moment they enter.
Contributed by Sharon Yoon, Collections and Technical Services Assistant and Zoe Smith, Digital Studio Technician
Digitizing museum objects is a core function of collections management. High-quality imaging supports scholarly research, facilitates exhibition planning, and provides greater access. By adhering to rigorous post-processing standards, the Academy ensures that visual records remain viable for long-term digital preservation.
Case Study: Linda Kramer, The Prisoners of Love, 1982. Porcelain china painted, 22 x 14 x 12in. Funds provided by Robert and Frances Coulborn, 2016.2
Photographing complex, multi-part objects requires technical precision balanced with stringent handling protocols. The work by Linda Kramer consists of four distinct, delicate porcelain components. Due to their fragile, irregular geometry and lack of independent stability, the session required a coordinated workflow between the photographer and the collections team.
Workflow
Pre-Capture Verification: Each component was positioned according to archival reference photos to ensure the artist’s original intent was maintained.
Staged Handling: Transfers and rotations were executed with deliberate, slow-motion to mitigate the risk of damage.
Lighting and Surface Analysis: Lighting was configured specifically to highlight sculptural depth and ceramic surface texture without overexposure.
Real-Time QC: Images were tethered to a workstation for immediate review, allowing for instantaneous adjustments to focus and exposure.
Data Integrity and Post-Processing
Following the physical session, the files underwent a standardized post-processing phase:
Color Calibration: Accurate color representation was verified against physical color targets.
Master File Archiving: High-resolution TIFF files were generated as the preservation masters.
Access Derivatives: Web-ready copies were created for the Academy’s internal databases and digital platforms.
Impact
This process represents a critical intersection of documentation and stewardship. Each digital surrogate allows the work to be studied and shared without the physical risk associated with repeated handling of the original media.
Contributed by Sharon Yoon, Collections and Technical Services Assistant
In the early 19th century, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Academy) functioned as a vital conduit for transatlantic cultural exchange. For a young nation lacking established museums or classical ruins, these early acquisitions provided the essential technical infrastructure required to train American artists before a native artistic identity had fully emerged.
The Napoleonic Gift (1810)
In 1810, a significant diplomatic exchange occurred between the French Empire and the United States. John Armstrong Jr., the American Ambassador to France, received a collection of books and engravings from Napoleon Bonaparte, delivered via the Duke of Cadore.
Armstrong recognized the pedagogical value of these materials for a young art institution. In a letter dated December 28, 1810, he formally offered the collection to Academy President George Clymer:
“Believing that I cannot better fulfil this original intention than by offering it to the acceptance of the Academy of Fine Arts, I have now the honor of doing so…”
Washington 28 Dec. 1810
Sir
A few days before I left Paris H. M. the Emperor of the French presented to me thro’ the Duke of Cadore a case of Books & Engravings of considerable value, which I accepted under a full understanding, that I should be at liberty to bestow it on some public institution of the United States. Believing that I cannot better fulfil this original intention than by offering it to the acceptance of the Academy of Fine Arts, I have now the honor of doing so and of assuring you at the same time of my great respect and consideration.
John Armstrong
The President of the Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia
This gift comprised 24 volumes of etchings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi and his family. These detailed renderings of Roman architecture became primary teaching resources, allowing Academy students to study classical proportion and perspective without traveling abroad.
The Smith Donation and International Law (1813)
The Academy’s instructional library and collection were further expanded in 1813 by a major gift from Joseph Allen Smith, consisting of paintings, plaster casts, and engravings.
The provenance of this collection is a landmark in international law. During the War of 1812, the ship transporting Smith’s gift was seized by the British as a “war prize.” However, a Nova Scotia Vice-Admiralty Court eventually ordered the cargo’s release. The ruling established a global precedent: that cultural and scientific property are exempt from the rights of warfare—a principle that remains a cornerstone of international art law today.
For more information on the ship seized by Britain:
Together, the Napoleon and Smith gifts provided the intellectual capital necessary for America’s first art academy. These resources remain active assets for modern scholarship. Recently, researcher Stephen Lauf consulted the Piranesi volumes to advance his research on 18th-century printmaking and architectural history. Such collaborations continue to generate new insights into the Academy’s foundational holdings. His multiple visits to the archive were a delight to staff and sparked multiple interesting conversations on the works, processes, and history of the Piranesi family etchings. Thanks to Lauf, Academy staff also walked away from his visits with new knowledge and insights into the volumes.
