ART CONSERVATION

Course description:

This course proposes an introduction to the history, theory, techniques and policies of art conservation. Students will deepen their understanding and appreciation of art by viewing masterpieces as complex, vulnerable materials whose conservation requires our involvement. We will examine, firsthand, outstanding examples of art conservation related to different materials and belonging to different ages and contexts, from ancient to contemporary works. Works may include ancient roman mural paintings, mosaics and stucco reliefs; paintings on panel, canvas and polychrome wooden sculptures; mural paintings techniques; significant examples of restoration in Rome and Florence from Renaissance to Baroque. We will also introduce approaches to the conservation of contemporary art.

Will be discussed diagnostics in conservation and new research and materials for consolidation and cleaning issues. We will also focus on preventive conservation, particularly the importance of environment and the ideal parameters for temperature, humidity, air quality, and lighting. Slide lectures in the classroom will alternate with on-site instruction at museums, monuments, and conservation workshops.

The course aims to deepen the dialectical relationship between the original technique of execution of the artefacts and their morphology of alteration, in order to define causes of decay and assess a whole strategy of intervention.

See syllabus from past semesters.

Course day and time:

Monday: 8:45am - 10:00am (Classroom)

Tuesday: 3:30pm - 7:00pm (On-site lectures; exact end time may vary)

Lesson format:

Weekly classes on-site in churches, museums and laboratories mixed with in classroom lectures and discussions; fieldwork

Keywords:

ART HISTORY, NATURAL SCIENCE, FIELDWORK

Faculty:

Giorgio Capriotti

Lorenza D’Alessandro

Pre-Requisites:

none

Enrollment Limited to 12

IF YOU WANT MAJOR OR MINOR CREDIT FOR THIS COURSE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CREDIT AND GRADES POLICIES.