Objects Conservation and Restoration

Objects are three-dimensional works of art or artifacts, usually made from a variety of inorganic materials, including stone, ceramic, metal, terracotta, or plaster as well as organic materials such as wood, plant fibers, leather, and other manipulated natural materials. Also, plastics or other man-made materials are often found in modern or contemporary works of art. Objects are frequently composites of different types of materials and may involve paint layers, coatings, or other decorative elements in a wide diversity of media; therefore objects conservation and restoration can be very complex as well as one of the most demanding and challenging areas of the conservation field. To prevent damage in the field of objects conservation, it is necessary to emphasize careful handling and a stable environment. When talking about objects, as in many other cases, the use of gloves, frequent dusting and a clean environment or maintaining a stable relative humidity level, will reduce substantially the degradation rate.