Director of Archives, Library, & Collections Hoang Tran unfolding Trajan’s Column! Photo courtesy of Stephen Lauf
Through the preservation of these imperial and diplomatic gifts, the Academy ensures that the fundamental resources that shaped the first generations of American artists remain accessible to inspire the next.
Contributed by Sharon Yoon, Collections and Technical Services Assistant
About Chester Springs:
From 1917 to 1950, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Academy) operated its “Country School” in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Located 33 miles from the Historic Landmark Building, the campus expanded from an initial 40-acre tract in 1916 to over 160 acres by 1950. The program was established during the early 20th-century movement toward summer landscape painting—a pedagogical legacy of the Impressionist movement—and eventually expanded to include winter sessions from 1928 to 1933.
The site offered significant historical and artistic depth. Situated at the source of three natural springs, the property served as a medicinal spa prior to the American Revolution and as a hospital during the Valley Forge encampment. The Academy converted the existing village of Yellow Springs into a functional academic environment: a former hotel served as a dormitory, while various agricultural buildings were repurposed into studios. This setting provided students with diverse subject matter, ranging from local industry and steel mills to cultivated gardens and livestock. Although the facilities remained open year-round, formal instruction and critiques were conducted in concentrated six- to eight-week sessions.
According to the first school circular, Chester Springs was devoted to
“fine-art instruction in the open air, with all the beautiful surroundings of nature herself, in order to supplement instruction within the walls of class-rooms, and to afford an opportunity, for the study of art in the summer, to school teachers and to others who cannot spare the time to study in the winter.”
While the Chester Springs facilities were maintained year-round, formal instruction was initially restricted to the summer months. Following the sustained success of the Summer School, the Academy inaugurated a Winter School in 1928. These winter sessions continued for five years until 1933, when they were discontinued due to the prevailing economic climate of the Great Depression.
122nd Annual Report, 1927
129th Annual Report, 1934
Beyond its role as a school, the Academy administrators envisioned Chester Springs as a burgeoning artists’ colony. The idyllic setting, paired with robust studio facilities, fostered a deeply immersive creative community. Life at the “Country School” was defined by a unique social contract: students were expected to be self-governing, adhering to a code of honor rather than a rigid rulebook.
This independence extended beyond the studio. Artists integrated themselves into the local fabric, collaborating with residents, staging original performances, and even taking an active hand in the landscaping of the grounds. The vibrant campus life—from its historic buildings to its community events—became a central selling point for the program, frequently highlighted in school catalogs as a defining feature of the Academy experience.
1932-33 Winter Catalog
While the Country School was characterized by a seemingly informal atmosphere, the caliber of work produced consistently met the Academy’s exacting standards. Students at Chester Springs were fully integrated into the Academy’s competitive ecosystem, exhibiting their work in dedicated showcases and competing for the same prestigious prizes as those studying at the Historic Landmark Building.
The program’s reputation was anchored by a faculty of distinguished artists and lecturers, including Daniel Garber, Henry McCarter, George Harding, Albert Laessle, Leon Kroll, Francis Speight, Roswell Weidner, and N.C. Wyeth. Their presence ensured that the pastoral setting remained a site of serious technical inquiry and professional development.
After more than three decades of operation, the Academy discontinued the Country School and sold the property in 1952. Today, the site’s legacy continues through Historic Yellow Springs and The Chester Springs Studio. The Academy maintains a collaborative relationship with these organizations, preserving the tradition of summer landscape instruction on these historic grounds.
147th Annual Report, 1952
About the Project:
The Archives launched this project to revitalize a significant but underutilized chapter of our history. For years, the records of the thousands of artists who trained at our Chester Springs campus remained under-recognized due to a lack of searchable data. To bring this history to light, our archives team leveraged the help of eager student volunteers who were instrumental in transforming these analog files into a modern digital resource.
This specific body of work was selected because it is a discrete collection that perfectly aligns with the four strategic pillars of the Academy’s Archives and Special Collections:
Preservation: These cards are 70 to 100 years old. Digitizing them allows us to reduce physical use, preventing further wear and tear.
Discovery: We have extracted specific metadata—including artist names, enrollment dates, and gender—making it significantly faster for researchers to find exactly what they need.
Access: By removing the requirement for in-person appointments, we have eliminated geographic barriers. Anyone with an internet connection can now access and view the entire collection.
Use: These records have been given new life for academic research, genealogical projects, and classroom instruction, reaching a much wider audience than previously possible.
