Restoration and Conservation (Professional Certificate)

The Restoration and Conservation Professional/Advanced Certificate aims to cultivate qualified individuals that want to master restoration techniques by embarking on a broader theoretical and technical study of the subject. The goal is to provide a new international generation of professional conservators with the fundamentals of the Italian and Florentine tradition of restoration to apply on works of art located in Tuscany, in Italy, and worldwide. 

In the Professional program, students learn to work both alone and on teams accomplishing tasks in conditions that replicate those demanded of professionals in the field. Thanks to a series of courses, advanced students learn to master traditional and contemporary solutions of intervention and restoration treatments, as well as the application and usage of different materials (pigments, glue, resin, plaster, and canvas). Set in a professional studio environment, students work on panels, canvases, frescoes, and polychrome wooden sculpture, as well as antique furniture and gold-gilded works of art while reflecting on their history and the ethical issues encountered in the restoration process.

An integral part of the Program is the study of the physical and chemical properties of different materials. Restoration students investigate the different process of deterioration and consolidation while also learning about the various cleaning techniques, taking into consideration the chemical reactions in the restoration process. Another area of focus is the formal and scientific documentation of an object from photographs to accurate historical research, which is essential to the authentication process. By implementing all their newly acquired skills, Advanced students can evaluate and analyze restoration conditions of an artwork to develop a post-restoration care plan.

Courses also include taking advantage of the unparalleled access to masterpieces that made art history with regular on-site lessons and visits to the numerous Florentine museums, historic palaces, and churches. Students have the opportunity to observe and discuss the various restoration techniques learned in class while studying how the practice of restoration has evolved and changed through time. A profound understanding of a work of art is at the core of the Restoration and Conservation Professional program. In order to gain this knowledge and to sharpen their observation skills toward historical works of art, students create exact replicas of a chosen era, focusing on masterpieces that they encountered during their field study. 

Facilities provide students with fully equipped laboratories that feature authentic pieces from 14th to 19th centuries to restore, a computer lab, and a continuously updated library of books and periodicals. 

Students who complete the Professional Certificate in Restoration and Conservation have great opportunities for travel all over the world. LdM students have traveled to Nepal, India, Chile and most recently to the Easter Island to restore the famous Moai statues. Conservators can also find careers in areas such as museum conservation, conservation science, preventive conservation, project management and even advocacy work. 

Course descriptions are available in the Academic Catalog.

Fully equipped lab features:

– Authentic pieces from 14th to 19th centuries to restore
– Industry skills with the collaboration with professional institutes of Florence
– Computer lab
– Continuously updated library of books and magazines