Art Conservators - 3 Things to Look For in a Qualified Art Conservator

 Art conservators, in essence, preserve the past for future generations. When you're dealing with pieces that may be hundreds or thousands of years old, it's important that the expert is skilled and knowledgeable.

To that end, following are three things to look for in a qualified art conservator. For, you literally can't replace the history lost when a piece of art (jewelry, document, etc.) is mishandled.

Art Conservator Education Requirements: To become an art conservator, you need a four-year degree in a discipline like science, fine arts, anthropology, textile design, etc.

Beyond the degree requirements, art conservators are expected to have general knowledge of museum practices and operations. Hence, they usually intern, consult with and/or apprentice at a museum either while they're in school or after.

Many reputable art conservators go on to complete advanced degrees in such disciplines as anthropology, art history, museum science, etc.

Art Conservator Experience: Before you entrust your valuables to an art conservator, one of the most critical areas to assess is the depth and breadth of their experience. Usually, art conservators begin to gain experience while in school, interning at museums, for example.

Beyond this, they go on to work for private and governmental bodies, eg, universities, art galleries, historical societies, etc.

A note about experience: While number of years in the discipline is certainly important, less experienced (in years) art conservators can be just as knowledgeable. To assess this, you want to look for continuity and progression in their career, in addition to number of years.

Most art conservators have a passion for their work. It is usually a passion that has burned for many years. You will be able to assess this by how well they know their particular niche, which brings us to our next thing to look for . . .

Art Conservator Niche Experience: Art conservators are usually niche experts, eg, they specialize in one area of conservation https://www.romoe.com/. There are a wide variety of niche, ie, textiles, photographs, paper, metals.

When you're looking for an art conservator, take care to select one who specializes in preserving your specific type of collection.

Art Conservator Passion: The Undocumented Trait That Tells the Story

As stated to above, art conservators have a passion for their work. This is perhaps the number one trait that doesn't come with documentation, but tells the true story of the real value.

Passionate art conservators tend to take a methodical approach to their work. They enjoy caring for, preserving, researching and unraveling the mysteries that time has left behind. Whether it's a 2,000-year-old piece of pottery or 10,000-year-old mummied remains, a passionate conservator will take the ultimate care in preserving, caring for and evaluating it.

Many know peripherally what art conservation is, but rarely take a peek into the field to really explore why it's important and how it adds to your daily lives. Here, we will examine what art conservation is, and why art conservation is a highly regarded profession.

Art Conservation Defined

Art conservation is the profession that is dedicated to preserving the cultural gems of the world today, for the enjoyment of future generations. Can you imagine Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa disintegrating before your eyes? Or, van Gogh's The Starry Night being destroyed due to pollution? Or Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon ceasing to exist due to extreme light?

Art conservationists prevent all of these things from happening to the world's most precious cultural treasures, as well as your family heirlooms.

Art Conservation: The World's Most Precious Cultural Treasures are Always in Danger

Cultural treasures like the ones mentioned above are in constant danger from naturally occurring environmental factors like extreme heat and cold, humidity, chemical pollutants and excessive light, to name a few.

Furthermore, there are man-made threats, eg, accidental damage and poor handling practices. Art conservationists are trained professionals who know to not only prevent environmental factors from destroying these priceless gems, but who know how to handle them to prevent even accidental damage.

Why Art Conservation Is a Highly Regarded Profession

Art conservation is a highly regarded profession for the following reasons:

Ruled by Ethics: Art conservationists have an applied ethics standard that they must adhere to. These ethical standards have been adopted worldwide, with written guidelines established nationally and internationally across many spectrums of the art world.

For example, there are codes of ethics that apply to museums, art conservators, institutions that borrow art for exhibition, etc. To learn more about applied ethics as they relate to art conservation, visit Art-Care.com.

Many Areas of Specialty: Art conservation is not a one-dimensional profession, which makes it so exciting. If you have a passion for all things old and want to carve out a career as an art conservationist, there's a niche for you.

Careers in Art Conservation

Some of the niches in art conservation are as follows:

Photograph Conservation: This is the study of how to preserve photographic material. In this discipline, you are required to know how photographs are developed and how to prevent their deterioration.

Furniture Conservation: The perfect career for a lover of antique furniture.

Textile Conservation: Have an interest in preserving old quilts, wall hangings and other textile art for years gone past? Textile conservation is a rewarding career for you.

These niches are just the tip of the iceberg. Some others to consider are book and paper conservation, digital object conservation, frame conservation and more.

When most think of art conservation, they think of paintings by masters like the ones mentioned above. However, the field is rich and varied, and offers a host of exciting careers for anyone interested in preserving the past for the future.