Preventive Conservation in Major Museums is a 2021 publication that includes comparisons, reflections, and strategies on preventive conservation (practices) from directors of the world's top leading museums. They all share the responsibility of conservation and this publication is a continuation of a previous conference which took place on October 12th, 2018.

The issues discussed at the conference and written in the publication reflect the general mission of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums (PAVM). Patron generosity and the work of the PAVM staff are integral to the operations of the Vatican Museums. Their contributions to conservation are among the many hallways, galleries, gardens, courtyards, and stairways. A passion for the survival of art, culture, history, and heritage unites all contributors and collaborators. Patrons’ interest stems from their PAVM membership. The PAVM warmly welcomes the keen interest and participation of all patrons and would like to offer them the opportunity to explore behind the scenes of a centuries-old cultural institution.

Although preservation, restoration, and conservation coincide with regular maintenance, there is an important distinction between the three, and these terms should not be interchangeable. Preventive Conservation in Major Museums confidently refers to them in the following way:

Preservation is the practice of providing durable storage or display environments for objects of art in order to minimize further damage or deterioration. Temperature, humidity, light, and security control are vital to preservation. It is equally necessary to stabilize the facilities and exhibition rooms in a manner that monitors the environmental conditions, treats pests and insects, and utilizes safe storage products.

Conservation is the practice of eliminating or mitigating further deterioration. A professional conservator who specializes in cleaning or agent removal performs conservation to eliminate such damages. The treatment goal is to ensure the handling, storage, and display do not pose additional damage risks to the work of art. For example, a professional painting and wood conservator may replace a badly damaged base to stabilize the statue. Conservators will preserve the original wood, provide treatment processes, and fully document and photograph their work. They follow the strict ethical standards that promise to “first, do no harm.” They also employ reversible stabilization methods, meaning that any treatments they perform can be reversed with no ill effect to the artwork. Conservation is not an attempt to return an object to its original state. Those efforts are more commonly known as restoration.

The Vatican Museums have a thorough and precise scheduled routine in their maintenance efforts. In the Sistine Chapel, every January, during the low tourist season, conservers climb their professional and secure stairway to heaven, with the assistance of scaffolding, to touch up Michelangelo’s world. The routine nature of this labor coincides with John Ruskin’s perspective on the treatment of works. In simple terms, he suggests that by taking “proper care of your monuments, you will not need to restore them.” Consistent maintenance and careful consideration of each step in the process can prevent extreme deterioration. The most difficult aspect of maintenance is the accurate assessment of the artworks’ needs. Different materials require different treatment. Nonetheless, Salvatore Settis’ article in Preventive Conservation in Major Museums uses the perfect analogy to explain how contemporaries should universally view conservation.

Settis refers to the gaze of Janus to emphasize a duality. In ancient Roman myths, Janus is the God of beginnings and endings, through which he became a symbol of transitions. Conservation is a type of time passage that requires a look into the past with a simultaneous far-reaching vision of the future. Conservators must dive deep into their collections and research these objects to understand its history and previous interventions in order to propose adequate means of care for the future. Additionally, there is a sense of urgency to consider the future since environmental factors pose significant threats. Settis reminds us that the gaze of Janus is the past and future living in the present, which is how professionals should approach works of art today.

While the pontificate does not have the physical features of Janus, it does have the power to enact laws that assist with conservation. In the Apostolic Constitution, there is a considerable amount of decrees that incorporate two-way farsightedness. They originated in 1574 during the pontificate of Gregory XIII in the Apostolic Constitution Quae public utilia et decora and span to the Pastor bonus (1988) of Pope John Paul II. These laws have continued to contribute to the development of the Vatican Museums under Director Barbara Jatta. A text written by Jatta, also within this publication, along with an introduction from Fr. Kevin Lixey, PAVM International Director, emphasizes the importance of conservation and the long-standing tradition of patronage.

Preventive Conservation in Major Museums would not have been possible without Patron Olessia Kantor's generosity. Her support also extended to the presentation that took place on Thursday, March 25, in the Vatican Museums, which allowed Dr. Jatta and other museum directors to elaborate on their articles and contributions to the field.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference consisted of a combination of Zoom calls, pre-recorded videos, and an in-panel discussion.The relationships built during the conference in 2018, the ideas printed in this publication, and the fruitful exchanges from the recent presentation established a precedent for the future.

If you were not able to join the conference in real time, you can watch it on the Vatican Museums YouTube channel. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewu4AKxdDdQ&t=1296s

To learn more about Olessia Kantor’s involvement in the Patrons, click on this link to see her in the PAVM Member Spotlight: https://www.patronsvaticanmuseums.org/en/about-us/members-spotlights/olessia-kantor 

A printed copy of Preventive Conservation in Major Museums is available for purchase in the Vatican Museums bookshop http://shop.museivaticani.va/kkshop/BOOKS-AND-DVD/1_183_-1_-1.do . It has been translated from Italian to English with the assistance of the Patrons Office. Thank you to Fr. Kevin Lixey, Romina Cometti, Sophia Spralja, and Annarita Imperio. Additionally, thank you to Adam Elgar, Elena Nannicini, and Karin Jansen for their translation contributions.