Over the past year and a half, I have had the opportunity to work as a collections intern for the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. I enjoyed learning about how to handle various types of art work, properly organize various collections and learn how to work within the online collections database throughout my internship. Though, this past semester, in an effort to deepen my skills and understanding of collections management at large, I was able to combine my work in the Art Museum with my academic interests as the Japanese Ukiyo-e Print Collection was due to undergo a reorganization. While the objects were safe and in good condition, the organizational structure of the collection needed to be updated to allow for easier access; some of the prints also needed their housings updated so they would fit into the new space that was being prepared for them as the main storage area`s layout was being renovated. With some assistance from both the Museum Staff and the Art History Faculty, particularly Museum Preparator Jacqueline Finnegan and Professor Ajay Sinha, I secured an independent study that allowed me to proceed with the reorganization and re-housing of the Print Collection; a project which has culminated in this online exhibition of the collection.
Pictured above on the top left are Jackie and myself standing in front of a stack of empty solander boxes that once housed the majority of the print collection. In the photograph on the top right I am in the process of alphabetizing the prints and checking their new boxes. For the picture on the bottom, I am presenting a small selection of prints that are featured in this online exhibition to a gathering of Mount Holyoke 1876 Society Members.