An art conservator at work
Those working in art restoration---a field often referred to as art conservation---are responsible for looking after the world's most important cultural artifacts and keeping them intact for future generations. It can be a difficult job, and one that requires highly specialized training in both the arts and the sciences.
History
The modern history of art restoration begins during the Italian Renaissance. Only 53 years after Michelangelo completed painting the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, restoration work had to be done on them. The field became more concretized in the 19th century, however, when scientist Michael Faraday began to study the effects that the environment has on works of art. In 1888, art conservation and restoration was formerly established as a profession in Germany, when chemist Friedrich Rathgen was hired for the position at Berlin's Royal Museums.
Function
An art conservator's primary duty is to keep a work of art as close to its original position as possible, and for as long as possible. The training thus involves studying the science of the materials used in historical works of art, the environment's impact on those materials and the means through which modern materials can protect the art object from decay. It is a unique field in that it requires students to study both scientific processes and the history of art, fields which are typically separate on the level of higher education.
Significance
Those studying art conservation and restoration often come to learn that their field also has deeply ethical connotations. Art conservators are taught to intervene as little as possible to protect the integrity of a work of art. They also learn which materials are deemed appropriate for use in the restoration process---that means knowing which materials are likely to cause further problems down the line. Finally, art conservation students are taught the need to properly document every facet of the work they do, as future conservationists will need to consult it.
Types
Art restoration education and training is typically carried out at the graduate level. While studying for a master's degree in the field, students typically will simultaneously pursue an internship that gives them hands-on experience at restoration and leads them toward certification in art conservation.
Geography
Given the fact that ambitious art conservationists will spend much of their career traveling, many choose to get an early start by studying abroad. In the English-speaking world, some of the most prominent post-graduate programs in art conservation are in the United Kingdom. Studying at the Courtauld Institute, for example, allows you to work with some of London's most famous collections, while also traveling around Europe to other important sites of conservation and restoration.
