If you are reading this post, you likely typed "oil painting restoration" into your search bar, hoping to find a trained professional who can treat your piece. Your painting might suffer from a cigarette smoke-laden varnish, soot from a house fire, mold from being kept in a bathroom, cracks from over-keying, or a severely distorted canvas from exposure to floodwaters. Whether you are a dealer, gallerist, museum director, private collector, or artist, you want to know that the person you hire has the experience, education, expertise, and ethics to care for your painting.

But how do you vet a painting conservator or restorer before handing over a piece for treatment?

The first step is understanding the difference between "restoration" and "conservation." Often used interchangeably, these terms actually represent distinct approaches with vastly different philosophies and outcomes. Restorers often focus solely on making a piece look 'like new,' while conservators prioritize reversibility, artist's intent, structural stabilization, and aesthetic appearance.

Throughout your search, you'll likely encounter a mix of professionals who use both terms, which can make it challenging to discern who is best suited to treat your painting. That’s why asking the right questions is key to making sure your painting is treated with the utmost respect, patience, knowledge, and skill. Below, we'll break down the differences between restoration and conservation and provide a list of thirteen questions to ask a conservator or restorer before working with them.

Conservation vs. Restoration: Why We Don't Refer to Our Process as "Restoring" Paintings

Art restoration implies returning an object to its original condition upon creation. Restoration processes can be both structural (mending a torn canvas, consolidating cracks, or repairing a cracked stretcher bar) and cosmetic (removing a darkened varnish, clearing surface dirt, or inpainting areas of loss to the paint layers).

Restored paintings might look "new," but they might also be altered in ways that compromise the artist's intent, the piece's history, or the original paint. For example, restoration work may involve removing or replacing artwork elements to match modern expectations or interpretations of how it "should" appear. This could obscure the artist's original intent, hide damage in an unethical way, or muddy our understanding of the painting's materials.

How Art Conservation Differs from Restoration

*Abstract Head,Gold and Pink (1931), Alexej von Jawlensky (Russian, 1864-1941)*

Conservation focuses on preserving and stabilizing an object in its current condition while respecting its history and the artist's technique. Painting conservation treatments are carefully researched, planned, and executed to address the unique needs of each painting. Unlike restorers, conservators use reversible techniques and archival materials to ensure that—if needed—future interventive treatments can be carried out without compromising the integrity of the painting or the stability of its materials. This allows us to preserve the artwork’s authenticity and avoids altering its historical narrative.

For example, we will use watercolors and water-soluble fill material to integrate areas of paint loss on an oil painting. Another example is that when we clean oil paintings, we will use chelating agents that remove dirt layers and solvents that solubilize discolored varnishes without damaging the paint surface.

Are Any "Restorers" Actually "Conservators"?

Path through California oaks (1889), William Keith (Scottish, 1838-1911). This painting exhibits diagonal cracking visible in the upper left corner, likely caused by keying out the stretcher to make the canvas less slack.

It's important to note that some conservators will refer to their work as "art restoration" online or in correspondence with clients because "restoration" is a more commonly used and understood term. While they practice conservation (not restoration), it's easier to say "restoration" because others are most familiar with that.

The terms "restoration" and "conservation" are often used interchangeably in casual conversations, which can cause confusion. Many conservators may choose to use the term "restoration" when communicating with clients or the general public because it is more widely recognized and intuitively associated with improving or repairing damaged oil paintings. However, this does not mean they are engaging in restoration as traditionally defined.

As explained above, true conservators adhere to the principles and ethics of conservation. Their goal is not to return the piece to a 'like-new' condition during the inpainting or cleaning process but to stabilize it, mitigate damage, make it readable, and support its longevity through minimal but effective interventive treatments.

By using the term "restoration," conservators can bridge the gap in understanding. Because both conservators and restorers might use "restoration" to describe their work, it's always a good idea to clarify someone's approach and training to ensure their work aligns with conservation standards if that's important to you.

How Will I Know If Someone is a Restorer or a Conservator if They Use the Term "Restoration" to Describe Their Work?

