"The conservation and restoration of cultural property focuses on protection and care of cultural property (tangible cultural heritage), including artworks, architecture, archaeology, and museum collections."
The study of the physical and chemical properties of materials used in artworks and how they degrade over time.
Chemistry: Understanding the chemical composition of materials is crucial in analyzing and preserving them.
Physics: Understanding the physical properties and behavior of different materials is essential for conservation and restoration.
Material properties: Understanding the properties of materials such as strength, elasticity, and durability is critical for choosing the right materials for conservation.
Crystal structures: Learning about the crystal structures of different materials can help predict their behavior under certain conditions and during conservation efforts.
Microscopy: Understanding the microscopic structure of materials is essential for identifying them and assessing their condition.
Conservation ethics: Understanding the ethical considerations of conservation, including the importance of preserving original materials and maintaining historical context.
Conservation history: Understanding the history of conservation can provide insight into the best conservation practices and ideas.
Preservation techniques: Knowing the different techniques used to preserve materials can help identify the best methods for different types of materials and situations.
Material degradation: Understanding how materials degrade over time and the causes of degradation can help guide conservation efforts.
Chemical analysis: Knowing how to use chemical analysis techniques such as X-ray fluorescence can help identify the composition of materials.
Restoration techniques: Understanding techniques used to restore materials and methods for authentic restoration.
Material testing: Learning about different material testing techniques can aid in identifying and understanding materials.
Material identification: Identifying the materials, the analysis of the materials to understand how to treat them, and how to slow their deterioration.
Cultural heritage preservation: Understanding cultural heritage preservation and its significance in preserving history.
Documentation: Comprehensive documentation of the conservation process and original materials is essential to maintain their historical context.
Conservation of Paintings: This type of conservation involves preserving the paint and the canvas of a painting from deterioration.
Conservation of Sculptures: This type of conservation involves preserving the materials used in sculptures, such as stone, wood, or bronze.
Conservation of Ceramics: This type of conservation involves preserving ceramics from damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Textiles: This type of conservation involves preserving fabrics, tapestries, and other textiles from deterioration or damage.
Conservation of Metals: This type of conservation involves preserving metal objects, such as coins, sculptures, and jewelry, from corrosion or other forms of deterioration.
Conservation of Glass: This type of conservation involves preserving glass objects, such as stained glass windows, from deterioration or damage.
Conservation of Paper and Books: This type of conservation involves preserving paper, books, and other documents from deterioration caused by age, humidity, or environmental factors.
Conservation of Photographs: This type of conservation involves preserving photographs from damage caused by environmental factors, such as light and humidity.
Conservation of Plastics: This type of conservation involves preserving plastic objects from deterioration or damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Electronic Media: This type of conservation involves preserving electronic media, such as films and recordings, from deterioration or damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Natural History: This type of conservation involves preserving natural history specimens, such as fossilized bones, plants or animals, from deterioration or damage.
Conservation of Architecture: This type of conservation involves preserving architectural structures and features, such as buildings, bridges, and monuments, from deterioration or damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Outdoor Sculptures: This type of conservation involves preserving outdoor sculptures from environmental factors, such as weathering or vandalism.
Conservation of Monuments and Statues: This type of conservation involves preserving large historical monuments and statues from damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Mosaics: This type of conservation involves preserving mosaics from deterioration or damage caused by environmental factors or age.
Conservation of Wooden Objects: This type of conservation involves preserving wooden objects, such as furniture, from deterioration or damage caused by environmental factors or age.
"Conservation activities include preventive conservation, examination, documentation, research, treatment, and education."
"This field is closely allied with conservation science, curators, and registrars."