Course: RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS II

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Course title RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS II
Course code KHI/RPA2
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Honys Vít, PhDr.
Course content
1. Degradation and conservation of metals and their alloys Characteristics of the causes and displays of corrosion of individual base metals and their alloys, noble and unrefined (wild) patina, preliminary research methods, basic conservation methods (de-ionization, mechanical and chemical methods of cleansing, passivation, surface conservation and finishing). 2. Historical clockworks and their restoration Historical development of clockworks, their basic construction types found in Central Europe including clock dials, the historical value of tower clockworks, the specifics of their conservation and restoration into functional shape including the possible appropriate ways of installing ancillary automatic winding 3. Bells as historical relics, their restoration and care of them The development of bell founding in the Czech lands, the basis of bell acoustics, the description of bells and their appurtenances, hand ringing versus the risk of the electric ringing systems, the care of bells, their restorations, the responsibilities of a campanologist 4. Wood and the causes of its degradation Structure of wood, influences of temperature and changes of humidity, biological pests: dry rots (their life cycle, life conditions and effects of merulius vastator and other dry rots and mildew), ligniperdous insects (woodworm, longhorned beetles etc.) and their life cycles, preventive protection and climatic regime 5. Wood conservation Retrospective overview of insecticides and antifungals and methods of liquidating dry rots and ligniperdous insects used in the past, currently used methods and means of liquidating dry rots, mildew and insects (chemicals, gasifying, controlled atmospheres, gamma rays, etc.), principles of typological labelling, methods of application and their effectiveness 6. Wood petrification and its consequences Reasons for wood petrification as a demanding segment of the restoration process aimed at preserving authentic material and requiring experience and appropriate equipment, historical and current methods and material for petrification of wood damaged by ligniperdous vermin, possible consequences and effectivity - up-to-date experiences and findings 7. Finishing of works of art made of wood Development and overview of the appurtenant technologies: inlay, marquetry, waxing, varnishing, oriental lacquers, gilding, polished white, polychrome, marbling and others, the causes of damaging, the specifics of their conservation and restoration, the regime of continuous maintenance 8. Polychrome wooden sculpture both as solitaire and group sculpture and their restoration The issues of their research and the polarity of opinion between the gallery approaches and respecting younger polychrome layers and additions, the necessity of respecting the relations concerning the complete and overall interior decoration, stabilization of authentic layers of polychrome and their retouches, montages and installations 9. Easel and panel paintings Lecture: basic painting techniques, supports, bases, finishing varnishes, causes of the degradation of varnishes and colour layers, restoration research and the process of restoration (including the issue of rentoalage), the regime of maintenance 10. Music instruments as relics - organ and related keyboard instruments I Lecture: the development of organ-building - basic types (to the early 19th century, including the specifics of the individual European workshop circles), terminology, organ cases and their specifics 11. Music instruments II Changes in the development of organs and other music instruments, the enduring conservative tendencies in the Central-European organ-building, the Ratisborn reform of spiritual music, the beginnings of factory production, the specifics of maintenance, conservation, restoration, relation to space, historical values (including those musically acoustic), the role of an organologist 12. Window panes and vitrailles, their restoration and preservation

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The aim of the subject is to introduce students to the basic issues of the causes of damage of and the basic principles of conservation and restoration works of art and applied arts of organic materials and metals, and of window panes and music instruments. It also introduces to the development of some disciplines of applied arts and the issue of values of historical monuments and presents the concrete issues on a selected historical monument in field.
The graduates are orientated in and can, in part, also independently work with written and documentation material serving as a support for broadening the knowledge about a work designated for a conservationist and restoration intervention (historical contracts, graphic representations, official written documents, restoration reports, documentary photographs, restoration laboratory researches) as well as formulate a basic concept of a simple restoration or conservation intervention. They can, for example, employ this information for nailing down the missing iconographic details of a particular work of art, technologies used in the past, outlining the untouchable values of a work, its complements and so on. Graduation from the course facilitates broadening knowledge and information in the field of working with professional literature and the work itself as well as sources on history and historical interventions and changes on a work of art designated for restoration, including training knowledge from modern palaeography and contemporary terminology. The graduates mainly employ the acquired knowledge and skills in the sphere of practical care of cultural monuments and collections (observing an optimum climatic and visitors? regime in relation to the collections). Besides, they will apply many pieces of information from the field of art-historical and cultural-historical research mainly in regional conditions on concrete examples in the framework of the field practice.
Prerequisites
1. The precondition is graduating from the subject Restoration of Historical Monuments I. 2. A desirable precondition is basic orientation in art history and iconography, while passive knowledge of the basics of German language, including modern palaeography, is also appropriate.

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
Students are required to submit a seminar paper focusing on the description and characteristics of damage and formulating a simple concept of a restoration intervention on a work of art or applied arts which are, in their character, linked with the contents of the above-mentioned lectures; they must pass a verification interview and a final exam testing more detailed knowledge of at least two lectured subject wholes.
Recommended literature
  • Acta Artis Academicae-Interpretace analýz výtvarného umění. Praha, 2014. ISBN 978-80-87108-48-2.
  • Belis Jiří, Belisová Natalie, Červinková Petra. Krajina kovaných křížů. Praha, 2015. ISBN 978-80-7036-472-7.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Cultural History (A14) Category: History courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer