A large part of cultural heritage consists of objects and buildings from different ages. These can be archaeological finds that are several thousand years old, mitres from the middle ages, mural paintings, interiors or 20th century designer furniture. What they all have in common is that they must be used and preserved with care if they are to be experienced by future generations. Sometimes they must also be conserved.

Designer furniture and mitres both have tales to tell about history, tales that we want to preserve. But they don't last for ever. Air, light, moisture and pollution age and break down all materials. Careless handling and poor storage conditions can speed up the aging process even further. Cracks, discolouration and fragility can be signs of this.

Conservation is performed to slow down the decomposition process and prevent new damage. The term comes from the Latin "conse´rvo", which means to preserve or maintain. Conservation always entails an assessment on a case-by-case basis, where the conservator carefully selects which method to use. The goal is to interfere as little as possible in order to minimise distortion of the original.

Conservator skills

Conservators are specialised in various material categories, for example textiles, paintings, stone, photographs, paper, metal or plastics. Material know-how is vital for a curator/conserver. Different materials decompose in different ways and need different treatment. In order to be able to judge why measures should be taken, which ones should be chosen and how they should be used, knowledge of natural sciences, technology and cultural history is vital.

Often, the conservator has a degree as a conservator and specialist knowledge of another field, for example art history, archaeology or natural sciences. Many also have handicrafts training. At the University of Gothenburg there is a five-year conservator course and at Linköping University they train furniture conservators.

These conservators are active at museums, archives, libraries, and run their own companies.

How do conservators work?

The first thing a conservator does when something is to be restored is to examine the material and analyse the damage and its causes. As well as the damage, other facts about the object are noted, such as size, materials and details like ornamentation and stamps. After this careful examination, the conservator decides which restoration methods are most suitable. Cleaning is one common method, sometimes under a microscope. During the cleaning process the conservator may discover previously undiscovered details that were hidden by dirt and pollution. Suddenly a rune or a pattern can emerge!

Other common measures include reattaching loose parts or layers of paint that have flaked off, removing previous reparations if they are in poor condition, reinforcing various parts etc. All of these steps are documented thoroughly and entered into a restoration report along with photographs taken before, during and after restoration. The report should also state why a certain restoration method was chosen. Preventive measures like inspections, maintenance, climate control and storage are also part of the restoration process.