Art Conservation (ROME 224)
An introduction to the history, concepts, techniques, institutions, and policies of art conservation from a liberal-arts perspective. Students will deepen their understanding and appreciation of art by viewing masterpieces as complex, vulnerable artefacts that require our involvement in conservation if we are to grasp and preserve the artists’ message.We will examine firsthand outstanding examples of art conservation in several media and from different periods in history. Works include ancient Etruscan tombs in Tarquinia, Egyptian paintings of the 3rd century, the huge Montelparo polyptych of the 15th century, Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, the Casina Pio IV (a beautiful 16th-century structure in the Vatican Gardens that has been comprehensively restored) and its stucco decorations, and gypsum casts of sculptures by Canova.
We will consider controversies about the proper scope of art conservation and will draw comparisons and contrasts with restoration and embellishment. We will discuss criteria and policies for selecting particular works of art for conservation (and necessarily neglecting others) when resources are scarce. We will also discuss preventive conservation, particularly the importance of environment and the ideal parameters of temperature, humidity, air quality, and lighting.
Slide lectures in the classroom alternate with on-site instruction at museums, monuments, and conservation workshops.
Enrollment is limited to 12 students.
Francesca Persegati (1 course credit = 3 semester hours)
Click the link below for professor Persegati’s syllabus:
ROME 224 Art Conservation - Syllabus PDF
A visit to the Vatican Museums Art Conservation Laboratory
