85187 - History of Restoration and Theory of Preservation

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - knows the theory and processes of restoration carried out in the past; - is able to recognize restoration work done in the past; - is able to develop a critical approach to the preservation science; - can interact with other professionals involved in conservative interventions in both advanced and routine subjects.

Course contents

This course aims to provide the students with the basic features of the discipline through the investigation of the different theories and practices that have marked the history and theory of the restoration and preservation of monuments and works of art from the Renaissance to our day. A part of the lectures will be focused on a very contemporary theme such as conservation and preservation of contemporary art, with a special interest to Urban Art. For some time, disciplines such as Graffiti-writing and Street art are the subject of the attentions of the restores and restoration experts who by their work are contributing to the formulation of an appropriate theory for the preservation of these testimonies of contemporary pictorial art (the problem remains for all those works of illegal art, which don't enjoy the attention that is instead paid to the Public art). In this regard, this course will deal with the circumstances that in 2015 determined the posting and subsequent musealization of some mural paintings by Blu in Bologna and how this action changed the course of events.

Readings/Bibliography

C. BRANDI, Teoria del restauro, Torino, Einaudi, 1977H. JEDRZEJEWSKA, Principi di restauro, Opus, 1983; A. CONTI, Restauro, Jaca Book, Milano 1992 o A. CONTI (a cura di), Sul restauro, Einaudi, Torino, 1988; L. CIANCABILLA, Per una prima mostra storica degli estrattisti in L’incanto dell’affresco. Capolavori strappati da Pompei a Giotto, da Correggio a Tiepolo, catalogo della mostra, Vol. I, a cura di L. CIANCABILLA, C. SPADONI, Silvana editore, Cinisello Balsamo, 2014, pp. 29-72; L. CIANCABILLA, Fotografare o musealizzare l'Arte Urbana. Il grigio di Blu e la sua nemesi in L. CIANCABILLA, G. TUSINI (a cura di), Oltre il grigio. Conservare, musealizzare e restaurare l’Arte Urbana fra tradizione e memoria, BUP, Bologna 2019, pp. 75-102;L. CIANCABILLA, I cieli del polittico Griffoni: il facsimile fotografico come strumento di mimesi della materia e indagine degli interventi di restauro in M. NATALE (a cura di), Il polittico griffoni. Un dono per la città, atti convegno (Bologna, Palazzo Pepoli, ottobre 2020), Minerva editore, Bologna 2021, pp. 145-158; L. CIANCABILLA, 1930-1990: I cieli della Loggia di Psiche come paradigma della teoria e della pratica del restauro del Novecento in D. BENATI, S. CAVICCHIOLI, S. COSTA, M. FAIETTI (a cura di), Raffaello. Mito e percezione, atti del convegno (Bologna, DAR, 9-11 giugno 2021), Bologna 2021, pp. 81-98; H. ALTHOFER, Il restauro delle opere d'arte moderne e contemporanee, Nardini, Firenze 1991 , PP. 51-66; 141-158.

Teaching methods

This course involves the use of slide presentations, through which students will be introduced to the visual knowledge of works and interventions of the past and of the present, continuously referring to and comparing theory and practice, from the origins to the present. As one of the purposes of this course is getting used to the direct visual examination of art works and artistic artefacts, we can use the hours of lessons visiting museums, sacred buildings, public and private collections, restoration laboratories and worksites between Ravenna, Bologna, Florence and Rome.

Assessment methods

Oral examination on the institutional and monograph parts, including the use of images. Students will be required to take notes and learn about the topics discussed during the lessons.

The result of the exam will be: insufficient in case of linguistic and expressive deficiencies, as well as of missed or erroneous comment to the texts; sufficient in case of correct linguistic expression, possession of basic historic and artistic knowledges and understanding of subject in its chronological development; good in case of correct linguistic expression and knowledge of the texts and authors; excellent in case of excellent expressive ability, and in-depth knowledge of the texts and authors.

Teaching tools

• Color/black and white slides

•  Visits to museums and public collections

• Visits to public and private restoration laboratories

•  Visits to restoration work sites

Office hours

See the website of Luca Ciancabilla