Talk:Conservation and restoration of movable cultural property


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Structure
I propose that we now remove the lack of citations maintenance template on the article page since numerous citations and sources have been added.--Drobeso2 (talk) 16:53, 11 December 2019 (UTC) I just did that and added some sources to the "see also" sectionCLKnudsen (talk) 21:09, 13 December 2019 (UTC)

Great. The page is looking wonderful.--2601:14A:700:9C76:A90D:428A:9DAE:DD6C (talk) 16:03, 14 December 2019 (UTC)

Looks great. Congrats to all who contributed.--Drobeso2 (talk) 01:07, 16 December 2019 (UTC)

It appears that we have a wide open article to create. I think we certainly should include a sub-heading for Preventive Conservation including information about the Agents of Deterioration similar to the Wikipedia article conservation and restoration of paintings, as well as subheadings for the other listed material classifications: ethnographic, historical, sculpture, decorative arts, and contemporary art. Here is a rough outline proposal for our article.

Have a look at the Wikipedia page on the Conservation and Restoration of Photographic Plates for an idea of how you can word your article, she avoids the 'should' or 'could' trap, and the article is well structured and illustrated. Rose Daly (talk) 12:53, 25 November 2019 (UTC)

Object conservation
Object conservation is a term used to denote the conservation of works of art and three-dimensional artifacts. Conservation encompasses all the actions taken toward the long-term preservation of cultural heritage. Activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, which is supported by research and education. Object conservation is specifically the actions taken to preserve and restore cultural objects. The objects span a wide range of materials from a variety of cultures, time periods, and functions. Object conservation can be applied to both art objects and artifacts. Conservation practice aims to prevent damage from occurring. This is called ‘preventive conservation’. The purpose of preventive conservation is to maintain, and where possible enhance, the condition of an object, as well as managing deterioration risks, such as handling and environmental conditions. Historically, object conservation was focused on the category of fine arts but now many different types of objects are being conserved. Each type of object material, typically denoted by organic or inorganic then the specific medium, requires a specialized professional conservator and often requires collaborative work between museum staff, scientists, and conservators.CLKnudsen (talk) 17:54, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

History of the field
Object conservation has been around ever since people have been amassing and assembling collections for others to enjoy. Conservation in its early history was conducted by skilled craftsman and tradesman who could repair and return the objects back into a useful working or exhibition condition.--Drobeso2 (talk) 00:21, 10 December 2019 (UTC) Over time, object conservation as a profession has developed to the point where specialization for objects and the materials out of which they are made have become the standard of modern conservation. Conservation skills are now being taught at institutions such as the Master's Degree Program in Art Conservation at the Winterthur/University of Delaware located in Newark Delaware. This three year program is intensive as the "faculty and students use twenty-six well-equipped conservation studios, laboratories, examination rooms and workshops in the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Research Building at Winterthur." to conduct their learning and studies.

A summary of important developments in the field of conservation and restoration from the 1500's until the modern day is available in Wikipedia at: List of dates in the history of art conservation --Drobeso2 (talk) 00:10, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Preventive conservation of objects
In order to preserve objects for the future, museums, libraries, and other collecting institutions utilize collections care practices also known as preventive conservation.--Drobeso2 (talk) 01:45, 3 December 2019 (UTC) Prof. Ziad al-Saad, Professor of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management at the  Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology Yarmouk University, Jordan defines Preventive Conservation as "the  mitigation  of  deterioration  and  damage  to  cultural  property through  the  formulation  and  implementation  of  policies  and  procedures  for  the  following: appropriate  environmental  conditions;  handling  and maintenance  procedures  for  storage, exhibition,    packing,    transport,    and    use;    integrated    pest    management;    emergency preparedness  and  response;  and  reformatting/duplication.  Preventive  conservation  is  an ongoing  process  that  continues  throughout  the  life of  cultural  property,  and  does  not  end with interventive treatment." --Drobeso2 (talk) 16:10, 2 December 2019 (UTC) The practice of preventive conservation intends to provide the greatest amount of conservation for the largest number of objects in a collection. Jeffrey Levin, Communications Editor, Information and Communications, at the Getty Conservation Institute states that "In the long term, it, (preventive conservation,) is the most efficient form of conservation, not only for museums, but particularly for libraries and collections of ethnographic, natural history, and geologic materials. With comprehensive preventive conservation, the need for individual treatments can, over time, be reduced to more manageable levels, putting personnel and financial resources to more effective use." --Drobeso2 (talk) 00:15, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Causes of deterioration
Water - Water damages results from natural occurrences, technological hazards, or mechanical failures. Many cases of water damage can be traced to accidents or neglect. "A great many of the materials that museum objects are made of are highly susceptible to contact with water and can be severely damaged by even brief contact, while others may be exposed to water for longer periods without harm. This situation is complicated by the combination and range of materials that may comprise each object. In addition, the vulnerability of individual objects to water can be affected (i.e. increased) significantly by the state of the degradation of the materials." Water damage causes a variety of preservation concerns, including but not limited to: discoloration, cracking, softening, matting, distortion, mold growth, delamination, and swelling.CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Fire - Fire is a risk to both objects and their collections, both humans and inanimate objects. Museums and other institutions are vulnerable to fire from a number of internal and external sources. Most museum fires begin as a result of human neglect and carelessness, or are intentionally set. Damage to objects can be irreparable or can be mitigated due to storage choices (like being in a glass case), the object's material(organic materials are more prone to damage), or safety precautions that the museum has invested in. Fires also create soot deposits which can cause discoloration, dull surface textures, and permanently alter objects. CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Light - Light fades materials. Colors that fade can disappear within as little as a few hours of direct sunshine, or just a few years at low museum lighting. But some types of objects are more fade resistant due to their specific materials. Ultraviolet light causes yellowing, chalking, weakening, and/or disintegration of materials. Infrared light heats the surface of objects, which is a form of incorrect temperature. Different deterioration phenomena often occur simultaneously. CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Incorrect Temperature - There are several ways that temperature can cause object degradation. One being that the temperature is too high: this excess heat can cause chemical, physical, and biological phenomena. The most important phenomena for museums and archives is chemical: normal room temperatures are much too high for the long-term preservation of unstable human made materials, especially those carrying images, sound, and text. Another problem arise when temperature is too low. Overall, low temperature is beneficial to collections, but polymeric materials, such as paints, become more brittle and fragile. Some objects contain materials that will deform and weaken, or even melt, above a certain temperature. CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Incorrect Relative Humidity - Relative humidity is the quality of the air that ranges between damp and dry, which causes damage to objects. Damp is when the relative humidity is over 75%. Damp causes several types of deterioration: mold, rapid corrosion, and extreme forms of mechanical damage. Mold damages any form of organic material.CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Dissociation -

Thieves and Vandals -

Pests -

Physical Forces - "Physical force can damage objects directly by causing rotation, deformation, stress, and pressure. It may also damage objects indirectly by causing collision between objects or object parts. Damage from physical force ranges from imperceptible hairline fissures and minute losses, to large-scale effects such as crushing objects, collapsing floors, and, in extreme cases, destroying buildings. Five important force-related effects are: impact; shock; vibration; pressure; and abrasion." CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Pollutants - "Pollutants are grouped into a range of compounds that can have chemical reactions with any component of an object. Pollutants can be gases, aerosols, liquids or solids of either anthropogenic or natural origin, and they are substances that are known to have adverse effects (negative consequences) on objects. Deposits of solid particles are considered pollutants, and while they may not necessarily cause damage, they are recognized as altering the aesthetic aspects of the objects. In some cases, fine particles deposited on an object's surface can be strongly bonded. In a museum, there are three modes of action for pollutants to reach objects and cause deterioration. In the first mode, the pollutants are airborne; in the second, the pollutants are transferred between two materials at points of contact; as for the third, it is intrinsic, in that the pollutant already exists, as part of the materials composing the object, or is formed during chemical reactions on or within it. The latter is called also called a secondary pollutant." CLKnudsen (talk) 22:53, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

Ethics of object conservation
Museums, Libraries, and collecting institutions have the duty and responsibility to take care of and preserve their collections for the future. In order carry out this duty, these organizations strive to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and ethical practice when caring for their collections. In order to direct and guide their actions organizations follow ethical codes of conduct such as the one created by the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). The AIC's Code of Ethics includes the following guidelines for institutions and conservation professionals.

The conservation professional shall strive to attain the highest possible standards in all aspects of conservation, including, but not limited to, preventive conservation, examination, documentation, treatment, research, and education. All actions of the conservation professional must be governed by an informed respect for the cultural property, its unique character and significance, and the people or person who created it. While recognizing the right of society to make appropriate and respectful use of cultural property, the conservation professional shall serve as an advocate for the preservation of cultural property. The conservation professional shall practice within the limits of personal competence and education as well as within the limits of the available facilities. While circumstances may limit the resources allocated to a particular situation, the quality of work that the conservation professional performs shall not be compromised. The conservation professional must strive to select methods and materials that, to the best of current knowledge, do not adversely affect cultural property or its future examination, scientific investigation, treatment, or function. The conservation professional shall document examination, scientific investigation, and treatment by creating permanent records and reports. The conservation professional shall recognize a responsibility for preventive conservation by endeavoring to limit damage or deterioration to cultural property, providing guidelines for continuing use and care, recommending appropriate environmental conditions for storage and exhibition, and encouraging proper procedures for handling, packing, and transport. The conservation professional shall act with honesty and respect in all professional relationships, seek to ensure the rights and opportunities of all individuals in the profession, and recognize the specialized knowledge of others. The conservation professional shall contribute to the evolution and growth of the profession, a field of study that encompasses the liberal arts and the natural sciences. This contribution may be made by such means as continuing development of personal skills and knowledge, sharing of information and experience with colleagues, adding to the profession’s written body of knowledge, and providing and promoting educational opportunities in the field. The conservation professional shall promote an awareness and understanding of conservation through open communication with allied professionals and the public. The conservation professional shall practice in a manner that minimizes personal risks and hazards to co-workers, the public, and the environment. Each conservation professional has an obligation to promote understanding of and adherence to this Code of Ethics.--Drobeso2 (talk) 16:31, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

It is important to note that codes such as the above are intended to provide guidance and are not intended to be taken as absolute practice as institutions are varied in their size, scope, and nature. It is up to each institution to adapt, adopt, and implement ethical guidelines which are necessary to meet that institution's conservation requirements for objects in their collection.--Drobeso2 (talk) 16:55, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Some institutions, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), have developed and implemented their own form of ethical protocols, procedures, and guidelines in order to ensure that the V&A takes into account all points of views before any object undergoes conservation intervention or treatment. The V&A's ethics protocol is implemented through the use of the "Victoria & Albert Museum Conservation Department Ethics Checklist" which was "drafted initially for our (V&A) own use, it was first introduced to the profession by Jonathan Ashley-Smith at a conference at The British Museum in 1994" --Drobeso2 (talk) 19:30, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Victoria & Albert Museum Conservation Department Ethics Checklist  2nd Edition December 2004 A.Why is action needed? B.Have I consulted records? C.Have I consulted stakeholders, peers, other specialists? D.Have I considered and weighted the factors contributing to the identity and significance of the object(s)? E.What are my options for action which will produce an appropriate result with minimum intervention?

Above is a sample of the Victoria and Albert's Ethics Checklist. It is question driven instead of directive driven. Regardless of the ethics protocol followed, ethics plays a important role in object conservation.--Drobeso2 (talk) 19:17, 6 December 2019 (UTC)

Object materials and types
Object materials vary from organic, inorganic, and composite objects. Depending on the material being handled with for storage or needing conservation treatment, the conservator specializing in the specific type or range of objects is considered prior to treatment. Conservators are to only proceed treatment with care and complete understanding of the material, and this is according to the Code of Ethics. Organic objects can involve, “modern plastics, leather, feathers, bone, horn, ivory, hair, wood, and other plant and animal materials, including natural history specimens”, and inorganic materials consists of “metals, glass, and ceramic materials, as well as outdoor sculpture, and stone”. Composite objects are a mix of mediums that involve both inorganic and organic materials. I am giving an introduction here with the types of objects. I will break it down by category below. EsraPark (talk) 21:09, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

I think this could be sub-disciplines of objects conservation with an introduction as to why there are subdisciplines (like paintings has the subdicipline of panel paintings and wall paintings, and paper and photographs are 2 difference disciplines, objects covers a broad range of materials so conservators have chosen to specialize depending on material)

This section could come at the end and link to other pages in Wikipedia Rose Daly (talk) 12:16, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

I felt like there was a need to change the title of this section. My inspiration came from AIC's wiki article on objects. I will work on the separate types of objects separately and upload them soon. EsraPark (talk) 20:57, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

I agree with the change and certainly use the AIC's wiki article that Rose gave us a link for. I added the link to our reference list below. --Drobeso2 (talk) 16:55, 10 December 2019 (UTC) --Drobeso2

Organic objects
Leather is a type of organic object that is prone to deterioration when exposed to “microorganisms, atmospheric gases, strong light, and extremes and fluctuations of humidity”. Because of their vulnerability, these types of objects require persistent attention. Special treatment is needed for objects of leather if restoration of their original state is desired. For example, when leather is exposed to mold, the object should be treated with a vacuum and or alcohol if it has been tested that there is no discoloration or transferring of color.

Wood is another type of material that is identified as organic. Wood is a very absorbing material based on its environment. Thus, depending on the amount of water that is exposed in the air, the wood can expand and contract easily, changing the physical condition of the object. This is the reason why wood material needs to be kept in a high controlled and consistent temperature and humidity levels. A too high relative humidity can cause wood to swell, and a too low relative humidity can cause the wood to become brittle. Extreme fluctuations of both can speed the deterioration process of the wooden object. With high relative humidity, wood is also prone to pests. An example of treatment would be to freeze the objects to kill any pests that may have been existing within.

Adding in organic objects and materials that can be addressed in this section. EsraPark (talk) 23:28, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Inorganic objects
Ceramics is a type of an inorganic object. Treatment for such objects can vary depending on the purpose of the use or its’ stability. When ceramics are broken and need restoration either because it is needed to be displayed on exhibition or for the stability of the object when used for examination or study, some type of techniques can include but may not be limited to gap fills, inpainting, restructuring, and polishing can be used for treatments.

Types of Metals include “gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, nickel, zinc, aluminum, chromium, titanium, and their alloys”. Metal sculptures are prone to corrosion from air pollution and moisture in the air. Interventive treatments for metals is an irreversible procedure that need consideration prior to work. Such types of treatment include cleaning involving chemicals or tools such as YAG laser that can effectively remove layers of built-up “calcareous and siliceous encrustation”

Filling information on inorganic objects. EsraPark (talk) 23:50, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Composite objects
I have added more information for this section in the article. I thought to add some images but I was slightly intimidated by uploading images that aren't mine and are from articles of other works. Did anyone think the same? EsraPark (talk) 21:37, 14 December 2019 (UTC)

That was good. I had started defining composites when I got called into work. Thank you Esra.--Drobeso2 (talk) 01:19, 16 December 2019 (UTC)

The uploading of images seemed a bit complicated, at least from my point of view, I am not tech savvy, as many others might be; learning the Wiki programming syntax was challenging enough. It required you to submit the images ahead of time to the wiki gallery so they could be approved. Our article could be further improved with the addition of images.--Drobeso2 (talk) 01:16, 16 December 2019 (UTC)


 * 1) Archeological conservation
 * 2) Ethnographic conservation
 * 3) Historical conservation
 * 4) Sculpture conservation
 * 5) Decorative arts conservation
 * 6) Contemporary art conservation
 * 7) Industrial history conservation

The list of subjects above from archeological to industrial history conservation^ I am not sure what to do with this? Any suggestions? EsraPark (talk) 21:19, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

I think we can remove this list from the article. These may be specializations within the conservation field and not necessarily fits under composite objects. I did not find any Wikipedia articles directly associated to them as subjects; I had thought we could use them as see also links to other wiki pages but since none of them have articles on Wikipedia, this would not be feasible. That is my thinking on the subject.--Drobeso2 (talk) 16:44, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Thanks for clarifying!EsraPark (talk) 23:59, 10 December 2019 (UTC)