Training in the Conservation of Paintings - Calouste Gulbenkian ...

TRAINING IN THE CONSERVATION OF PAINTINGS
has so far only just completed its first year, a full year's internship is
intended to occupy the last year of a three-year course.
41. The adequacy of the detached periods in Stuttgart, New York
and Cooperstown, and the desirability of so complete a division
between the organised training and the apprenticeship periods will
be discussed later in this chapter; for the present these courses have
been quoted as evidence that apprenticeship is recognised even in
centres of more formal training as essential to the training of a
restorer of paintings. We have no doubt of this; we are convinced
that the advantages of this form of training which are set out in
paragraph 35 cannot be dispensed with, and that this is a type of
training which cannot be given in any institution which is concerned
exclusively with training. The low proportion, i/i or 2/1 of students
to skilled restorers, would be quite uneconomic unless these restorers
were engaged on work of importance in an institute primarily
concerned with the actual work of conservation of paintings. The
number of master restorers needed for a comparatively small number
of students could not be justified by their teaching activities
alone. It is true that the proportion of students to teachers over the
whole of their training, including the theoretical studies dealt with
in the following paragraphs, would not be equally low, but it is not
suggested that these background subjects should be taught by skilled
working restorers. In any case, works of high quality would not be
entrusted to a conservation training institute if they were to be used
primarily as teaching material; nor, without such high grade material
could the constant presence of curators and art historians be expected.
Their visits would be limited to official classes and lectures.
Background and Theoretical Instruction
42. As regards the other qualities listed in paragraph 32 as needing
to be developed in the course of a restorer's training, witnesses with
experience of training are satisfied that given the necessary aptitude,
a student can acquire the scientific and art historical background in
theoretical and practical classes and lectures during his training;
provided he shows some evidence of manual dexterity, painting
technique also can be developed during the course, although it
would be unusual for a candidate for this work to have had no experience
whatsoever of painting either at school or at an art school
or by his own efforts. It has been made clear to us that these three
background subjects, science, art history and painting, are essential
to the training of a restorer either as pre-entry qualifications or as
part of the main course.
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