At the Harvard Art Museums, a Greek bell krater (a vessel for mixing water and wine), which had been restored in the early 20th century, had become unsafe for handling and display. The adhesive used in the restoration had deteriorated to the point that the structural integrity of the vessel became compromised. Also, the old restoration had misaligned shards of pottery that distorted the shape of the vessel, and added paint covered some of the krater’s original decorative surfaces. Since last year, objects and sculpture conservator Nicole Ledoux has been taking the vessel apart and cleaning plaster and adhesive residues off the fragments. She is beginning the reconstruction process, which will result in a vessel strong enough to display and truer to its original 430 BCE design. #Harvard #HarvardArtMuseums — Attributed to The Hephaistos Painter, “Bouzyges and the Plow”