Art Conservation and Turkey Red Dyeing

In studies of material culture, one must first determine the “material.” In textiles, these materials include fibers, fabrics, dyes, and finishes. As a conservation scientist at the Harvard Art Museums, Dr. Julie H. Wertz synthesizes chemistry and historical knowledge to answer the question “what is it made of?” Her research specialty is turkey red dyeing, specifically in Glasgow where it occurred from 1785 to 1936.