Conservation & Preservation

Iraqarchive

Iraq refuses to co-operate with US archaeologists unless cache of Jewish manuscripts are given back

However, operations financed by the World Monument in Babylon will not be halted

Portrait attributed to Leonardo in desperate condition

Possible self-portrait needs urgent treatment for mould and bacteria

Louvre’s Leonardo conservation plan leads to resignation

Fears it will affect the sfumato of the piece are growing

Anger over Louvre’s plan to clean Leonardo's Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

Specialists fear artist’s “smoky finish” effect may be harmed

Californiaarchive

California and New Mexico murals go digital with the Getty

Painstakingly documented by Ernest Long, this archive may be all that is left of many

Museumsarchive

A warm welcome at Sunnylands as the favourite retreat of American presidents gets a new visitor centre

The continuing restoration of the home makes it fit for a queen (Queen Elizabeth II to be precise)

Berlin and Warsaw team up to preserve socialist heritage

Though reconstruction efforts after the devastation of war differed wildly between the two cities, the dialogue will be vital to conservation efforts

Tate Britain to be transformed in £45m project aimed to protect the works and please the guests

Millions needed to stop leaks, control humidity and open up the rotunda of the Victorian building

Infrared-light technology gets funding boost

Technology could foresee deterioration of artworks

Bringing back the Baroque—colonial style

Yale prepares for the 2012 installation of its decorative arts galleries by reconstructing a period room

Shining a light on environmental directives

European Union “green” guidelines create new conundrums for museums and artists

An advance in iron preservation aids conservators

Work on Civil War submarine leads to pioneering technique

MoMA celebrates film preservation

Artists such as Kara Walker to introduce newly restored works by Kubrick and others

Cleaning shows that London’s Virgin of the Rocks is nearly all by the artist’s hand

After five years of research and conservation, Leonardo's masterpiece is once again looking its best

Stopping the passage of time: Colour photography conservation

A new technique aims to prevent colour prints from fading—but is it legal?

Government looks to China as Europe suspends funding for Ilisu dam

Authorities fail on environmental and social impact conditions

Cypriot wall paintings get HIV test as part of conservation strategy

Adapted antibody technique helps conservators find suitable restoration materials

Italian collector’s pledge to help save crumbling city of Palermo

Roberto Bilotti has restored an 18th-century palace and plans to open an “art chapel”

Iraqarchive

5 years after the Baghdad Museum's looting, a little optimism is finally appropriate: Interview with the British Museum's John Curtis

The situation at the Baghdad Museum remains bleak but thieves are less of a problem at archaeological sites

Iraqarchive

International backing secured for the recuperation of Babylon after disturbances by US military bases

The World Monuments Fund will educate Iraqi experts tasked with keeping the ruins in good condition

Unescoarchive

Samarra shrine must be rebuilt: Unesco says reconstruction will help unite warring factions

The site is considered one of the holiest in Iraq, containing the remains of two of the Prophet's descendants

Hirst to fix another formaldehyde installation

All four versions of Mother and Child, Divided, returned to Hirst's studio for conservation

Statues by the elder Calder get laser treatment

These conservation efforts removed the many years of corrosion built up on the works

Italyarchive

Italian archaeologists arrive in Iran for citadel of Bam restoration project

The Italian government is giving financial assistance in the 2,000 year-old site's repair, after it was badly affected by an earthquake