What’s in a name? The conservator-restorer: a definition
- This article is a translation of:
- What’s in a name? Le conservateur-restaurateur : une définition [fr]
Abstracts
This article presents the symposium “What’s in a name? The conservator-restorer: a definition”, held on April 11, 2024 at the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in Paris to mark the 40th anniversary of the publication of the definition of the profession “The conservator: a definition of the profession” during icom-cc’s 7th triennial held in copenhagen in 1984. It provides the reader with a summarised transcript of the speeches, round-table discussions and exchanges with the audience.
As the symposium was broadcast live online and recorded with simultaneous French-English translation, the entire day's proceedings can also be viewed by following these links:
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The organising committee would like to sincerely thank the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, especially Anne-Solène Rolland, for having hosted this symposium and for its logistical and financial support, but also to all its teams, who ensured that the day ran smoothly. We would also like to thank ICOM-France for its financial support for this event.
Foreword
1Established in 1992, the Fédération française des conservateurs-restaurateurs (FFC-R) is a non-profit professional organization and is a founding member of the European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations (E.C.C.O.), which promotes the profession of conservator and more broadly conservation as a core discipline for the safeguard of cultural heritage.
- 1 FFC-R represents approximately 460 members out of 1200 working professionals, and is run by a commi (...)
2FFC-R1’s actions aim at the recognition of the skills and qualifications of conservators with a master degree or equivalent training level, at the improvement of their working conditions, and at representing conservators within the cultural heritage social and professional ecosystem.
- 2 Code du patrimoine, law articles L452-1 (https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT00 (...)
3The idea of organizing a conference on the 1984 definition of the profession has emerged in the specific context of a possible evolution in the French legislation. In France, since 2002, conservation is a partially regulated profession, as a law2 state that only trained conservators - with a master degree or an equivalent academic level in conservation of cultural heritage - can work on objects belonging to museum collections (i.e museums labelled “musées de France” and national museums). However, anyone can still be named “conservator”, “restorer”, or “conservator-restorer”, and legally anyone is authorised to work on cultural assets in the other cultural heritage sectors and contexts such as books, archives, movable and immovable assets in historic building, archeological artefacts, etc.
- 3 Member of parliament elected in the 4th constituency of Charente-Maritime from July 2017 to June 20 (...)
4For years, FFC-R has been working towards the recognition and protection of the name “conservateur-restaurateur”, and at the time the symposium was organised, a name for the profession as well as a definition of conservation-restoration were close to find expression in French legislation as Raphaël Gérard3, a member of parliament, was about to submit a draft law officialising the creation of a protected title, on which he had been working together with both FFC-R and the ministry of Culture. Since then, France has seen some unexpected political changes with the dissolution of the assembly by president Emmanuel Macron in June 2024, which led to the non-re-election of MP Raphaël Gérard and consequently postponed the project until new political support is found.
- 4 Among other founding texts, the 1984 definition of the profession is a keystone on which FFC-R has (...)
- 5 English, French and Spanish, which are the three official languages of ICOM.
- 6 The text of the definition of the profession (published in « Nouvelles de l’ICOM », 39, (1), 1986, (...)
5This long-term project is still ongoing but either way, it appeared during the process that protecting the name “conservateur-restaurateur”, chosen accordingly the 1984 definition4, remains an idiomatic and symbolic issue in a Latin language speaking country where the term “conservateur” is used to appoint professionals - and a body of the civil service - known as “curators” in English. Notwithstanding the definition of the profession and a related name chosen and translated in three languages5 by the global professional community, despite the adoption of a terminology for conservation by ICOM-CC in 2008 and by ICOM in its 2010 resolutions6, followed by the publication in 2011 of the European standard NF EN 15898 Conservation of cultural property — Main general terms and definition, the necessity to use an internationally recognised terminology, beyond national specificities, needs to be reaffirmed.
Presentation of the symposium
- 7 Organising committee: Éléonore Kissel, Pauline Elie, Anais Diez, Chloé Barle, Emilie Dominey and Cl (...)
6Organizing an event for the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Definition of a profession in collaboration with ICOM-CC7 was an opportunity to reflect and explore within a broadened field, questions raised in the French context, where defining and naming the profession appears to be still pending in the ambiguity of language and cultural context. Reflecting on the core points of the 1984 text, and how these have served and guided the evolution and development of the profession and discipline to the present day while examining the limitations of language in the 1984 definition of the conservator-restorer and the relevance of using a common vocabulary, will open the debate of this conference.
7The four decades after ICOM-CC adopted the definition of the profession also represent a timeframe in which practices and theories of conservation have seemingly evolved. Taking the 1984 definition as a founding base and start, this conference will aim to open discussions on the profession and matters in defining the profession and will question the possibility to extend or refine the definition of the profession in line with relevant theory which simultaneously encompasses new competences, new approaches, diverse notions and concepts and a broader theoretical context, while resonating with the concepts and values defined in 1984 in essence.
Transcriptions of the contributions, round tables and discussions
Opening of the symposium and introduction
8Anne-Solène Rolland – directrice du département du patrimoine et des collections — musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac ; Clémentine Bollard –FFC-R administrator; Stephanie de Roemer – vice-président of ICOM-CC.
