Art Conservation and Restoration
Does Art Conservation and Restoration suit me?
Studying Art Conservation and Restoration
In art conservation and restoration as a field of study, everything revolves around the preservation and restoration of historical works of art and other cultural assets. This includes, among other things, paintings, sculptures, furniture, manuscripts, books, and monuments.
Art conservation and restoration provides theoretical and practical knowledge: on the one hand, you’ll acquire the basics in subjects such as art history, materials science, and chemistry. On the other hand, you’ll learn which techniques are used to repair or prevent damage. You can often gain practical experience in projects early on.
In this field of study, you can often specialize in either conservation or restoration: restoration involves repairing and restoring objects to their original condition, while conservation focuses on protecting objects, for example from environmental damage.
If you’re passionate about art and enjoy hands-on craftsmanship, this field of study could be a good fit. You can often focus on certain materials during your studies or when choosing your degree program, for example, in the restoration of murals, paintings, and sculptures, or in the conservation of furniture and wooden objects.
Personal requirements | Art Conservation and Restoration
- Interest in culture, art and natural sciences
- Craftsmanship
- Good eyesight and ability to concentrate
- Careful way of working
- Patience and a sense of responsibility
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Take the testTypical course content | Art Conservation and Restoration
- Art and cultural history
- Iconography and stylistics
- Scientific research methods
- Restoration tools, materials and techniques
- Preventive conservation: strategies for prevention
- Monument preservation
- Legal aspects
- Solvents and cleaning processes
- Pigment and binder determination
- Computer-aided documentation techniques
Career prospects | Art Conservation and Restoration
With a degree in art conservation and restoration, you can find work as a restorer or conservator, among other things. You’ll apply various techniques and methods to repair, prevent, or slow down damage to art and other cultural objects.
You can find employment in museums, art collections, libraries, and archives to process art or paper objects. Potential jobs await you at monument protection authorities, restoration companies, churches, building authorities, and in the art trade. You can be employed directly by the respective companies or work on a freelance basis.
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