La restauration des objets patrimoniaux ou le choix de respecter les traces de l'histoire

When an object gets into a museum, it gives it a particular status. From an everyday, worshiping, sumptuous or delightful object... it becomes an object of patrimony. Patrimo¬ nial objects are tangible exemplars of a human activity at a particular time. Consequently, they may have different types of values : historical, documentary, aesthetic, scientific, political, religious... It is therefore essential to give information on their conditions and to conserve the integrity of those objects so that they may keep all their value(s). That is why the notion of traces is crucial within the context of conservation and restoration, as they take part in the understanding of the object. It is therefore essential, before any action, to observe and study the object, to understand its present condition and to make a diagnosis that enables to decide on the purpose of the restoration to be carried out, while respecting the traces of its history since it was created.When an object gets into a museum, it gives it a particular status. From an everyday, worshiping, sumptuous or delightful object... it becomes an object of patrimony. Patrimonial objects are tangible exemplars of a human activity at a particular time. Consequently, they may have different types of values : historical, documentary, aesthetic, scientific, political, religious... It is therefore essential to give information on their conditions and to conserve the integrity of those objects so that they may keep all their value(s). That is why the notion of traces is crucial within the context of conservation and restoration, as they take part in the understanding of the object. It is therefore essential, before any action, to observe and study the object, to understand its present condition and to make a diagnosis that enables to decide on the purpose of the restoration to be carried out, while respecting the traces of its history since it was created.Vincent Frédérique. La restauration des objets patrimoniaux ou le choix de respecter les traces de l'histoire. In: Les Cahiers du Musée des Confluences. Revue thématique Sciences et Sociétés du Musée des Confluences, tome 4, 2009. Les Traces. pp. 89-96