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Art and Science of Conservation and Restoration
BY VENIZELOS G. GAVRILAKIS | Senior Expert Artworks Conservator & Restorer
Artwork conservation and restoration is a scientific field that necessitates a clear understanding of the term “conservation and restoration” and its purpose. This understanding helps us recognize its necessity and the significant contributions it makes to cultural, social, artistic, and historical spheres. It underscores the imperative need for the conservation and restoration of each work of art.
To properly grasp the concept of “conservation and restoration,” we must delve into the purpose and specific conditions of a work’s state and preservation. The natural decay of cultural artifacts over time or due to environmental factors has historically necessitated the development of methods to preserve and safeguard our cultural heritage. This ensures its transmission to future generations in as authentic and resilient a state as possible. Throughout history, various spontaneous and often misguided preservation efforts have underscored the urgent need for a formal “conservation code.”
The proliferation of private art collections, particularly from the 17th century onward, further emphasized this necessity. Over centuries, this code has been established, adapted, and refined according to prevailing perceptions, ideologies, and practices, culminating in the formalization of the conservator and restorer profession in the 18th century.
Through these developments, the field of conservation and restoration has evolved into a science tasked with restoring damaged or altered works to their original state, ensuring their preservation in history while also meeting functional or utilitarian needs, depending on the nature of the work.
When defining “conservation and restoration,” it encompasses scientific research and study, the application of specialized tasks and methods, and the comprehensive care of artwork to conserve and restore it to its original form and resilience.
The conservator-restorer, akin to an art doctor, is responsible for administering “treatment” to address damages, changes, and alterations resulting from time, nature, storage conditions, and human intervention. Additionally, the conservator-restorer provides ongoing care to prevent or mitigate future decay.
Interventions in conservation and restoration can be categorized into those concerning the preservation of the artwork and those related to its aesthetic restoration. The former involves rescuing and preserving the work, while the latter aims exclusively at its final aesthetic enhancement. The extent of restoration to the original form of the work also needs to be assessed based on the “legibility” of the subject it depicts or represents.
For instance, in a painting or religious icon, varnish oxidized by time and climatic conditions or other accretions may have rendered the painted subject hazy and indistinct, necessitating the cleaning of the painted surface to restore its clarity and “legibility.”
Conservation and restoration work is carried out by specially trained, experienced, and professional individuals within scientifically organized studios, utilizing both mechanical and chemical methods, as well as microscopes and magnifying lenses. Each treatment is conducted with absolute respect for the aesthetic, cultural, historical, and religious value and significance of the artwork, preserving its authenticity and potential functional and utilitarian value.
To determine when an artwork requires conservation and restoration, careful research and study by an expert professional conservator-restorer are necessary. However, some obvious signs, such as a “blackened” or hazy appearance, efflorescence, “bumps,” or detached parts, can indicate the need for immediate corrective conservation interventions. Ignoring these signs may lead to the total destruction of the work over time.
The intervention of the conservator-restorer is crucial not only for the preservation of the artwork but also for the preservation of history, culture, and humanity. The transfer of an artwork into the future reflects the unique connection between the art of its creation and the science and art of its conservation and restoration.
Through their treatments, the conservator-restorer communicates through hidden artistic codes with the primary artist, the creator of the artwork. Together, through the preservation of the artwork, they pass into history and time. It is necessary to conserve and restore every artwork to ensure its continuity and recognition through history and time.
As Cesare Brandi stated in his book “Theory of Restoration”: “In reality, even if its recognition (the artwork) must occur each time in individual consciousness, at the same time the artwork belongs to the collective consciousness. The individual who enjoys this immediate revelation feels the need, as imperative as the ethical need, for preservation. Preservation extends on an infinite scale, starting from simple respect and ending in the most radical intervention, as in the case of detaching frescoes or transferring paintings onto wood or canvas.”
Venizelos G. Gavrilakis is a highly esteemed senior expert in the art conservation and restoration of Byzantine icons, historical paintings, artworks, and antiquities, renowned worldwide for his exceptional expertise. With a strong academic background, Venizelos graduated from a Ministry-certified conservation and restoration faculty in Greece, specializing in the conservation and restoration of artwork and antiquities. He further honed his skills through dedicated studies in paintings restoration and conservation at the prestigious Conservation Fine Art Faculty of Palazzo Spinelli in Florence, Italy. Since 1994, Mr. Gavrilakis has served as a senior expert art conservator and restorer, undertaking numerous noteworthy projects across the globe.
His remarkable career includes managing director positions at conservation laboratories in renowned institutions, collaborations with galleries and private collectors. He is an art-writer and contributor to The World Art News and others. Mr. Gavrilakis is a member of KMKD Kültürel Mirası Koruma Derneği (Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage) as far as also member of AIC, IIC, ICON, ICA and other heritage culture associations. He is the owner and president of VENIS STUDIOS, a leading art conservation and restoration company headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. The studio is dedicated to delivering exceptional services worldwide, combining the science and art of conservation and restoration, ensuring the art preservation of historical artworks and monuments at the highest level of craftsmanship.
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