Conservation Science
Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction : history of conservation in India. 2. Examination and documentation. 3. Preventive conservation. 4. Authenticity and faking. 5. Ethics in conservation. Bibliography. Index.
"It is a misnomer to say that artifacts or monuments or documentary heritage get preserved by giving them protection only. Conservation which includes preservation and restoration is a systematic knowledge today. Conservation has become a multidisciplinary approach and hence has become an applied science. This book discusses the responsibilities of all connected with art, archaeology and archives including people/at large.
"Conservation science is not confined to active treatment to be executed but is also related to display, storage, handling, transportation, gallery management and care from conservation point of view and includes documentation, monitoring of their health, acquisition, authentication, taking care of the menance of fakes and forgeries, legal issues, fingerprinting, professional ethics and protection of monuments/sites from vandals. All these aspects go together for their total care and safety.
"The readers would be helped by sharing the experiences of the author gained by him during almost the past five decades especially the students of various disciplines namely archaeology, art history, museology and art conservation besides professionals already working in their respective fields connected with heritage. This attempt, would strengthen their understanding further even though experts may not find many aspects which should have been dealt in this book. The author proposes to deal the rest of the aspects of conservation science in subsequent attempts in due course. People at large would also be motivated so as to appreciate their heritage and stop casual attitude towards art in general and monuments in particular by way of their contribution in helping people responsible for the preservation of these relics of the past to shape a better present for the society at large in times to come." (jacket)
