Harvard Library Spotlight on Collections Discussion: "Truth in Pigment: A pivotal conservation discovery on the 'Universal Map of the Qing Empire'”

Join us for a lively discussion about the discoveries made during the examination and analysis of the Universal Map of the Qing Empire. The map is a large format work from the early nineteenth-century China, printed entirely in blue.

Learn how our expert librarians and conservators in collaboration with the researcher Dr. Richard Pegg, worked together to reveal unexpected results including how these maps were printed and what distinctive blue colorant was used. 

Their findings have informed researchers as to why these maps are unique in the history of world cartography.

We hope you can join us!

PROGRAM

Welcome

Erin Murphy
James Needham Chief Conservator, Preservation Services


The Map's History in the Harvard-Yenching Collection

Jidong Yang
Librarian of the Harvard-Yenching Library


A Research Request on the Universal Map of the Qing Empire

Dr. Richard Pegg
Director and Curator of Asian Art, MacLean Collection


Conservation Analyses & Discoveries

Debora Mayer
Conservator for Analytical Services and Technical Imaging, Preservation Services


Q&A