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Behind the Art of Saving: How is Conservation Worked?
Conservation and restoration of cultural property focuses on the protection and care of all types of cultural property (tangible cultural heritage), including artworks, buildings, archaeological sites and museum collections. These conservation activities may include preventive conservation, inspection, documentation, research, treatment and education. Conservation work is closely related to the fields of conservation science, curators and registrars.
The protection of cultural property involves “the use of any effective means to preserve the property as close to its original condition as possible for as long as possible.”
The conservation of cultural heritage dates back to restoration work, the scope of which has now been expanded to include a wide range of other cultural and historical works. The protection of cultural heritage can be regarded as an ethical management method and can be roughly divided into the protection and restoration of movable cultural property and the protection and restoration of immovable cultural property.
Common conservation principles include: minimal intervention, appropriate materials and reversible methods, and thorough documentation of all work. Conservation professionals must consider stakeholder perspectives, values, artist intent, and the material needs of the material when deciding on appropriate conservation strategies. Italian art critic Cesare Brandi, in his "The Theory of Restoration", describes restoration as "a systematic process of evaluating a work of art in its material form and its historical and aesthetic duality, in order to pass it on to future."
History and Science
Important events
Some believe that Europe's heritage conservation tradition began with the restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes in 1565, but older examples include the work of Cassiodorus.
A brief history
The conservation of cultural heritage has a long history, originally aimed at restoring and repairing objects for continued use and aesthetic enjoyment. Until the early 20th century, artists were often brought in to repair damaged works of art. However, in the 19th century, the fields of science and art began to become increasingly intertwined, with scientists such as Michael Faraday beginning to study the damaging effects of the environment on artworks.
“In the process of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, it is crucial to use scientific methods to observe the components of objects and their condition.”
The Ancient Buildings Conservation Association, established in the UK in 1877, is considered the first organizational effort to draw up conservation and restoration into a theoretical framework. The two founders, William Morris and Philip Webb, were deeply influenced by the writings of John Ruskin. During the same period, a similar movement emerged in France, led by Eugène Viore-le-Duc, a renowned expert in the restoration of medieval buildings.
Practice and Ethics
In current conservation practices, preventive conservation is crucial, as many cultural works are quite sensitive to environmental conditions (such as temperature, humidity, and light). These works must be protected in a controlled environment to reduce the risk of damage. Taking watercolor painting as an example, it is usually necessary to avoid direct sunlight to prevent the paint from fading.
Professionals who face issues of conservation and restoration practice according to ethical standards, including documenting all interventions and selecting appropriate restoration materials, in an effort to preserve the integrity and significance of cultural heritage.
“In conservation thinking, the principle often emphasized is the reversibility of intervention.”
Ethical issues, especially sustainability considerations, have come increasingly into focus in recent years. There is widespread recognition within the community that conservation of artefacts must not occur at the expense of undue impact on the environment.
Future challenges
In today's society, the protection and restoration of various cultural heritages still face many challenges. As science and technology continue to advance, how to combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and continue to improve ethics will become an important discussion topic in the future.
In this regard, we might as well think about a question: In today's rapidly changing society, how should we balance the relationship between the protection of cultural heritage and current needs?
