13 art museums around the world were recently given grants from the Bank of America for the conservation of their artwork. Charleston's own Gibbes Museum was one of them. This grant will allow the museum to restore two pastel paintings by Henrietta de Beaulieu Dering Johnston, who is thought to be the very first female artist in America. The paintings are portraits, one of James Barry, fourth Earl of Barrymore, and the other of his wife Elizabeth Boyle. The Gibbes Museum acquired the paintings in 2014 and while they are both in good condition, the paper supports are fragile. The conservation process will remove the fragile paper and mend any tears. The Bank of America has been providing these grants for the past five years. So far, it has funded 85 projects in 28 countries. The Gibbes Museum, which received a grant totaling $12,275, was chosen from among 70 nonprofit cultural institutions. The Johnston paintings are said to be a major resource for scholars studying colonial artists, women's roles in 18th century America, and the role of female artists in America's art history. Read the full article here: Gibbes Museum Receives Bank of America's Art Conservation Grant

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