Restoring And Conserving Treasured Priceless Artefacts

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep (John Keats)

But how can we preserve and protect a thing of beauty, (like works of art or cherished photographs) from being a victim of the ravages of time? Classic paintings, frescoes, sculptures created from various materials  are priceless and  cost much time and money to be preserved for posterity.  And it requires someone very special – someone who not only understands the importance of and appreciates the works of art, but also has the academic expertise to preserve such treasures.  If you  are  among those who  love  looking at such paintings and photographs and also have  a desire to  restore them to its original glory, they  a career  as an art  restorer/conservator  could  be the right  one for you. 

Imagine the hours of painstaking work involved in removing a painting from the decaying canvas on which it was painted, and relaying it on a new backcloth. On a larger scale, consider the ten-plus years it took to restore the sculpture and stonework on the spire of Salisbury Cathedral.

  The Big Canvas   

Over the past few decades there has been an increase in art appreciation. Ancient works of art are bought or sought after, for not only the aesthetic value but as an investment. People today appreciate their heritage(whichever country they originally  belong to or  the world in general)   and are willing to spend thousands to own the ancient relics. Most of these people come from the upper classes  and are  rich financially  too.

    Main Areas of Work

Restoration:  All works of art suffer from the passage of time. Acid rain corrodes statues; the varnish on paintings turns brown with age and misuse. In some cases artists have used a medium which has deteriorated with the course of time. Sometimes they may used materials that break down, crack, fade, change colour etc. They may have used a pigment which was not chemically stable and the colours in a painting have totally altered. Even the base material on which a work was done does not last for ever. In the past, works of art have been altered by other hands, figures added or painted out. Also, extreme hot or cold climates and humidity expands and contracts canvases. It is also often seen that dust and incense smoke (in places of worship) can negatively affect the art work. Restoration helps  rectify all these problems.

 Restoration is the repairing of damages concurred to the art material, the filling of gaps in the canvas support and paint layer, so as to maintain consistency and continuity. There is also the question of whether you restore a work to what it may have been, or conserve it, preserving it as it is at present for future generations.

Process

The work  involves a great deal of complex chemical and other scientific treatment. During the process, care must be taken not to tamper with the original work.  Sometimes it takes more time to restore a work of art than to create one. Some paintings can be restored to their original appearance while others, like watercolours, cannot. The process, on a single oil painting, can take between fifteen days to one year to complete, depending on the extent of the damage. Sculptures are restored in much the same way as painting. Manuscripts require approximately three months to restore, sort and arrange.

The restoration process is often carried out in various stages. This involves diagnosis which involves a visual and chemical analyses, using the latest laboratory technology, such as the infra-red and ultraviolet scans, X-ray and chemical and microscopic analyses to assess the damage and decide on the appropriate treatments for each. Then comes the cleaning which requires the careful removal of layers of dust, grime and corrosion from acidic paint. This `consolidates' the painting by arresting further damage and bringing out its original figures and colours. After that structural repairs are undertaken. The painting is given a backing, defects are toned down and holes are filled in with a variety of materials. Retouching or `in-painting' is the final stage of restoration. This gives continuity to the layer by filling up the large gaps which would otherwise be visually disturbing. This is a tricky business, as the authenticity of the painting must be kept intact. Only the area which has lost paint is worked on without any encroachment upon the rest of the masterpiece.

Conservation refers to preserving all the original art materials and preventing any further deterioration. A skilled conservator will need to be technically skilled and have substantial experience to be able to judge the original appearance of a piece of art.  A good conservator  must  have a sound  knowledge of History of the art material, as  the conservator is not supposed to alter the original work or try to perfect it - only  to make it look as it was originally. A lay-person should not be able to tell the difference. Restorers also provide consultation on how to store and display the art materials. To be a conservator you need to be interested in all sorts of objects, and their history;  know how they were produced; have some scientific knowledge;  have good eyesight and colour vision.

