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Conservation and Restoration of Graphic Documents

Objectives

With this Curricular Unit we intent to give students the necessary skills for conservation restoration interventions on Graphic Documents, covering the main steps, techniques and methods available to Conservators of Graphic Documents (e.g., cleaning, stabilisation, consolidation, reintegration, pressing and storage, etc.); and developing critic thought and the theoretical and practical capabilities that allow them to examine, select and do conservation and restoration treatments of objects or mock-ups, autonomously and according to standard ethic principles.

The student will have the opportunity to develop the critic approach, regarding different conservation options, including the conservation materials selection and procedures evaluation, at least, in a specific object; carrying out in a detailed and complete way the Conservation Documentation of the treated object. The state of conservation and the diagnosis of the object (including objects technique and materials composition), the conservation proposal and the treatment report, with a full photographic record of the object, before, during and after treatment, should make part of the Conservation Documentation, as well as the analyses and exams made for the objects study and its characterization.

Main attention will be giving to the students ability to argue the advantages and disadvantages related to treatment decision, applied on the selected objects, through different case-studies presentation and the discussion of various treatment options, at class environment.

General characterization

Code

12248

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Maria da Conceição Lopes Casanova

Hours

Weekly - 6

Total - 84

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

The student should do the "Graphic Documents Diagnosis and Conservation" discipline, previously.

Bibliography

More bibliography in «others» and beside 
 

Teaching method

The program of this course is presented in the form of expository materials with use of projected images, but mostly by the observation and analysis of practical case-studies, as well as the implementation and execution of practical conservation & restoration treatments on samples and objects of cultural heritage. Students are also invited to participate on the discussion and reflection during case studies presentation.

Evaluation method

The evaluation method will include the Theoretical-Practical component and the Practical component

This CU has frequency, that is, a set of conditions to be met by the student to have access to the exam; The student will have access to the Appeal Exam as long as he does not miss more than 3 of the practical classes.

Attendance and Punctuality are part of the continuous assessment: In Practical classes, 30 min. or more than delay are considered a fault.

The theoretical-practical component aims to evaluate the knowledge that students have acquired about the conservation and restoration of Graphic Documents. The TP component can be done by two moments of evaluation (2 tests or 1 test and the treatment proposal) throughout the semester or alternatively, through the exam at the end of the class period. It is mandatory to have positive use of the TP component.

The grade obtained in the Appeal Exam replaces only the grade of the Theoretical-Practical Component (TP).

It is mandatory to have a positive score for the TP and P components (grade equal to or greater than 9.5 in each component). Each component is rated on a scale of 0 to 20.

The grade of the Practical Component (P) is valid for 2 academic years.

The practical component will be evaluated through performance in TP and P classes and will evaluate:

  1. active participation in classes through the answers to questions posed, the quality of comments on the various topics, the participation and discussion of the texts that are mandatory reading and of the Conservation decision'' to be applied to the case studies treated in class;
  2. attendance, punctuality and  quality of practical work carried out in class, including conservation and preservation actions, handling and packaging, organizational capacity and hygiene and safety care;
  3. The quality of the presentation and discussion of the reports (diagnostic report and final report) taking into account aspects such as comprehension of the deterioration causes, the correct identification of all the pathologies, conservation decision and treatments explanation of the objects studied in class, among others.
  4. The quality of the final report.

Nota Final = (0.5*TP) + (0.5*P)

Subject matter

Principal syllabus

  • Professional ethics considerations and Graphic Document treatments philosophy: from archives and libraries materials to works of at on paper;

  • Technological and material characterization of different Graphic Documents typology and selection of objects for study and treatment.

  • Diagnosis and conservation state of the object understudy and Conservation Documentation preparation

  • Graphic Documents Conservation and Restoration: principal concepts and cleaning methods, Stabilization and consolidation methods, Storage and environmental methods for future preservation.

  • Treatment and ''''decision making'''' process for the case-studies: Ethical rules and value and significance meaning of the object, considering its historic characteristics and the object function evolution; Risks evaluation, considering the conservation state of objects; Selection and justification for treatment materials and procedures chosen, Treatment practical methodologies application - cleaning needs evaluation, stabilization, consolidation, pressing and storage of the objects under study.

  • Evaluation of preventive conservation needs and discussion of results achieved with the treatment of the objects under study.