In Memoriam

摘要

Caroline Kohn Keck died on 17 December 2007, after turning 99 in October. Age never dimmed her prodigious dedication to bringing change to the profession of art conservation; even in her 100th year she continued to write numerous forceful letters to politicians, administrators, art publications and conservators. The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) oral history files contain a huge number of letters from Mrs Keck that date from 1976 up to two dated whimsically 'something in November, 2007'. Most of these letters contain instructions for action on such issues as increasing public advocacy, reorganizing professional organizations, establishing and maintaining a doctoral program in conservation and, most recently, founding a museum of twentieth-century conservation. In June 2007 she wrote, 'Not that I have much to write about, aside from my opinions. These, at least, have not diminished in intensity or strength.' Nor had they diminished in their colorful language. In January and February 2007 she noted in letters, 'I have a little black heart and a sharp tongue' and that two of her nicknames were 'UNsweet old lady' and 'hazmat'.