This document provides a history of conservation from 1400 to 1900 AD. It traces the evolution of thought around preserving antiquities and classical monuments from the initial rediscovery and collection during the Renaissance, to systematic inventory and classification during the Enlightenment and Age of Romanticism. Approaches shifted from stylistic restoration that aimed to reinstate completeness, to conservation principles advocated by John Ruskin that emphasized preserving the authentic material and marks of ageing to maintain a monument's integrity and evolving history.

11. HISTO RY O F CO NSERVATIO N

12. The
Se arch Fo r
Divine Co de

13. REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
THE AGE OF
ENLIGHTENMENT
CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
THE AGE OF
ROMANTICISM
STYLISTIC
RESTORATION
CONSERVATION
1400 1500 1800 1900

14. REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400
-Rennaisance > antique arts collected

15. -15th
C Terraced Garden > Statues
Displayed > by Bramante
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

16. -Marcus Vitruvius Pollio – his treatise De
Architectura (27 BC) became a source of
traditional knowledge
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

17. -Leon Battista Alberti (1404-72)
“ adhere to the original design of the
inventor”.
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

18. -Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439-1501)
Record ruins before all disappeared
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

19. -Leonardo da Vinci“”medical architect”
project should be based on thorough
knowledge of the condition & form of the
existing structure.
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

20. - Pope Pius II (1458-64). April 28, 1462 >
maintain & preserve ancient structures that
serve to cover the burials & relics of holy
men.
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

21. -Raffaello Santi (1483-1520)
Father of modern state protection of
monuments
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

22. -Reformation & Counter- Reformation calls
calls for changes in existing church
buildings.
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

23. -Inigo Jones, English, 1613 brought home
the Palladianism in England, started a trend
REDISCOVERY OF
ANTIQUITIES
1400

25. CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
1500
-The French Revolution (18th
C)
Proclamation of reason in its ultimate
expression
Development of sciences & technology, less
religion
-Systematic inventory & classification
-Napoleon – He pictured himself as
successor to the ancient roman emperors
therefore he wanted to restore the antique
Greek Monuments.

26. -Abbe Gregoire (1750-1831)
Insisted that the objects should be kept in
their original location and could only be
moved for purposes of conservation.
-Museums
Shelters for the protection of movable
objects 1
-1793Quatremere de Quincy
To displace monuments, collect their
fragments, means to establish a dead
nation: it is to attend to its own funeral
while still alive.
CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
1500

27. Conservation advantages: (Introduction in
the edict)
(Aesthetic Value) Antiquity of Rome –
distinguishes her among all the
famous cities of Europe
(Pedagogical Value)Inspiration for
Artists & scholars with ideas of
Beautiful & Sublime.
(Touristic Value) Attract foreigners in
studying it
(Economical Value) Provide
employment in the field of Fine Arts
& new products will promote
branch of commercial & industrial
activities.
(Nationalistic Value) Useful to the
Public & State
CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
1500

28. Canova
Minimum necessary to conserve a
monument, e.g., Colosseum, restoration
was not the aim but conservation of all
ancient fragments as part of the authentic
historic monument.
CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
1500

34. The Arch of Titus
Gisor’s recommendation “ to complete the
lost parts in a simplified form.. the result
will be that, without spending much more
than those shapeless supports would cost,
this interesting monument .
onGisor’s recommendation “ to complete
the lost parts in a simplified form.. the result
will be that, without spending much more
than those shapeless supports would cost,
this interesting monument
CLASSSICAL
MONUMENTS
1500

46. THE AGE OF
ROMANTICISM
1500
THE AGE OF ROMANTICISM
-Age of Reason, issues >
absolutism, order & discipline
-Romanticism> against Age of
reason > it searches for
freedom, individuality,
expression & creativity

47. Pugin
-about the fulfillment of the
original idea in the Catholic
Church.
THE AGE OF
ROMANTICISM
1500

48. The Conservator
“First 1843 Ferdinand Von
Quast
-friendly relationships” who
could influence preservation.
made careful, historical,
archeological & structural
Survey, prepared measured
dwgs & gave restoration
proposal.
-Restore with respect for all
parts of any age with historic &
artistic value.
-Caution towards
“improvements”
THE AGE OF
ROMANTICISM
1500

49. STYLISTIC
RESTORATION
1800
-restoration’s rationale stylistic
unity.
-Prosper MERIMEE
“All Innovation should be
avoided.. Forms should be
faithfully copied. Where no
trace of the original is left,
study by consulting the
monuments of the same
period, of the same style, from
the same country…”

50. -Jean-Baptiste LASSUS
“Architect Conservator should
have scientific knowledge,
leave his artistic side
STYLISTIC
RESTORATION
1800

51. Eugene Emmanuel
VIOLLET-LE-DUC (1814-
79)
-Never made official
architectural studies
-to reinstate it in a condition of
completeness which may
never have existed at any
given time.
- just as he himself have
directed the orig. bldg.
STYLISTIC
RESTORATION
1800

52. -to restore lost parts of this
spectacular ‘war machine’ as
they would have been in 13th
C.

56. J-J. BOURASSE 1845
-Aim > completion of
the artistic idea
STYLISTIC
RESTORATION
1800

57. CONSERVATION
1800 1900
CONSERVATION
John RUSKIN’s
Conservation
Principles 1819-1900
-Anti-restoration
Movement > criticize the
destruction of
historical authenticity
of bldgs.
-Word RESTORATION
(Negative connotation)> birth
of CONSERVATION
-Heritage < Unique Creation <
Personal Sacrifice of Creator<
Man’s perception of beauty in
Nature < reflection of God<
Age contributes to the Beauty
< Marks of age An essential
element < “maturity” in its
beauty

58. -Attention to “age value” ,
unity of feeling, basis of all
grace, essence of all beauty
-Picturesqueness > Marks of
ageing in the material gives it
character
-Promote traditional
workmanship
Preservation of surfaces
CONSERVATION
1800 1900

59. -Herman MUTHESIUS 1861-
1927, “Maintenance instead of
reconstruction: general aim of
Conservation”
-Camillo BOITO 1836-1914,
“Monuments.. also show facets
of the history of different
peoples..
-Date of intervention indicated
on the Monument.
CONSERVATION
1800 1900