Issues
in Art Conservation and Restoration
- Conservation is to act to prevent decay, injury, or loss to an object. It can also be a blanket term used to cover “the processes of cleaning, stabilization, repair, and restoration”[i].
- Restoration is to bring back to a more desired former condition.
- Renovation is to put in “good” condition, regardless of similarity to a former condition.
- Preservation, like conservation, is to act to prevent decay, injury, or loss to an object.
One of the main concerns for art historians is how much restoration is enough – is there such a thing as too much, or perhaps too little restoration? Is the original intent of the artist the most important factor in conserving or restoring an object? How is an object to be preserved if decay or breakdown of some or all of its material is a natural process?
Factors in deterioration that call for restoration:
- Light
- Accidental damage
- Humidity
- Insects
- Poor handling
- Incorrect earlier repair
- Inadequate storage
- Environmental pollutants, naturally occuring or otherwise[ii]
Patina
In its original, scientifically-based defininiton, “patina” refers specifically to the greenish film produced on the surface of bronze due to oxidation. In relation to art history and conservation, patina has come to refer to any type of surface build-up or other indications of age due to either time or natural circumstances on an object. Some argue that to remove the patina of an object is to remove part of it. Even if the patina is removed, there is always the possibility of overcleaning and removing too much, such as stripping off the artist’s original varnish, and thus reducing its artistic value.[iii] Sometimes patina is considered valueable simply because it inidcates age.[iv]
The most recent restoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling is controversial because many feel too much was stripped off, making the colors of the ceiling far brighter than Michelangelo ever intended.
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Lunette decoration by Michelangelo before,
during, and after restoration in the Sistine Chapel. |
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Masaccio’s depiction of The Expulsion from
Eden in the Brancacci Chapel, before and after restoration. |
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Time Smoking a Picture William Hogarth 1761 etching and aquatint New York Public Library print collection |
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Environmental damage
Even in Classical times, people were aware of the damage that the open air could cause on art.[v] Architecture and sculpture located outdoors in an urban environment are especially prone to damage. Sulfurous, sulfuric, nitrous, and nitric acids easily form in citires and corrode sculpture.[vi] The only true solution to leave a sculpture in the open air is to apply some sort of protective coating or barrier[vii], but this is considered by some to be interfering with the sculpture’s integrity.
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Appeal
to the Great Spirit Cyrus Dallin 1909 Bronze, life size Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston |
Architectural restoration
How far to restore a building is a major question in architectural restoration – should it be in as original a condition as possible, or should it be changed to be useful? William Morris, in his “Manifesto of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings” advocated as little actual restoration as possible, hoping to “stave off decay by daily care”.[viii] Various laws have been enacted in most countries to guide architectural restoration, yet it still remains open for debate.
All the buildings on the Acropolis in Athens have been restored, but the Parthenon, the most famous, attracts the most attention in regards to restoration. An explosion of gunpowder in the seventeenth century, the detoriation of the iron ties that hold the structure in place, as well as time and pollution, have led to its decay.[ix] Extensive study, aided by money and expertise from all over the world have been used in aiding repairs and restoration, which are highly controversial.
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The Parthenon Athens, Greece 5th Century BCE |
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Archaeology and preservation
The focus of Archaeology has conciously shifted in the twentieth century away from being exploitative and focused on treasure seeking, to being a preservation-oriented study, tightly governed by law. Excavation is throughly though over now, and if objects are removed, they are removed carefully. The role of the archaeologist is similar to that of a preservationist now: “…they are making crucial, selective decisions on behalf of the whole discipline on what will and will not be preserved”.[x]
Ancient burial sites, especially those of Native Americans, have been the focus of controversy. Some believe these sites should be excavated in order to better understand the culture that created it, while others believe that to excavate these types of sites would destroy their integrity or desecrate their possible religious signifcance. The preservation movement in America in the late nineteenth century helped to preserve the Serpent Mound in Ohio.[xi]
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Serpent Mound Near Peebles, Ohio Adena culture c. 800 BCE – 100 CE 1300 feet long 3 feet high |
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Artist’s intent or original purpose
One of the main things that conservationists focus on is restoring a work of art to what it was originally intended to look like. Unfortunately, original intent of the artist is often difficult to discover. In some cases, the artist’s intent was in direct conflict with the patron’s intent.[xii]
For example, some of the earliest buyers of Cubist works added a varnish to their painting after purchase. However, Picasso and Braque specifically avoided varnishes because they wanted the physical surface of the painting to increase the immediacy of the painting and make it feel more real. There is still controversy as to whether these varnishes should be removed.[xiii]
Recent discussion of Verrocchio’s David has decided that Goliath’s head was originally placed behind David’s left foot, not between his feet, which gives the figure a stronger feeling of movement. Restoration is currently underway to move Goliath’s head to its original position.[xiv]
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David Andrea
del Verrocchio c. 1473-75 Bronze, 125 cm Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence |
Articles
Paul Philippot, “Restoration from the Perspective of the Humanities”. Historical and Philosophical Issues in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Edited by Nicholas Stanley Price, M. Kirby Talley Jr., and Alessandra Melucco Vaccaro. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Trust, 1996.
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Laocoon Hellenistic period Restoration by Montorsoli |
William J. Murtaugh, “Chapter 9: Rehabilitation and Adaptive Use”. Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1990.
Lauranah C. Ison
Art History 352:
Senior Seminar, Spring 2003