Art Conservation/Restoration

Behind every great work of art there are two camps fighting to save it. Art conservationists are committed to utilizing modern technologies to maintain and restore art; another group, composed mostly of art historians, is committed to preventing the destruction of art in the name of modern restoration. While art conservation has been around as long as art itself, the practice of continuous restoration has faced controversy in recent years as great works grow older and the science of restoration modernizes.

The overall meaning of IACCF’s “conservation” is the act of utilizing specified techniques to maintain or restore the original aesthetic of a work of art.  Art conservation, as opposed to restoration, refers to techniques that attempt to return a piece of art to its original state by addressing any damage or deterioration appearing on the surface of the art by the right eyes of the many viewers.