About Me

Nicholas Burnett ACR Cert Cons. MIoD, is an accredited paper and photographic conservator with 37 years of post-training experience. Starting with more than three years at the British Museum conserving old master drawings, prints and classic British watercolours. This was followed by nine years with the South East Museums Service managing the paper conservation studio within the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. In 1995 he took the studio into the private sector and moved to larger premises. Since then the facilities have constantly been improved. The clientele has expanded throughout the UK and then internationally. Personal statement: I love my work and have been fortunate enough to conserve, with my colleagues, great artworks for interesting clients. These include old master drawings for Christ Church Picture Gallery, the Schachman album for Qatar Museums, pastels for the National Trust, a rare 1815 William Smith map, 'The Map that Changed the World', for Cambridge University Dept. of Earth Sciences and more modern artworks such as those by Banksy. Technical examination included an artwork by Henry Moore for BBC TV's 'Fake or Fortune'. Photographic conservation has included the Girault de Prangey daguerreotypes for Qatar Museums, 125 daguerreotypes for the Ruskin library, Captain Scott's negatives for the Scott Polar Museum, glass plate negatives for English Heritage and Helmut Newton photographs for galleries and collectors. My work conserving daguerreotypes was recognised by representing the UK as a technical expert in the European Commission funded Daguerreobase project. One of the joys of my work is solving problems and developing innovative techniques. Often this is in response to a challenging artwork; it's the difficult jobs that develop us the most. Tailoring each job to the needs of the object and the client provides the best outcomes and means the work is ever changing.