Curriculum Vitae

Erling S. Skaug

Personal information

Born in Oslo, 15.12.1938
Died in Oslo, 07.03.2022

Married in 1965 to Karen Marie Ganer, b. 1940

               (musicologist and harpsichordist).

Children: Kristofer Ganer Skaug, b. 1967, and

               Katrine Ganer Skaug, b. 1971.

Address: Slemdalsvingen 15, 0776 Oslo, Norway

T (+47) 22 14 78 44

e-mail:  ess1348 [at] xs4all.nl (post mortem)

Professional interest: Conservation and examination of paintings, linked to the history of art technology and the possibility to assist research in art history by means of technical information. An early encounter with medieval art, first Nordic and subsequently Italian, led to the interest in gold tooling and punch marks. Since the late 1960s the study of punch marks and halo style in Tuscan panel painting c.1300-1450, has been a main project. The long-term field work and comparative study of this aspect of the material was from the outset based on detail photography with a cm-rule included. The project has turned out to contribute fruitfully to discussions of attribution, chronology, and workshop relationships. Favourite motto: The material object is a primary source, yielding information where other sources are mute.

Private interest: Music. Played jazz particularly 1954-63 (drums), symphony orchestra 1961-65 (percussion and timpani), later on in Renaissance consorts (percussion and recorder) and more recently baroque chamber music (flute).

Education

1957            High School (Gymnasium).

(1957-59     Military service, H.M. the King’s Guard’s Band)

1959-63      Oslo Art College (SHKS), graduating in graphic design.

1963-68      Studied paintings conservation in Oslo (Nasjonalgalleriet),

                    Brussels (Institut Royal du Patrimoine Artistique), and

                    Rome (Istituto Centrale del Restauro).

Prerequisite: introductory course in philosophy (1 sem.)

and a basic exam in art history (2 sems.), University of Oslo. The study programme consisted of practical conservation and restoration interspersed with courses in material science, methods of analysis and examination, photography and documentation. It included three semesters of internship in institutions abroad and was finished with a diploma work and an exam recognised by the NorwegianMinistry of Education.

1970s          Supplementary courses in conservation and the technical

                    examination of works of art, Courtauld Institute of Art,

                    London.

1978            Exams & publications deemed as an equivalent to M.A.,

                    University of Oslo.

1995            Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oslo.

Positions

1968-72       Assistant conservator of paintings, Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo.

1972-93        Head of Conservation Department, Norsk Folkemuseum,

                     Oslo (from 1990 in the position of Chief curator).

1993-98        Senior conservator, University Museum of National

                     Antiquities, Oslo (1996-97 as acting Chief conservator).

1998-04        Professor, Head of study programme in conservation,

                     University of Oslo.

2004-08        Professor emeritus and Research Fellow,

                     University of Oslo.

2009             Visiting Professor,

                     Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies, Florence.

Appointments and tasks

1968-69        Head of Centro Nordico del Restauro, Florence,

                     the official Nordic three-year rescue project (1967-70)

                     after the flood of 1966..

1972-79       Chairman, Norwegian section of NKF

                     (IIC Nordic Group).

1976-95       Regional editor for Norway,

                     Art & Archaeology Technical Abstracts (AATA)

1978-83       Member of Commission appointed by the Ministry of

                     Culture and Education with the mandate to estimate the

                     need for conservation of cultural property in Norwegian

                     museums and to propose a new system for the education

                     of conservation personnel.

1991-93       Member of Council, International Institute for

                     Conservation (IIC), London.

Various editorial tasks.

­­­­­­­­­­­­

Grants, fellowships, honours

Travel and research grants from the Norwegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities; the Italian State; the Nansen Foundation (Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters); Harvard University (Villa I Tatti, Florence);  and the Norwegian Foundation for Scholarly Literature.

Honorary member, Norwegian section of NKF (IIC Nordic Group).

Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Cavaliere della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana.

Publications:

See separate list.

.