Professional experience
After training as a painting conservator at the Österreichische Galerie in Vienna and the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum in Braunschweig (1979–1980) I concentrated on glass conservation, working for three years at the Restaurierungszentrum, Düsseldorf (1981–1983), followed by voluntary work conserving glass vessels at the Römisch-Germanisches Museum in Cologne and the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg (1983/1984). My knowledge and experience of conservation and restoration of paint on canvas and on glass constituted a solid basis for treating reverse paintings on glass. I acquired technical skills in this field in 1984 at the workshop of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich, and in 1985 became a self employed conservator specializing in the conservation/ restoration of reverse glass paintings. I have restored glass objects for major museums and private collections in Germany and other countries including the U.S.A., Great Britain and Switzerland.
After years of conservation in the field of folk art – reverse painted glass of the 19th century, I was experienced enough for highly demanding restoration work. These included first quality objects from the 14th through the 20th century, which were presented in several exhibitions on reverse paintings on glass.
My activities also include research projects, book publications and articles, delivering lectures in Germany and abroad, for example for the Conferences on reverse paintings on glass and the training of colleagues and students in the conservation of reverse paintings on glass. I have taught courses comprised of lectures and practical demonstrations at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, West Dean College in Chichester (GB) and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage in Amsterdam (NL).