The restoration of works of art is an activity that includes the maintenance, restoration and conservation of the artistic heritage and can be performed on frescoes, sculptures, paintings, but also manuscripts. Through this technique the expert restorer restores the missing or damaged parts by time, even if the intervention must be visible in the eyes of the observer.
However, talking about restoration of works of art does not mean merely considering an aesthetic activity, given the importance of preserving and recovering the value of the artistic heritage. Important, before restoring a work of art, investigate the color originally used if it is a painting, the materials used if the object to be restored is a sculpture and so on, to respect the history of the work.
An experienced restorer like our collaborators we entrust ourselves with entrusting us know how to adjust the material to guarantee the durability of the work, without however changing its image and taking into consideration 5 different aspects:
- Integration of gaps
- Removing or not back additions
- Restoration of the pictorial surface
- Replacing the missing sculptural part
- Maintenance or removal of the historic patina
We see these elements in detail.
An example of restoration of works of art: restoring the pictorial surface
In the case of painting restoration, the most frequent case is the need to restore part of the painted surface that has been lost or ruined due to time. However, the reconstruction of the original image or the so-called restoration of restoration of the work of art is absolutely to be avoided as it would be a false historical restoration.
For this reason, if you assign your painting or furniture or sculpture to European Antiques, we will proceed with two possible restoration techniques:
- The neutral tint: the spaces lacking color are filled with a neutral dots or dotted line to show that it is a restoration and without altering the chromatic harmony of the picture;
- Level lowering: only the original part of the work and the underlying support surface are shown, to leave the observer the task of mentally recreating the whole image.
The restoration of art in sculpture
Even the damaged or missing sculptures can be restored successfully, analyzing first whether the missing part contributes or not to the static of the work.
If the answer is affirmative, the sculpture to be restored must be rebuilt on the basis of the original design, but with different materials to make the restoration intervention recognizable. If, on the other hand, the missing piece does not compromise the statics of the work it is advisable not to restore it, except for the case in which a correct view of the artistic sculpture is prevented.
Finally, it is important to remember that any integration in the case of restoration of works of art must be reversible and be able to be removed without damage to the original work.
Finally, restoring a sculpture very often requires the removal or preservation of a particular patina, which is deposited on the material and contributes to the aesthetic value of the work of art. Our advice is to preserve the patina, without restoring the bare matter and removing only the dirt with subsequent cleaning of the artwork.
Some tips to preserve works of art over time
After the restoration of works of art, it is good that the collector or the owner knows how to preserve them accurately over time. Generally a correct conservation of paintings, paintings and sculptures to prevent a new deterioration depends on three fundamental elements:
- Materials with which the work is made;
- Execution technique
- Internal and external conditions of the place where it is stored
In the case of truly important works, it will be necessary to purchase a special climate-controlled display case to maintain the temperature and humidity at optimal values, while for works of lesser value the advice is to pay attention to exposure to light and excessive dryness. air humidity in the room.
Conclusions
Turning to European Antiques you can count on a restoration done with the utmost professionalism, which maintains the original features of the work of art, without changing the historical patina, testimony to the life of the work. In this way the object obtains new splendor and beauty.
Every restoration of works of art is done exclusively by hand and with natural products, while the materials used are as similar as possible to the original and easily reversible ones.
Contact us now to find out how to bring your work of art to its original beauty!