Hills Near Redlands, California (1902), Theodore Clement Steele (American, 1847 – 1926). This painting exhibits paint loss (notably along the edge of the image area where the rabbet of the frame contacted the paint layer), impact cracking, cracking from keying out, stretcher-bar induced cracking, and possibly a discolored, partially removed varnish.

If you search "oil painting restoration near me," you'll probably end up with a bunch of results for restorers and conservators. We recommend asking the following questions to determine whether the person you hire fits in the "restorer" or "conservator" box.

13 Questions to Ask Before Working with a Conservator or Restorer

What is your professional background and training?

Look for formal education in art conservation (like a degree in conservation) or a lengthy apprenticeship with a reputable conservator. Most conservators will have taken chemistry, physics, studio art, and art history classes as part of their education.

Do you follow the AIC Code of Ethics or similar guidelines?

Most conservators follow the American Institute of Conservation's guidelines. If you want to work with a conservator, asking this question ensures the person you're thinking about hiring operates within recognized ethical frameworks.

Which materials and techniques will you use on my painting?

A conservator will use archival and reversible materials, avoiding anything that could permanently alter the original painting.

Can you provide a treatment plan in advance?

Most conservators will provide a detailed, written treatment plan in the interest of transparency. They will not begin work until they have your approval of the plan in question,

Do you offer documentation before, during, and after treatment?

Conservators provide thorough photographic and written records to document the painting's condition and the treatment process.

How do you handle cleaning?

Whether removing cigarette smoke, discolored varnish layers, or soot, a conservator will perform careful testing before cleaning your painting to determine the safest methods. They will avoid harsh or abrasive techniques that might damage the oil paint during an old varnish removal or another type of cleaning.

Will the treatment be reversible?

Conservators intend that future professionals can re-treat the piece without being hindered by previous interventions. For example, we use inpainting materials that are easily distinguishable from the original paint under UV light and can be removed without solubilizing the artist's paint.

What experience do you have with similar paintings?

Ask for examples of similar projects to assess their expertise. Remember that many conservators cannot share another client's painting details or another treatment's full photos with you, but they can offer detail photos and anonymized information.

What is your philosophy on preserving versus restoring?

A conservator will likely emphasize stability, preservation, and reversibility in addition to readability and cosmetic appearance, whereas a restorer may focus solely on aesthetics (recapturing the "original beauty" of the painting).

How do you assess a painting’s condition before starting treatment?

Conservators conduct thorough examinations using tools like UV light and microscopy to understand the piece’s condition, materials used, and the artist's techniques before beginning work. They assess the condition of the varnish layer or other coating, paint layers, ground layers, primary support (canvas, metal, or wood panel), secondary support (stretcher, strainer, etc.), and the frame.

How do you handle treatments if new issues are discovered during the process?

A professional conservator will pause work, inform the client, and propose a revised treatment plan to ensure total transparency and consent.

Will you make recommendations for storing and displaying paintings (and other fine art) in my collection?

While not all conservators make recommendations for storage and display as part of their conservation services, many do. Art conservators typically learn about preventive conservation during their studies (and some pursue advanced degrees in this field). To avoid doing irreparable damage to your collection, we make recommendations for visible light exposure, temperature, relative humidity, etc. We also attach backing boards to paintings' stretcher bars to mitigate some of these issues and prevent direct contact with the verso of the painting.

Do you work on multiple types of art objects?

If someone says that they work on all art objects, this can be a red flag. Many conservators will examine a wide variety of art objects, but most conservators specialize and work solely on one type of object, whether that's paintings, objects, paper, or textiles.

Of course, there is some overlap. For example, a painting conservator might agree to treat a painting on paper if the paint layer itself has suffered damage or degradation (not the paper). They will also mend tears in the canvas of a painting, even if they are not trained specifically as a textile conservator, because they have learned to treat all parts of a painting during their education.

Still, if a fabric art piece in your collection needs treatment, reach out to a textile conservator. If a watercolor on paper needs treatment, contact a paper conservator.

For more information...

*Portrait de Madame Heim (1926-1927), Robert Delaunay (French, 1885-1941)*

Please consult the following resources, email us at elizabeth@centralcoastartconservation.com, or call (805) 728 - 0650.

Ask These 13 Questions About Oil Painting Restoration Before Having Your Piece Treated