AH 374 - Art Conservation and Restoration

Upper Division

This course explores the connection between art history and the science of conservation and will include activities in both the lab and the art studio. Students will investigate artists’ materials from different historical periods, including pigments, dyes, binders, solvents, and varnishes; methods of cleaning; various technical tools such as microscopic analysis and techniques using x-rays, ultraviolet, and infrared light. We will discuss examples of restorations gone badly as well as famous restored artwork, and will discover how the science of conservation must be strictly intertwined with the discipline of art history, with strong ethical values and with a deep respect for the object’s function within a cultural environment. In this context we will also discuss the issue of forgeries and their place in the art world. This is a hands-on course, and students will be required to perform some level of restoration.

Core Curriculum Designation(s)
ARTS & HUM - Arts and Humanities Analysis

Repeatable
Yes

Fee
$110

Additional Notes
Previous course number: AH 194

Course credits: 4