Our team

Christina Ritschel

Principal Textiles Conservator

Qualifications

  • 1998 - Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
  • 2002 - Associate Degree in Art History and Studio Art City College of the City University of New York,
  • 2003 - Bachelor of Fine Art in Restoration (summa cum laude) Fashion Institute of Technology of the State University of New York,
  • 2006 - Masters of Science in Art Conservation Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Textile Conservation specialisation with additional focus in Preventive Conservation.

Specialisation

  • Textiles

Memberships

  • AICCM - Member
  • ‍Golden Key International Honour Society - Lifetime Member

Christina joined ICS in February 2019. She has extensive training in textile conservation and preventive conservation, and solid foundational training in paper, book, photography, organics, in-organics, and painting conservation.

Christina specialises in textiles conservation and has built her broad experience through private conservation work and in positions at national and international cultural institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and National Gallery of Victoria. 

Christina is accustomed to working with both large collections for exhibition and display, as well as smaller private heirlooms of sentimental value. She has vast practical experience in the assessment of textile and organic objects, and in the development of treatment proposals to meet client needs. Her expertise covers the textile conservation treatments such as mechanical surface cleaning, wet-cleaning, localised stain reduction, reductive bleaching, stitched stabilisation, adhesive stabilisation, net overlay, loss compensation, and mounting for display. Highlight projects during her ICS career include overseeing the hanging of Coburn Tapestries at the Sydney Opera House, the conservation of Norman Lindsey Lay Figure, and stabilisation of a Sydney Harbour Bridge Opening Ribbon. 

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Publications:

  • C. Ritschel and K. Douglas. Strong Attractions; Hanging Lace in Fashion. Postprints, On the Body, 4th Textile Symposium, 2011. AICCM
  • C. Ritschel and C. Shannon. Fit for a Grand Dame. Rehousing and Treatment of the Melba Costume Collection. Postprints, On the Body, 4th Textile Symposium, 2011. AICCM
  • C. Ritschel Book Review of Textile Conservation. Advances in Practice. AICCM Bulletin. Volume 33, 2011. AICCM
  • C. Ritschel. Conservation of the E. Dickens Quilt. AICCM Bulletin. Volume 32, 2010. AICCM
  • C. Ritschel. Mrs. Butters Goes to the Ball. Conservation of the Press Dress. The Textile Specialty Group Postprints. Volume 18, 2008. AIC
  • D. Whitfield & C. Ritschel. On the Mend. Classic Quilt Takes a Bath. Gallery. National Gallery of Victoria. 2008

Awards

Project highlights

Duntroon House, Canberra

ICS was engaged to manage a series of projects at Duntroon House covering conservation, restoration and maintenance tasks.

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Digitisation of National Herbarium of NSW

ICS provided staff for the National Herbarium of NSWs’ project to digitise its collection of 1.4 million preserved plant specimens. Some dating back to Captain Cook’s landings in Australia in 1770.

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Sydney Opera House Coburn Curtains

The tapestries ‘The Curtain of the Sun’ and ‘The Curtain of the Moon’, are a spectacular part of the Sydney Opera House.

View project

Testimonial

Fine & Decorative Arts

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Passionate about conserving art and cultural heritage

Our expert team would love to help you find solutions to your conservation and heritage needs. Get in touch today.

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