To transform the analog Chester Springs registration cards into a digital collection, our team employed a flatbed scanning workflow. The bulk of the archives’ digital collections use the flatbed scanner workflow for a few reasons:
Streamlined Training: The intuitive flatbed interface allowed student workers to achieve proficiency quickly, significantly reducing the initial learning curve.
Minimized Post-Processing: By manually adjusting the scan area for each card during the capture phase, we eliminated the need for bulk digital cropping or rotation after the fact. This “correct-at-capture” approach ensured that the digital files were ready for immediate use.
Quality Control: Technicians verified the clarity and alignment of each scan in real-time. Given that the informational content was the primary priority for this project, this manual oversight was essential to ensure every handwritten note and address was legible.
Throughput: Each scan took approximately 30 seconds, averaging 60 to 90 seconds of active labor per student record. All images were saved as high-resolution TIFF master files with unique identifiers.
Technical Challenges: Size Variance
While the cards were standard 4×6 inch index cards, we encountered physical variations across the collection’s 34-year span. Because the records are organized alphabetically rather than chronologically, card sizes often fluctuated by increments of less than 1/8th of an inch from one folder to the next.
This variance required constant technician intervention:
Adjustments: Student technicians had to manually reselect the scan area frequently—particularly for folded cards—to ensure that no text was lost.
Manual Cropping: Standard digitization software captures a preselected “window” on the scanner bed.
Edge Integrity: If the capture window was set too tightly for a smaller card, the edges of the subsequent, slightly larger cards would be clipped.
Two student registration cards; Almstedt being slightly larger than Grey (see right edge).
Maintaining the integrity of each record required constant manual intervention due to the variations of the cards. Because the informational content was the priority, we utilized a “capture-it-all” approach to ensure no data was lost during the digitization process.
Manual Area Selection: To account for size variances, staff and students manually adjusted the scan “window” for each card. This precision ensured that every registration card was captured in its entirety, preventing the loss of edge-aligned text or marginalia.
Variable Formats: While standard cards were two-sided, the collection included unique folded records. These required a three-scan sequence to capture the front, back, and the double-width interior face.
Real-Time Quality Control: Technicians performed intermittent file checks throughout each shift. By verifying image files immediately after capture, the team eliminated the need for costly and time-consuming re-scanning phases later in the project lifecycle.
Workflow Adaptability: Each change in card dimensions or format triggered a manual reselection of the scan area. This deliberate pace reduced the risk of “clipping” larger cards and ensured a consistent high-quality output across all 6,600 files.
Data Integration and Access Workflow
To maximize productivity, the team utilized a concurrent workflow for scanning and metadata entry. This “staged” approach allowed for continuous operation while maintaining a connection between the physical objects and their digital surrogates.
While the scanner processed one record, the technician transcribed the information for the subsequent card into a master spreadsheet. This parallel processing optimized labor hours and kept the project moving forward.
Transcription Challenges: Due to the prevalence of 20th-century cursive and varied handwriting styles, identifying specific names and dates occasionally presented difficulties. While every effort was made for accuracy, the archives acknowledges the potential for minor transcription errors.
Alphabetical Consistency: Technicians worked through the collection alphabetically. This organization allowed for a seamless hand-off between shifts, ensuring that any student worker could resume the project without disrupting the data sequence.
File Naming and Digital Provenance
To maintain archival standards, a naming convention was implemented:
Unique Identifiers: Each scanned side was assigned a specific alphanumeric code (e.g., RG030501-xxxx).
Collection Logic: The prefix RG030501 identifies the Chester Springs collection within the Academy’s record groups, while the final four digits denote the sequential file number.
Data Alignment: Technicians maintained high levels of focus to ensure that the spreadsheet row for each student precisely matched the sequential filename of the corresponding image.
Post-Processing for Access
Following the capture of the high-resolution TIFF master files, the archives implemented an automated post-processing phase:
Batch Conversion: Using a custom Photoshop batch action, the team converted the master TIFFs into web-ready JPG access files.
System Efficiency: This automation ensured a standardized file size and format for the online portal, significantly reducing manual labor during the final upload phase.
Summary of Impact
The Academy initiated this project to bridge a significant gap in our institutional history. For years, the lack of a centralized, searchable record left the legacy of the thousands of artists who trained at Chester Springs under-recognized. By transforming these analog records into structured digital assets, we have ensured that this vital chapter of American art education is preserved and fully accessible for modern scholarship.
As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a moment to look back at how you—our researchers, students, and curious visitors—interacted with the Academy’s collections over the past year.
