ALISON STANTON

What is conservation?

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The overriding principle of conservation is to understand the historical context of objects and to conserve them sensitively and appropriately in order that they retain this context for future generations to understand.

 

Conservation encompasses a variety of activities, ranging from historical research, material investigation, preventive care, cleaning, repair, and preparing objects for display, storage or transport. It is a collaborative process that involves owners and curators, as well as conservation professionals.

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Ideally the aim is to prevent damage from occurring in the first place by managing the risks that cause deterioration - preventive conservation.

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Where signs of deterioration are already apparent, ethical treatments can be utilised to stabilise or halt the process - remedial conservation. The least invasive methods are employed, using appropriate materials that will not be detrimental to the object in the future.

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Conservation or restoration?

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Conservation differs from restoration in that it places an emphasis on preserving as much of the original material as possible, as well as any evidence of the object's past use. For example, where a restorer might replace damaged areas or remove previous repairs, a conservator would stabilise areas of damage and keep previous repairs in place, as long as they were not detrimental to the stability of the object.