Art Conservator Reacts to Botched Amateur Art Restoration 2020

Have you seen the latest, unrecognisable and painful botched amateur art restoration? Join me, a professional art conservator, as I unpack what happened, give you my honest opinion and tell you how you can prevent more botched amateur restorations!

In summary - a private collector in Spain paid a furniture restorer to clean his painting... this was the result.

In this video I talk about
- previous botched amateur attempts at art restoration that have gone horribly wrong
- what art conservation (also known as artefact conservation, museum conservation and sometimes even art restoration) is meant to be
- what a professional art conservator is
- how to find a professional conservator
- and what you can do to help preserve our cultural heritage and prevent more amateur attempts at art restoration

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|| Disclaimer ||
Conservation treatments are carried out by highly trained and qualified conservators. Treatments you see in this video were designed specifically for each item and followed careful testing and examination. These treatments are not recommended for any other items. Please see 'Find a Conservator' above if you would like you treasures treated.

[BaronHumbertvonGikkingen]

This was such a wonderful video; I was nodding along emphatically to all of your points. (I'm not a trained conservator, but I work with paintings restorers here in the UK, so I'm well versed in the ethics). I also find it so frustrating that most of the stories that hit the headlines about conservation are about botched attempts - it doesn't really do much in terms of trying to help raise public awareness and understanding of what conservation is!

With this latest one though, it does make me curious about the particular ethics and work practices/approach in furniture restoration, which I know nothing absolutely about, since I only work with paintings.

[judithgarcia]

I am crying! People that destroy art like this should be held criminally responsible and should be made to do time behind bars.

[HappyPineapple]

Greetings from near Perth, WA! I love finding Aussie content creators :) I'm only 3 min into the video but I have a feeling I'm about to binge your entire channel ahahahaha

[publicserviceannouncements]

*I botch my own own paintings... while making them in the first place.* 🤣

[laury]

This video is absolutely wonderful! Informative and fun, the perfect match. Thank you for it! I am a French professional conservator and we need to spread this kind of speech here!

[Jenx]

Why would anyone take painting to a furniture restoration place and why would so someone who works on wood even try a painting?

[IPostSwords]

These amateur restorations are so pervasive and insipient. Not just in art, but in all fields that deal with artifacts.

[thesilentangel]

I think the biggest whoopsie was what happened with “Orpheus attacked by the Furies”.
Apparently they didn’t do the most basic step, which was to test the ink for solubility so when they dunked it in alcohol....whoosh.
Bodgers really unfortunately give conservators a bad name. :P

[williamharris]

What advice or guidance would you provide where a professional conservator is simply unavailable? I live in a smaller community, and there are no art conservators in private practice in this province. The closest would be about ~1000 km. away. My options are seemingly either use a local amateur or store the item until a conservator decides to relocate closer to my community. (The very same issue applies to finding e.g. qualified plumbers, carpenters, or electricians -- most people employ semi-skilled amateurs as they are all that is available locally.)

By way of personal background, I have a graduate degree and I worked in the heritage sector (specifically archives) for more than a decade. I have completed introductory-level training in paper conservation. I am also well aware of the practical constraints facing individual collectors and small institutions, especially those located outside of large metropolitan areas.

[drala]

I know my limits and I thank you for this.

[sumitbhandari]

Can the original be was the follow-ups? Is it lost forever 😭

[madamvaudelune]

Ok, a little confused here. The original Murillo is in the Prado, right? Jeebus Cripes its worth tens of millions, did this guy have a copy that was really good or really old? If this was the original im going to faint...

[TheConservationStarter]

What do you think of the latest botched art restoration? Think it's better/worse/more horrific than Monkey Christ?

[amandazavala]

As an art curator do you have to become an professional in just one type of art(for ex. She's a paper art conservator) or can you work with all kinds of art? Whether their paper, glass, or paint.

[elvira]

I bet the painter painted over everything on the surface, wouldnt it be possible to remove it?

[Eitner]

It is obviously a hobby in Spain to destroy works of art by amateurs. This is the third one in a couple of years. These would-be artists should be made liable and pay for all possible costs while professional restorations are being executed. That could cost thousands of bucks.

[quasar]

Perhaps if 'Conservators' didn't charge fifty times what lessor restorers do, they would be used more often....

[megandavison]

I'm glad you brought up the monkey christ, as it was most likely done on purpose as it generated tourism for an otherwise unimportant painting by a artist only known because of the botched job. This painting garnered more revenue in its present state than it ever would have before. Thanks for reading I really enjoy your videos ... um bye.

[nikolkuhar]

I want to go to art university for art restorer, but first of all, I am scared I will not get in, second, that if I get in, I won't be good enough, and third even if I finish that I won't find job 🙁

[kennedy]

She looks identical to the portrait that was botched!