These patterns are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet; they offer a window into our community’s evolving needs and help us map out our future. It’s important to note that these figures focus specifically on research and resource requests—things like deep dives into our archives, library services, and access to works of art not currently on public display.
2025: A Year of Purposeful Research
In 2024, the Academy recorded 923 total research requests. As of mid-December 2025, that number stands at 892. While this is a slight 3.4% dip, the story behind the data is one of resilience.
This minor decrease was expected as the Academy transitioned away from degree-granting programs, leading to a smaller student population this fall. However, demand remains remarkably robust.
The Breakdown of Requests:
External Requests (63%): 562 inquiries came from the research community.
The Digital Frontier: Global Reach, Human Connection
While our physical halls have seen shifts, our digital presence is exploding. The Academy’s Digital Archives recorded over 100,000 unique human visitors this year!
A standout star of our digital offerings remains the Rediscovering John Rhoden Digital Archives, which drew over 3,100 unique visitors. We are honored to continue stewarding Rhoden’s incredible legacy for a global audience.
New to the Digital Collection this year:
We’ve added 2,475 new items across three collections:
How you visit us is changing. While email remains the primary way researchers start their journey, we’ve seen a “hybrid” rhythm emerge.
The Archives are Booming: In-person use of the Archives surged by 122% (111 visitors).
The “Walk-In” Surprise: We saw an unexpected rise in walk-in service, largely driven by our new cohort of certificate students seeking hands-on support.
A Shift in Scale: Total in-person interactions dropped from 885 to 428. This 52% decline was anticipated following the school’s transition, but it has paved the way for more focused, scholarly engagement.
Top 3 Reasons People Use the Archives:
Academic Research
Curatorial Research
Provenance Research
What These Shifts Mean for Our Future
The data tells us three important things:
Demand is High: Projects like the “A Nation of Artists“ exhibition and our upcoming 220th Anniversary celebrations continue to drive intense interest in our holdings.
Archives are Essential: The massive jump in archival research proves there is a deep hunger for primary-source materials.
Intentionality Wins: Visitors are coming to us with more specific, deep-seated goals. Our digital archives are serving as a gateway, allowing researchers to do their “homework” online before arriving for a high-impact physical visit.
Looking Ahead
These insights are vital. They allow us to plan responsibly—ensuring we balance broad digital access with the specialized, high-touch care required for on-site research.
Whether you reached out via email, spent hours in the reading room, or browsed our catalogs from across the ocean: Thank you. Your curiosity is what brings these collections to life. We can’t wait to see what you discover in 2026!
Contribute by Zoe Smith, IMLS Collections Photographer
Photographing sculptures—especially those with ornate details or unconventional shapes—often presents logistical challenges. Each piece requires a tailored approach to ensure it’s captured safely and effectively. Depending on the artwork, we might mount it on a wall or easel, use foam blocks to protect delicate corners, or simply place it on a table. Every setup is different.
One particularly tricky piece was Thomas P. Anshutz by Adam Pietz (accession #1938.6). This relief sculpture has small legs underneath its rectangular base, which made it impossible to position upright on our easel. To work around this, we photographed it on its side.
Maintaining consistent lighting across all our relief sculpture images is important to me, so I had to get creative. I positioned a large softbox above the sculpture, aimed toward the hair of Thomas P. Anshutz, and placed a smaller softbox below the camera, directed at the face. To enhance the highlights on the top and bottom edges, I added a reflector and a low-powered umbrella light.
The final result captured the shape and dimensionality of the relief beautifully—and matched the lighting style used for the rest of our collection.
Another setup included hanging a fragile plaster piece by Beatrice Fenton, Life Cast of Emily Clayton Bishop’s Left Hand (accession #1984.43). We screwed into a piece of wood and used white gaff tape to cover the hardware to minimize any unwanted color cast onto the sculpture. Every piece requires a new and challenging setup to get the best results.
Contributed by Zoe Smith, IMLS Museum Collections Assistantand Photographer
A challenge when photographing glazed works of art is the reflective nature of the plexiglass. To minimize reflections, we need to make everything around the camera black. In a previous post, we mentioned the process of using a large black velvet cloth set up on a backdrop. While that setup worked for many of our glazed works, the cloth was too small for our very large works.
Since PAFA does not have a dedicated photography studio, we also wanted to create a more portable solution that would also help us address the reflection issues of oversized works. I did some research and found some DIY ways to make a V Flat. A V Flat is a black piece of foam core that folds in half creating a V shape. Sharon Yoon (Museum Collections Assistant) and I made some mini prototypes to test out a couple ways to make this with materials we had in the museum before we scaled up to create the larger v flats.
