A paintings conservator is an individual responsible for protecting cultural heritage in the form of painted works of art. These individuals are most often under the employ of museums, conservation centers, or other cultural institutions. They oversee the physical care of collections, and are trained in chemistry and practical application of techniques for repairing and restoring paintings.
A paintings conservator works with a number of museum professionals to ensure painted works of art receive the best quality of care. This individual may be called upon by a Registrar/Collections Manager (RCM) in the event of an emergency, such as accidental damage. A paintings conservator may also be called upon to consult with the RCM and an exhibition design team to ensure a work is stable enough for display, and determine how much exposure to environmental factors, such as humidity or light, it can withstand. [1]
Preventive care is the abating of potential deterioration and damage to a painting through previously designated policies and procedures surrounding the object's storage and handling.
Emergency preparedness and an emergency plan are crucial pieces to have in place for a museum. It informs conservators, RCMs, and all other museum personnel how to respond to disasters that may strike their institution, and therefore its collections. These plans can be expansive, detailing a number of procedures for different contingencies, such as fire, flooding, and even war. Protective measures in an emergency plan should include prevention through risk management, preparedness and response training, and recovery arrangements. An institution should know which staff member's are delegated to a project during a given circumstance, and be able to tell them how they will assess and move forward with the help of an emergency plan. [2]
Integrated pest management (IPM) is the strategy used by a museum to handle pests such as mold, insects, or mice. An IPM program may address structural and environmental issues that contribute to the pest problem. This could include preventing initial entry of pests into the structure through building maintenance, moderating the interior climate, and setting up an insect monitoring system. [3] Like an emergency plan, IPM can be time-consuming and require a number of responsibilities from each staff member. However, if pests do become an issue for a single painting or the entire museum, an IPM system will be helpful to have in place. Prevention is a key part of IPM, as chemical pesticides and fumigants can also be harmful to collections. [4]
Inter-museum loans can put paintings at great risk, simply due to the fact that they are being moved. The amount of stress a painting can withstand is determined by a number of pre-existing factors, such as canvas and painting technique. Prior to the loan, a paintings conservator will assess the structure of the work for weaknesses and potential areas at risk. This helps determine if a piece is suitable for a loan and how it will be packed and transported. Preparation for a loaned painting generally involves padding the work's frame and ensuring it is properly mounted, determination as to whether it will need a backing board, and what repairs the frame may need prior to transport. The paintings conservator may also be called upon to collaborate with other personnel from the loaning museum to assess the environment of the institution that is borrowing the work. He or she may also take into consideration the travel route between the loaning and the borrowing institutions. The transit planner must consider environmental conditions on the route, how often the work will need to be handled, and security. [5]
Examination is a series of scientific processes by which a paintings conservator collects information regarding the materials used, the technique of the painter, and what has contributed to the painting's current state. Examination is a process that has evolved with the field of conservation. Taking samples of materials in a painting has decreased in favor of less invasive techniques for analysis. Examination has become a crucial part of the museum, conservation, and art historical worlds, helping to place paintings within a cultural and historical context. [6]
A painting's natural aging process, as well as environmental factors, can require intervention by a paintings conservator to restore the work. Reasons for restoration may include water damage, tearing, flaking, and a weakened canvas. The primary goal of a paintings conservator conducting a restoration is to ensure the work is stable. From there, they may integrate repairs that preserve the artist's original intent. [7]
Ultraviolet light
Ultraviolet light examinations are used to reveal varnishes and their ages, as well as previous treatments to a painting. Varnishes fluoresce under UV light and dark spots reveal areas of retouching. Brightness of the painting's glow also helps to reveal the type of varnish used. [8]
Raking Light
Raking light is an oblique-angled light that can record condition problems of a painting, showing the extent of the damage to a particular work. Raking light also aids in identifying the topography of brush strokes in paintings, sometimes revealing the underlying original intent of an artist.
