What’s the Difference Between Painting Restoration and Conservation?
The terms “art restoration” and “painting restoration” are more widely known than “art conservation” and “painting conservation.” As noted in previous posts on this blog, a critical aspect of painting conservation is adhering to ethical principles and ensuring that all interventions are reversible, meaning they can be undone in the future without causing harm to the piece. The primary goal of painting conservation is to honor the artist’s intent – making the painting readable and stable without ignoring its history or covering up imperfections in a way that might mislead buyers or confuse historians. In most cases, the primary goal of restoration is to return the painting to its original condition. Reversible materials and artist’s intent are not weighed as heavily in restoration. As a practice, restoration is acceptable for furniture and functional objects. It is not typically used in the United States to describe the ethical care of paintings. We will delve deeper into the differences between painting conservation and restoration below.
Painting Conservator vs Restorer: What’s the Difference?
The terms "painting conservator" and "painting restorer" are often used interchangeably, but there are a few very important distinctions between the two approaches to the care of paintings.
Painting Conservator
A painting conservator is a trained professional who specializes in the preservation and conservation of paintings on traditional substrates and – sometimes – other painted surfaces. Painting conservators are educated in chemistry, physics, studio art, art history, environmental sciences, and more. They typically attend a graduate program and go through lengthy apprenticeships to learn crucial hand skills.
Their primary focus is on maintaining the stability, authenticity, and longevity of the artwork while preserving its historical and artistic value. Conservators carefully examine the painting, assess its condition, and develop a conservation plan to address any deterioration or damage. Their approach to conservation is guided by ethical principles and reversible methods, meaning they strive to make interventions that can be undone without causing harm to the artwork in the future.
Conservators may clean the surface, mend tears, stabilize the support, remove varnishes, retouch varnishes, inpaint losses, and much more. However, conservators will not typically recreate large areas of the image because this is misleading and inappropriately implies that those recreated areas are original.
Preventive conservation also plays a crucial role. Research, documentation, and preventive conservation are also important aspects of a painting conservator's work.
Painting Restorer
As noted above, the term “painting restorer” is not typically used in the United States. However, the ethos surrounding care of paintings varies from country to country. In some areas of the world, restoration is of higher value and greater importance than conservation. For the purpose of this post, a painting restorer specializes in the restoration of artworks with a primary goal of returning the artwork to its original appearance.
Their work often involves addressing visible damage or alterations to the painting's surface, which may include retouching significant areas to make the artwork look more cohesive. Unlike conservators, restorers may use irreversible techniques to improve the aesthetic appearance of the painting, even if it means altering some original elements of the artwork. While restoration can enhance the visual appeal of the artwork, it may not always prioritize the long-term preservation and stability of the piece.
Final Thoughts
The key differences between conservators and restorers lies in their approach and objectives. A painting conservator focuses on preserving the artwork's historical and artistic integrity while using reversible methods and ethical practices. On the other hand, a painting restorer aims to restore the painting's visual appearance, which may involve using some irreversible techniques to achieve the desired result. Some professionals may have expertise in both conservation and restoration, and the terminology may vary depending on regional and institutional practices.