Morning session - The legacy of the 1984 definition
9The first roundtable of the conference was dedicated to recall the founding points and genesis of the ‘1984 definition’, and to place the work done on defining and naming the profession of conservator-restorer within the broader context of a need for a global terminology for conservation. The conversation took place between Pierre Leveau (membre associé aux recherches du Centre Granger, Université Aix-Marseille), Janet Bridgland (ICOM-CC), Gaël de Guichen (ICCROM).
10Reflections on the genesis of the 1984 definition and subsequent initiatives: Pierre Leveau, Janet Bridgland, Gaël de Guichen.
11Beyond the symposium, to find out more: “Should the profession of conservator-restorer be redefined? Retrospective view and future perspectives», Pierre Leveau. Text expected end October 2024.
12The crucial question of naming was then considered from the angle of law and standardisation of a profession, with the contribution of Vincent Négri (ISP, ENS Paris-Saclay — CNRS, Paris), followed by a presentation by MP Raphaël Gérard of its draft bill whose purpose was to pass a law creating a protected title for conservator-restorers.
13Setting and standardizing a profession: Vincent Négri (ISP, ENS Paris-Saclay — CNRS, Paris).
14Protecting the title of conservator to enhance the protection of cultural heritage: a project to change the French legislation: Raphaël Gérard, member of the French Parliament (Charente-Maritime — 4th district).
15Transcripts of the morning and afternoon sessions will be available from December 6, 2024.
Afternoon session - Future needs in defining the profession
16The afternoon session was dedicated to three round-tables: a first one dedicated the competences of conservators and the new trends in their evolution, a second one on the evolution of theories and practices, and a third one which considered the eventual need of redefining the profession with respect to the evolution of competences, theories and practices.
Round table discussion 1 – It’s all about competences: training a new generation
17It’s all about competences: training a new generation: Kate Seymour, moderator (SRAL, Maastricht), Maggi Loubser (University of Pretoria), Satish Pandey (Indian Institute of Heritage, New Delhi), Luiz Souza (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil), Laura Fuster López (ENCoRE).
Round table discussion 2- Anything new? New conservation practices and theories
18Anything new? New conservation practices and theories : David Cohen, modérateur (Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá), Polytimi Loukopoulou (Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens), Éléonore Kissel (Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Paris), Clémentine Bollard (CY Cergy Paris Université, Paris), Salvador Muñoz Viñas (Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Valencia).
Round table discussion 3 - One size fits all? A need for a tailored definition of the conservator?
19One size fits all? A need for a tailored definition of the conservator?: Stephanie de Roemer, moderator (University of Cambridge Museums), Patricia Engel (University for Continuing Education, Krems), Lori Wong (The Courtauld Institute of Art, London), Renata F. Peters (UCL, London).
Conclusive remarks and perspectives
20The CHARTER project: Susan Corr (CHARTER)
Video recording – Morning (French)
21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_6aaxYlEWQ
Video recording - Afternoon (French)
22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL6lin-urWk
Video recording - Morning (English)
23https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xraAvVVuRpE
Video recording - Afternoon (English)
24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh1n6uM3URg
Transcripts (English)
25See Attachments
Attachments
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Event Opening (application/pdf – 146k)
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First Session (application/pdf – 359k)
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Round Table 1 (application/pdf – 252k)
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Round Table 2 (application/pdf – 209k)
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Round Table 3 (application/pdf – 212k)
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Conclusions and Perspectives (application/pdf – 190k)
Notes
1 FFC-R represents approximately 460 members out of 1200 working professionals, and is run by a committee of 15 elected members. In France, conservation is carried out by professionals, of whom 75% are self-employed and 80% are women.
2 Code du patrimoine, law articles L452-1 (https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006074236/LEGISCTA000024240987/#LEGISCTA000024240987) and R452-10 (https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000031487750).
3 Member of parliament elected in the 4th constituency of Charente-Maritime from July 2017 to June 2024.
4 Among other founding texts, the 1984 definition of the profession is a keystone on which FFC-R has relied as a professional federation to defend and advance the legal and administrative recognition of the profession.
5 English, French and Spanish, which are the three official languages of ICOM.
6 The text of the definition of the profession (published in « Nouvelles de l’ICOM », 39, (1), 1986, p. 5 et 6 and available in English on ICOM-CC’s website (https://www.icom-cc.org/en/definition-of-the-profession-1984), was approved during ICOM-CC’s 7th triennial held in Copenhagen in 1984, and inserted into the resolution concerning the terminology for conservation of tangible cultural heritage adopted at ICOM-CC’s 15th triennial in New-Delhi in 2008 ( https://www.icom-cc.org/en/terminology-for-conservation), and approved by ICOM through the 7th resolution of its 25th general assembly held in Shanghai in 2010 (https://icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ICOMs-Resolutions_2010_Fr.pdf)
7 Organising committee: Éléonore Kissel, Pauline Elie, Anais Diez, Chloé Barle, Emilie Dominey and Clémentine Bollard for FFC-R and Kate Seymour and Stephanie de Roemer for ICOM-CC.
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Electronic reference
Clémentine Bollard, “What’s in a name? The conservator-restorer: a definition ”, CeROArt [Online], 13 | 2024, Online since 29 December 2024, connection on 24 June 2025. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/ceroart/9070; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/12ldm
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The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.
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