Infrared light
The use of infrared lighting can reveal the working methods of an artist, such as initial sketches and perspective lines drawn on a canvas. This method is effective on works that have a contrasting pale ground. [9]
X-radiography
X-radiographs of a painting allow conservators to see beneath the work's surface. The use of this method also helps distinguish between materials that look similar under visible light, but have different x-ray absorption. For example, the Victoria and Albert Museum used x-radiography on a painting by Jean-François Millet entitled The Wood Sawyers. The image below showed a woman representing the French Republic, a submission to a competition that Millet would lose. Without the means to pay for a new canvas, Millet painted over the existing image. [10]
The use of lasers allows for control and accuracy in the removal of aged or deteriorated layers on painted works, as well as identifying materials and layers within a painting. In 2012, Duke University scientists developed a laser for melanoma diagnoses. Through work with the National Gallery and the North Carolina Museum of Art, the scientists have determined that this laser can also be used to identify the chemical signatures of pigments and three-dimensional structures in layers of artwork. [11] Another Duke University chemist also invented a useful laser for painting conservators that removes layers of old varnish. [12]
Varnishes are applied to paintings to enhance the appearance of the image, as well as to protect it over time. When dry, varnishes are typically transparent and can vary in gloss and durability as its composition changes. Varnishes may be organic or synthetic. Since natural varnishes tend to darken or discolor over time, attention from a paintings conservator is often necessary to remove, replace, or restore it. [13] It is again important to remember the artist's original intent when choosing a new varnish. Varnishes often offer a desired effect, and a synthetic variety may not offer what an originally natural resin provided.
A paintings conservator will likely have acquired a master's degree, or higher. There are several graduate programs throughout the United States, and the world, for arts conservation and restoration training. The education and training of a conservator will vary depending on the institution he or she is employed by, but paintings conservators will have knowledge of chemistry and the physical sciences as related to the deterioration and protection of cultural heritage in painted works. Practical application of training may be applied in the form of internships or fellowships, depending on the level of education an individual has received.
Conservation and the practice of restoration are controversial themselves, as they involve permanent changes made to an artist's work. This is why it is important for a paintings conservator to examine a work closely before making restorative changes. In doing so, they can often identify original varnishes and layers that contributed to the artist's intent for the appearance of the work. However, even close examination and careful restoration does not protect a paintings conservator or a work from being the center of controversy.
Restoration of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican has been ongoing during the latter part of the twentieth century. Much of the criticism and controversy surrounding the restoration is that previous attempts to restore the frescoes have done more damage than good. Critics of modern restoration have suggested a more conservative approach to prevent further deterioration, rather than contribute to its problems through restorative measures.
Restoration on Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper finished in 1999 after two decades of work. Many believe the work done was clumsy, with some features being unrecognizably bright while others went missing altogether. [14]
In 2012, Cecilia Giménez, an elderly woman without conservation training, attempted to restore an Ecce Homo fresco in a Spanish church. The fresco had been flaking due to moisture on the walls, and this reportedly upset the woman. [15] Her resulting restorative work left the portrait with what many have described as looking monkeyish, with cartoonish eyes and a smudged mouth. The restoration attempt came to light after a family member of the original artist proposed a fund for conservation work.
The conservation and restoration of cultural property focuses on protection and care of cultural property, including artworks, architecture, archaeology, and museum collections. Conservation activities include preventive conservation, examination, documentation, research, treatment, and education. This field is closely allied with conservation science, curators and registrars.
The conservation-restoration of the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel was one of the most significant conservation-restorations of the 20th century.
A conservator-restorer is a professional responsible for the preservation of artistic and cultural artifacts, also known as cultural heritage. Conservators possess the expertise to preserve cultural heritage in a way that retains the integrity of the object, building or site, including its historical significance, context and aesthetic or visual aspects. This kind of preservation is done by analyzing and assessing the condition of cultural property, understanding processes and evidence of deterioration, planning collections care or site management strategies that prevent damage, carrying out conservation treatments, and conducting research. A conservator's job is to ensure that the objects in a museum's collection are kept in the best possible condition, as well as to serve the museum's mission to bring art before the public.
