Art restorers clean and repair works of art, requiring extensive knowledge of cleaning and retouching techniques, as well as a comprehensive understanding of each piece. They must determine what repairs are needed without endangering the piece, and their goal is to ensure that any details added or repaired are fully reversible. Restorers typically have extensive training in art history and modern restoration techniques.
An art restorer is an artistic and conservation professional who attempts to return soiled, damaged, or faded works of art to their original appearance. A highly detailed and painstaking job, art restoration requires extensive knowledge of cleaning and retouching techniques, as well as a comprehensive understanding of each piece he or she restores. Art restorers are often employed by museums or private collectors to clean and help preserve valuable and beloved works of art.
Paintings and other forms of art are made in materials that are naturally transitory and delicate; even a marble statue can get stained or dirty given enough time. Works made on canvas are subject to signs of age, both on the original canvas and on the painted or drawn image; in addition to actual art restoration, much of what an art restorer does involves canvas repairs and repairs. An art restorer is tasked with examining a work and determining what repairs are needed and whether they can be carried out without endangering the piece.
The integrity of the art is a major concern and the source of some restoration controversy. Many suggest that painting or retouching faded colors is akin to destroying and bastardizing an original piece. One of the goals of many restoration processes is to ensure that any details added or repaired are fully reversible, so that removing the restoration does not damage the original work. This goal may be more complex than it first appears, as few repairs are completely reversible.
An art restorer is usually a product of extensive training in a wide variety of art-related subjects. Some receive university and postgraduate degrees that help prepare for a career, but the tradition of apprenticeship to master restorers is also popular in some parts of the world. Typically, a fully qualified restorer has spent many years undertaking internships and apprentice-level work before being allowed to attempt major restoration work.
Some important skills a restorer should possess include an excellent understanding of art history and a thorough education in modern restoration techniques. An art history will help inform the restorer about the original piece; he or she can quickly understand what tools were available, what pigments were used, and the original artist’s techniques, utilizing historical sources.
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