restaurátori

Restaurátori are professionals who conserve, restore, and preserve cultural heritage objects and sites. Working in museums, archives, libraries, churches, and historic buildings, their aim is to stabilize deteriorating materials, prevent further damage, and restore appearance when appropriate while preserving authenticity. They follow ethical principles that emphasize minimal intervention, reversibility, and thorough documentation.

Education typically includes a degree in conservation-restoration or conservation science, often with training in art history and chemistry. Practical internships in museums or laboratories are common. Specializations cover paintings, sculpture, paper, textiles, wood, metals, wall paintings, architectural elements, and archaeological artifacts.

Core methods include condition assessment, documentation, analyses of materials, selective cleaning, consolidation, inpainting, and varnish removal. Treatments aim to stabilize materials and improve display while avoiding new damage. Interventions are recorded in conservation reports with photographs, and choices are guided by the goal of reversibility and compatibility with original materials.

Restaurátori work in public institutions, private studios, and research laboratories. They collaborate with curators, conservators in other disciplines, architects, and scientists. Professional norms are shaped by national heritage laws and international codes of ethics, such as those promoted by regional conservation associations and bodies like ICOM-CC. The field continues to adapt to new materials, climate risks, and the need to balance preservation with accessibility.