Conservation and restoration of movable cultural property is a term used to denote the conservation of movable cultural property items in libraries, archives, museums and private collections. Conservation encompasses all the actions taken toward the long-term preservation of cultural heritage. Activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, which is supported by research and education. Object conservation is specifically the actions taken to preserve and restore cultural objects. The objects span a wide range of materials from a variety of cultures, time periods, and functions. Object conservation can be applied to both art objects and artifacts. Conservation practice aims to prevent damage from occurring. This is called ‘preventive conservation’. The purpose of preventive conservation is to maintain, and where possible enhance, the condition of an object, as well as managing deterioration risks, such as handling and environmental conditions. Historically, object conservation was focused on the category of fine arts but now many different types of objects are conserved. Each type of object material, typically denoted by organic or inorganic then the specific medium, requires a specialized professional conservator and often requires collaborative work between museum staff, scientists, and conservators.
A Conservation Technician is a specialist who is trained in basic conservation methods pertaining to cultural property and may work in museums or public or private conservation organizations. Typically an individual may work with or be subordinate to a conservator. A technician may also work in conjunction with other collection staff, such as a registrar (museum) or collection manager.
An Objects conservator is a professional, working in a museum setting or private practice, that specializes in the conservation of three-dimensional works. They undergo specialized education, training, and experience that allows them to formulate and implement preventive strategies and invasive treatment protocols to preserve cultural property for the future. Objects conservators typically specialize in one type of material or class of cultural property, including metals, archaeological artifacts, ethnographic artifacts, glass, and ceramic art. Objects conservation presents many challenges due to their three-dimensional form and composite nature.
The conservation and restoration of musical instruments is performed by conservator-restorers who are professionals, properly trained to preserve or protect historical and current musical instruments from past or future damage or deterioration. Because musical instruments can be made entirely of, or simply contain, a wide variety of materials such as plastics, woods, metals, silks, and skin, to name a few, a conservator should be well-trained in how to properly examine the many types of construction materials used in order to provide the highest level or preventive and restorative conservation.
A photograph conservator is a professional who examines, documents, researches, and treats photographs, including documenting the structure and condition of art works through written and photographic records, monitoring conditions of works in storage and exhibition and transit environments. This person also performs all aspects of the treatment of photographs and related artworks with adherence to the professional Code of Ethics.
The lining of paintings is a process of conservation science and art restoration used to strengthen, flatten or consolidate oil or tempera paintings on canvas by attaching a new support to the back of the existing one. The process is sometimes referred to as relining. Most often a new support will be added directly to the back of an existing canvas. In cases of extreme decay, however, the original canvas may be completely removed and replaced. The height of the practice's use peaked in the late 19th century and in the following years its usefulness has been debated. There are many different factors that influence whether lining a painting will be successful. By paying close attention to an artwork's condition and response to treatment, conservation professionals better understand the lining process and when to apply it.
The conservation and restoration of painting frames is the process through which picture frames are preserved. Frame conservation and restoration includes general cleaning of the frame, as well as in depth processes such as replacing damaged ornamentation, gilding, and toning.
The conservation and restoration of frescoes is the process of caring for and maintaining frescos, and includes documentation, examination, research, and treatment to insure their long-term viability, when desired.
Conservation and restoration at the Smithsonian Institution deals with the care of the 138 million artifacts located in the collections of Smithsonian Institution. Work is conducted by one research center, the Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), and by conservators at the Smithsonian's museums, galleries, zoo. Smithsonian conservators provide myriad services to their units, including exhibit preparation of the museum collection and loan objects, advising on object care, training for future generations of conservationists, engaging in routine preventive care on a daily basis, conducting research projects related to the collections, and examining objects for evidence of manufacturing techniques and previous restorations All conservation labs collectively further the mission of the Smithsonian Institution, "the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Founded in 1846 the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities.
The conservation and restoration of flags and banners is the process by which conservators work to preserve and restore flags and banners from future deterioration and damage. As a part of Conservation of Textiles, flag and banner conservation require the care of a skilled and well trained textile conservator, specifically trained in historical materials.