Sharon and Zoe
V Flat prototypes
Instead of the foam folding only one way, we wanted to have it be in quarters to make it even more portable and easy to store. To do this we had to find a non-reflective and strong way to fasten two sides together that was removable. We tried Velcro strips, but they weren’t as strong as we wanted. The next method used framing materials we had, this allowed us to pull the pieces together tightly and the entire structure was much more solid. We used black gaff tape to combine all 4 panels and seal off any potential light leaks at the seam. We made three different V Flats that we can now line up and photograph large reflective pieces like this one by Barbara Krueger (accession 1984.19). Here are before and after images to see the differences when using the V flats.
Photograph without V Flats
Photograph with V Flats
Making these DIY V Flats is a versatile solution to many issues we encounter while photographing and allows us to capture each artwork without distractions.
Since much of our archival collections are digitized by work study students or interns, the archives has always relied on flatbed scanners to perform the work. The most obvious benefits for the department include reducing user-errors as well as reducing technical training—digitizers would input the correct settings and basically scan the item. The major downside for scanning archival collections is the time required to scan at preservation level standards. Depending on the size of the record/object, the scan could take anywhere from one to three minutes per item. The minutes surely add up for very large collections.
PAFA is very familiar with using digital cameras to digitize collections—the museum has used cameras to digitize/document its permanent art collection and exhibitions since 2007!
Since we had a spare DSLR camera and copy stand, we thought it would be interesting to test out this new method. We selected a small collection to pilot this digitizing method. The work was completed by Annie Thompson (MFA), the archives’ long-term work-study student.
The pilot project allowed us to get a better sense of the speed and image quality to formulate a baseline to compare to the scanning workflow. While cultural institutions typically focus on creating high-quality reproductions, we kept our expectations low since the technical skills required to use a DSLR with all its settings properly was a huge learning curve.
The obvious benefit of using a camera to digitize collections is the sheer speed—it takes literally a few seconds to create a digital capture. One major hurdle we faced with this new approach was the post-processing time. All digital captures required straightening, cropping, and color adjustments. Some workstations in the archives were too slow to use some software, which made post-processing time consuming.
Contributed by Zoe Smith, IMLS Project Museum Collections Assistant
In our studio we find immense joy in getting to creatively light sculptures. While works on paper are very evenly lit, there is more room to play around with 3d works. Sculpture busts for example we light as individual portraits, each has distinct features and nuances.
For this plaster bust of Mrs. Allan Clyde Hale by George H. Borst (accession 2013.31.5), we wanted to light it in a dynamic way but keep the lighting balanced enough to match the rest of the collection.
Key Light: The key light is the main light used to light a subject. We decided to use a Rembrandt style lighting technique. This is a commonly used method of lighting in photography that comes from the distinct style of the 17th century Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.
Fill Light: The fill light’s purpose is to even out shadows and provide a gentle illumination that complements the key light. This was achieved by bouncing the light into the ceiling in front of the subject. This method makes the light incredibly soft and even.
Kicker Light: The kicker light, the final piece of the puzzle, subtly outlines the profile of the subject. The kicker is the most subtle of the lights, but really lets the object stand apart from the background.
As we were planning the lighting, we captured individual exposures with each of the three lights independently. This allowed us to see the subtle differences each light makes.
While the differences may seem minuscule, their cumulative effect makes a dramatic difference when it comes to the final image. Working out these intricate details is some of the most rewarding work when it comes to photographing our extensive collection.
Here are some examples of the lighting techniques that we implemented.
Key Light:
Fill Light:
Kicker Light:
Combined:
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit https://www.imls.gov/and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Contribute by Zoe Smith, Project Museum Collections Assistant
This week at PAFA we continued photographing sculptures as a part of the IMLS grant. While some 3D objects are straight forward, the beautiful sculpture Naima by Elizabeth Catlett was quite the challenge to photograph. I had so much fun creating the set up for this piece. We started using the light box that we have been using for smaller pieces, but because this sculpture is so reflective, we could see everything surrounding the object. We had to get creative and use the structure of the lightbox but switch the reflective sides to diffusion material. Our light source needed to be bigger than the object we were photographing and needed to seamlessly surround it. We had to combine multiple pieces of fabric to surround the work, and then we were able to use two soft boxes to get a beautiful quality of light. This piece has been one of my favorites to photograph so far, and I had a great time working with the photographer Adrian Cubillas to figure it out.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit https://www.imls.gov/and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
