DEONTOLOGY

We work according the ethical code of the CHARTER OF VENICE and the
CODE OF ETHICS of the A.I.C. (American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artisctic Work).

However, many ethical questions about restoration are open for discussion and interpretation, e.g. :

1. THE PRINCIPLE OF REVERSIBILITY
is a highly discussable principle, because most interventions are simply not reversible. According to ethical codes " restorers and conservationist should only use materials, products and techniques that in no way will harm or deteriorate the object and that have been specially developed for the sole purpose of restoration and conservation of works of art. Furthermore, the intervention by the restorator-conservator should not obstruct later treatments and/or scientific research.".

As noble as this principle may be, it IS and will stay an illusion. When cleaning the surface of a painting, when lining or when applying other restoration products, the art of work will ALWAYS alter and change because of the interventions. Reversibility is often used in the mouth of professionals to pretend that one may revert the work of art to its original state, whenever they like or need to. This is N O T the case. Nearly every work of art one sees in a museum has been altered. Hardly any work of art is in the same state as it was at its birth. Works of Art are made of destructible materials. And by their nature, they will vanish one day. The only thing restorers and conservators can do, is to PROLONG their lifespan as best as they can.

2. LIMIT INTERVENTIONS TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.
The restorator-conservator should respect the unique character of the object, respect the original materials and consider their natural aging processes. He/she should limit interventions to the absolute minimum, because conservation and restauration are not the same as reconstruction and renewal.

As noble as this principle may be, it IS and will stay an illusion. Many works of art are in such a bad state (e.g after a war, a flood, a fire, vandalism, infestation by insects or mildew, a.s.o.) that many parts of the object M U S T be replaced; if the object is to survive.

3. TRACEABLE INTERVENTIONS
According to this principle all interventions and additions to the object should clearly be traceable with the naked eye or with means of research. " This principle was first launched by BALDINI.

As noble as this principle may be, it IS and will stay an illusion.
The Florence Crucifixion by Cimabue (restored al Trateggio by BALDINI himself) is a fine example how theory can negatively interefere with practice !

4. THE HYPOCRISY IN MAJOR INSTITUTIONS
May we finally add that here and today, many museums and professionals reject the old ways of restoration and conservation and develop new products (e.g. mowilith, BEVA, Pattex, Laporal A81, a.s.o. ). They apply these products indiscriminately to any work of art, even to old Master Paintings, without knowing what their long and lasting effects on these works of art will be. In the end they may destroy the object much faster than if nothing were done. Of course, in public restoration reports hardly anything is mentioned about the active use of modern products, not to alarm the public about the try-out philosophy that governs the restoration world.