Skills Required

One needs to be good at painting (or other art forms such as sculpting, handling textiles, manuscripts or photographs) primarily to work as an art restorer. A  background knowledge,  understanding of the work of art and necessary skills.  A working knowledge of materials and their behaviour, the necessary technical skills, and the sheer stamina required to spend hundreds of hours on one job is preferred,  as  then you will  be able to get a feel of the nature of work that is required and done A restorer/ conservator  also requires  a good observant eye;  be particular and minutely careful  about detail and perfection;  be finely tuned; have  visual sensibility; patience; responsible nature, steady hand; willingness to work long, strenuous hours; respect for art and the artist; scientific temperament.

Eligibility : Candidates need to be graduates in any of the sciences, preferably with skill in fine arts. Students who join these courses may also just be artists who wish to improve the understanding of their work, and help prevent deterioration. 10+12 candidates are selected for each batch, on the basis of an aptitude test. They also need  to  hold  a basic degree with specialisation in subjects like archaeology, ancient and medieval history, history of world art and so forth.  To be admitted into a reputed institution, a high percentage of marks would be required. The candidate should preferably have some basic knowledge about the various art forms and prominent schools of art.

Course Content & Structure : Professional courses are generally short-term, about two years or so, as opposed to the long term Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA) courses which can go up to five years. Not too many institutes in India offer art restoration courses. Generally, art restorers have a BFA or an MFA degree.

There is a wide range of courses at art colleges, further and higher education colleges, universities and private colleges. Painting and archaeological restoration/conservation are usually offered as postgraduate courses. For these postgraduate courses you will need a first degree in art history or science. Other areas, such as furniture, textiles, ceramics and books and manuscripts, are offered at various entry levels.

Training

This intricate career is based on the apprenticeship pattern. New entrants train and practice under experienced restorers, taking on new and larger projects as and when they are prepared. Years of hard work and experience are required before a person becomes adept at this art. You could  be apprenticed to a restorer, particularly in such specialisations as textiles, furniture and stone-carving. Lessons in organic and inorganic chemistry are given; basic painting skills are taught; shown how different pigments are used and trained in watching out for defects. Specialisation can be done in oils, metals or frescoes, but not before they are supervised on two paintings.

Prospects

Trained and skilled art restorers can easily find openings at the  National Museum Centres (Restoration Departments) or at private art firms or even start their own practice. Being a risky business, not many are willing to take the plunge. For such people, there are other options such as teaching, art journalism, archaeology, art dealing (involves trading art materials which requires not only a good business sense but artistic skills as well.

Remuneration

 Art Restoration is strenuous work; , raw materials are expensive, it is a big responsibility. But it definitely pays well. The conservation and restoration of a particular painting could cost thousands of rupees. The job does not have any fixed remuneration; the only two things that determine the price are the quantum of work and the time needed to repair the damages. On an average, a restorer might earn about 2-3 lakhs per year, while an experienced person can bring in Rs. 50,000 per month!

 Study Here

Most of the training given is in Art History where graduates then go on to learn on-the-job, working as apprentices.

National Museum, New Delhi

The main institution that offers elaborate courses in art restoration is the Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology at the National Museum in New Delhi, where full-time courses are available (full-time Masters degree of 2 years duration, Ph.D. of 5 years duration).

    * University of Mysore, Crawford Hall, Mysore

The following are a few of the better-known course providers in England :

    * The Courtauld Institute of Art - Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R ORN.

    * Christie's Education - 63 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3JS.

    * Inchbald School of Design - 7 Eaton Gate, London SWl W 9BA.

    * Sotheby's Institute - 30 Oxford Street, London W1R lRE.

    * Study Centre for the History of the Fine and Decorative Arts -21 Palace Gardens Terrace, London W8 4SA.

    * The Victoria and Albert Museum - Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.

Royal College of Art (in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum and Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) - Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU.