“There are two ways for a painting to perish, the one is for it to be restored, the other is for it not to be restored.”
—Étienne Gilson
“Restoration is a necessary evil.”
—Max Friedländer
Restoration vs. Conservation is a frequent topic in conversations with clients about their heirloom portraits. This article by George Bisacca,Conservator Emeritus at The Metropolitan Museum of Art brilliantly explains the difference — and the concerns.
The transformation of Lilian de Peyster Post Pulford through conservation:
