Art Restoration

What is Art Restoration?

Art has been an integral part of human life and culture since the dawn of civilization. Indeed, the spectrum of art is broad and limitless, ranging from early people's cave paintings, Harappan art forms, the (Indian) Gupta age, the Greek-Roman art collection, and famous painters/sculptors such as Tagore, Jamini Roy, Nandalal Bose, Gauguin, Rodin, Picasso, Van Gough and Salvadore Dali, to name a few

• Restoration of artworks is an area dealing with restoring works of art to an earlier state. These works include everything from paintings, sculptures to manuscripts. Often, this includes repairing and cleaning in various ways, as well as repairing the damage that has occurred over time

• The restoration of art is to make the works of art seem less worn out, without losing their original essence. On the other hand, protecting works of art is more of a preventative measure. The emphasis is on treating art to preserve it for a longer period. This also includes timely documentation and testing of works of art

• Due to the softness of the paint, dirt and sediments, it leads to difficulties in cleaning and discoloring the colors over time. Due to the properties of acrylic paints, the top layer of paint gets deteriorated. Exposure of acrylic to temperatures close to zero can cause harmful cracks. Causes of damage to paper, images and photos can often be the same

• The resulting problems vary depending on the relationship between the layers. Many of the conditions that threaten or worsen behavior are not obvious. The preservation of the paint layer and the substrate (wall) is crucial. To protect the paintings, regular maintenance of the building and structure is required.

What's this all about?

• The history of renovating works of art spans centuries. The mission is to provide access to known works of art. The restoration of art is intended to preserve the integrity and thus the value) of an original work of art. However, many in need of repair go back centuries. The deterioration due to time and climate has a significant impact on their current value. The restoration of art is becoming important. Museums and authorities work to clean and protect cultural collections.

• The history of art conservation is almost as long as the history of art. Conservationists are looking for innovative ways to clean and protect our cultural heritage.

• Restoration of works of art is an area that deals with restoring works of art to an earlier state. These works include everything from paintings, sculptures to manuscripts. This often involves repairing and cleaning in various ways, as well as repairing the damage that has occurred over time. The renovation of works of art consists in reducing the consumption of works without losing their original essence. 

• The conservation and restoration of paintings are carried out by professional conservators. Paintings cover a wide range of different media, materials and their supports.

• The types of painting include

  • works of art
  • decorative and functional objects made of acrylic,
  • frescoes and oil paints on various surfaces,
  • egg tempera on blackboards and canvas,
  • lacquer painting, 
  • Watercolor

• Knowledge of the characteristics of a particular painting enables proper restoration and conservation.

  • Monitoring the environmental conditions,
  • restricting visitor access, and
  • blocking public access\
  • can help preserve the paintings.

What is the Eligibility and Admission criteria?

• To qualify for an art restoration course in India, you must have a bachelor's degree (with a relatively good overall grade percentage) in archaeology, ancient history, medieval history or world history.

• Candidates should also have knowledge of art, artists and known art schools. As soon as you gain all the necessary qualifications, your career in conservation work will start as an apprentice. There are many things to learn at work and you need to gain extensive experience to be taken seriously as an art restorer. 

What is the scope of Art Restoration in India?

• A career in the renovation of works of art can be a big risk, which is why few are ready to face this challenge, even if they are qualified. There are other employment opportunities for those seeking a career as an art conservator in archaeology, artistic journalism, art trade and teaching

• Although renovation takes place in selected locations, such as museums and private art companies, the need for qualified conservators is urgent. That is why there is a promising future for all art lovers 

Top colleges offering this course -

• Banaras Hindu University

• National Museum, New Delhi

• University of Mysore, Crawford Hall, Mysore

• University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh

• Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana 

Popular colleges offering Museology

• Jiwaji University, Gwalior

• Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata

• The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara

• University of Calcutta

• University of Rajasthan

Major recruiters

• Sunita Choraria (Collector and patron)

• Minal Vazirani (Collector and patron)

• Aarti Lohia (Collector and patron)

• Varsha Art

• Radhika Chopra (Collector and patron)

• Feroze Gujral (Collector and patron)

• Michelle Poonawalla (Artist and collector)

How much you can earn?

• Avg. Salary in India - Rs 3,99,417

• Avg. Entry-level Salary - Rs 3,05,327

• Senior-level Salary - Rs 4,88,936

All salaries per annum (Source: Salaryexpert)

What are the Books and Study material available?

'Materials: A short encyclopedia' is an indispensable resource for artists and artists involved in the preservation of art. Gettens and Stout helped establish the American Institute for Conservation Foundation. FAIC which supports conservation education, research, and public relations.

Interesting Facts

Macbeth and Dorman work with professional staff to preserve and restore museum pieces. Also, museums work on different pieces with different deadlines at the same time. Conservators say that it can take two to three weeks to restore a painting.