112. Writing the History of Conservation: Expertise and the Care of Asian Objects, 1800s–1950s

Conservation shapes how objects appear, function, and are understood. As part of the biography of objects, it constitutes an important dimension of art history. Although contemporary conservation theory increasingly acknowledges cultural variation in values (Muñoz Viñas, 2004; Hatchfield, 2013), its history during the formative period is still largely written through a Euro-American narrative that emphasizes increasing scientificization and institutionalisation (Pye, 2001; Bewer, 2010; Dupré, 2022). Laboratories, instruments, and professional trainings become the primary sites through which knowledge is authorized and transmitted, while other forms of expertise and authority often remain peripheral to the narrative.

Histories involving the care of Asian objects, whether in workshops, collections, or museums within and beyond Asia, offer an opportunity to reconsider this narrative. Rather than appearing merely as illustrations of the global spread of scientific conservation, they reveal forms of knowledge, authority, and value that complicate dominant narratives of the discipline’s formative period. Taking a broad view of conservation that encompasses preservation and restoration, the panel asks: What forms of knowledge, explicit or tacit, informed practices of caring for Asian objects within and outside modern institutions? How was expertise cultivated among artisans, dealers, and other actors who operated beyond “formal” training? How did collecting and the art market shape understandings of authenticity and authority and influence conservation ethics? We welcome papers on topics including, but not limited to, local conservation knowledge and its circulation, workshop and museum practices, colonial encounters, collecting cultures, and the ways expertise and value shaped conservation choices.

Themes: Conservation, Asian Art, Historiography.

Additional format comment: Session with four presentations followed by discussion.

Lead Convenor: Helena Chen-Abair, University College London, United Kingdom.

Co-convenors: Fletcher Coleman, University of Texas at Arlington.

To submit a Paper to this Session, please follow the guidance on our website and complete the AAH 2027 Call for Papers Proposal Submission Form.