deGhetaldi Fine Art Conservation

Art restoration and conservation are two distinct yet interconnected fields that share a common goal: preserving and protecting the world's artistic treasures. While they both strive to safeguard artworks for future generations, they do so through different approaches.

The term “restoration” is often used when a treatment approach aims to simply re-create the artist’s original intent, emphasizing the aesthetic aspects of an artwork above all else. Conservation, however, embraces additional factors beyond the appearance of the artwork, including stabilization, preservation, and longevity. A conservator will consider the possibility that future treatment may be needed, using materials that are easier to reverse and that age appropriately. Meticulous photo-documentation and written reports are also considered to be foundational, describing which materials are used throughout the treatment while also providing visual examples detailing key aspects of the treatment. Today the conservation field requires individuals to undergo a rigorous education and training program, ensuring that professionals learn from several different mentors in a variety of settings (e.g. museums, regional centers, private studios) in order to develop a more comprehensive familiarity with conservation ethics and treatment approaches.