The conservation and restoration of paintings is carried out by professional painting conservators. Paintings cover a wide range of various mediums, materials, and their supports. Painting types include fine art to decorative and functional objects spanning from acrylics, frescoes, and oil paint on various surfaces, egg tempera on panels and canvas, lacquer painting, water color and more. Knowing the materials of any given painting and its support allows for the proper restoration and conservation practices. All components of a painting will react to its environment differently, and impact the artwork as a whole. These material components along with collections care will determine the longevity of a painting. The first steps to conservation and restoration is preventive conservation followed by active restoration with the artist's intent in mind.
The conservation and restoration of ancient Greek pottery is a sub-section of the broader topic of conservation and restoration of ceramic objects. Ancient Greek pottery is one of the most commonly found types of artifacts from the ancient Greek world. The information learned from vase paintings forms the foundation of modern knowledge of ancient Greek art and culture. Most ancient Greek pottery is terracotta, a type of earthenware ceramic, dating from the 11th century BCE through the 1st century CE. The objects are usually excavated from archaeological sites in broken pieces, or shards, and then reassembled. Some have been discovered intact in tombs. Professional conservator-restorers, often in collaboration with curators and conservation scientists, undertake the conservation-restoration of ancient Greek pottery.
The conservation-restoration of panel paintings involves preventive and treatment measures taken by paintings conservators to slow deterioration, preserve, and repair damage. Panel paintings consist of a wood support, a ground, and an image layer. They are typically constructed of two or more panels joined together by crossbeam braces which can separate due to age and material instability caused by fluctuations in relative humidity and temperature. These factors compromise structural integrity and can lead to warping and paint flaking. Because wood is particularly susceptible to pest damage, an IPM plan and regulation of the conditions in storage and display are essential. Past treatments that have fallen out of favor because they can cause permanent damage include transfer of the painting onto a new support, planing, and heavy cradling. Today's conservators often have to remediate damage from previous restoration efforts. Modern conservation-restoration techniques favor minimal intervention that accommodates wood's natural tendency to react to environmental changes. Treatments may include applying flexible battens to minimize deformation or simply leaving distortions alone, instead focusing on preventive care to preserve the artwork in its original state.
The conservation and restoration of performance art is the process of documenting, collecting, and prolonging the life of Performance Art. Performance Art often features a live presentation initially documented by an artist, cultural institution, or host location. This genre of art can take place in a wide range of mediums, and is usually based on four core elements: Time, Space, the Performer's body, and the relationship between viewers and performer. These variables determine how it can be collected and conserved within museums or cultural institutions.
The conservation and restoration of Pompeian frescoes describes the activities, methods, and techniques that have historically been and are currently being used to care for the preserved remains of the frescoes from the archeological site of Pompeii, Italy. The ancient city of Pompeii is famously known for its demise in A.D. 79 after the fatal eruption of Mount Vesuvius wiped out the population and buried the city beneath layers of compact lava material. In 1738, King Charles III or Charles of Bourbon, began explorations in Portici, Resina, Castellammare di Stabia, a Civita, where it was believed that the ancient cities of Pompeii, Stabiae, and Herculaneum were buried beneath. The first phase of the excavations at Pompeii started in 1748, which led to the first conservation and restoration efforts of the frescoes since their burial, and in 1764, open-air excavations began at Pompeii. Pompeii has a long history of excavation and restoration that began without a strong foundation or strategy. After centuries of cronyism, recurring financial shortages, and on-again-off-again restoration, the city's frescoes and structures were left in poor condition. In 1997, Pompeii was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.
The conservation-restoration of Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic refers to the on-going conservation-restoration treatments of American painter Thomas Eakins' 1875 painting The Gross Clinic throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. These treatments are a testament to the changing methodologies undertaken in the field of paintings conservation.
The Conservation of South Asian household shrines is an activity dedicated to the preservation of household shrines from South Asia. When applied to cultural heritage, held by either museums or private collectors, this activity is generally undertaken by a conservator-restorer. South Asian shrines held in museum collections around the world are principally shrines relate to Hindu, Jain, or Buddhist households. Due to their original use and sacred nature, these shrines present unique conservation and restoration challenges for those tasked with their care.