Original (background) and new copy, National Museum of Ljubljana.

Conservation Restoration

Restoration encompasses a range of activities directly carried out on heritage in order to facilitate its enjoyment, understanding and use.

The Restoration Centre's tasks

The Restoration Centre provides expert advice and support to owners and custodians of cultural heritage in relation to protection, maintenance and restoration.
It carries out research, analysis and diagnostics on the condition of cultural monuments and their materials, which is crucial for restoration planning.
Prepares conservation and other plans for the restoration of cultural monuments, works of art and archaeological sites, including the selection of appropriate methodologies and materials.
It carries out direct conservation restoration of cultural monuments and works of art.
It organises educational programmes, workshops and training for restorers, professionals and the general public.
It keeps records of the condition of cultural monuments, the restoration work carried out, and the materials and techniques used.
It is actively involved in the promotion of cultural heritage.

Restoration of ceiling paintings, Brežice, Knights' Hall in the Posavje Museum

Sections

Every heritage requires special treatment, because it is the attention to detail that matters most.

Design Department

The preservation of the built heritage is the core mission of the Design Department.
The main part of our work is based on the preparation of conservation plans and project documentation (PGD, PZI), on the basis of which, in cooperation with experts in other specific fields, we plan interventions in the built heritage.

Head: Irena Potočnik
Telephone: 01/234 31 25
E-mail: irena.potocnik@zvkds.si

Department of Natural Sciences Research

Our tasks are to identify materials, analyse their changes, determine the authenticity and original appearance of objects and analyse the impact of previous conservation and restoration interventions on cultural heritage. We use a variety of methods in our work.

Head: Dr Katja Kavkler
Telephone: 01/234 31 68
E-mail: katja.kavkler@zvkds.si

Department of Stencil Painting

The work of the Department of Stencil Painting is the salvage of movable art heritage on canvas and occasionally on other media (cardboard, metal, wood). This is an extensive part of the Slovenian art heritage, which is kept in monasteries, churches, museums, state institutions and other owners.

Leader. Barbka Gosar Hirci
Telephone: 01/234 31 25
E-mail: barbka.hirci@zvkds.si

Department of Wall Paintings and Mosaics

The main activity of the department is the preservation and presentation of murals and mosaics, which are usually related to the Slovenian architectural or archaeological heritage.

Head: Dr Ajda Mladenović
Telephone: 01/234 31 25
E-mail: ajda.mladenovic@zvkds.si

Department of Wood

Wooden polychrome sculpture comprises a large part of Slovenia's heritage. Conservators and restorers of wooden sculpture deal with a wide range of materials and phenomena, identifying the causes of its deterioration and eliminating the damaging factors.

Leader. Ms Nuška Kambič
Telephone: 01/234 31 68
E-mail: nusa.kambic@zvkds.si

Department of Stone and Stucco

The main activity of the department is the preparation of programmes and projects for the conservation of stone and stucco heritage and the implementation of conservation and restoration interventions on them. In addition to our direct work, we also run educational programmes.

Leader: Nina Žbona
Telephone: 01/234 31 42
E-mail: nina.zbona@zvkds.si

Department of Metal, Ceramics and Other Materials

The main activity of the Department is the conservation and restoration of metal and ceramic objects (porcelain vessels, ceramic vases, silverware, gold jewellery, etc.). The work of the Department is project-organised.

Telephone: 01/234 31 40
E-mail: tajnistvo.rc@zvkds.si

Documentation Department and Library

The Department collects, processes and stores documentation on conservation and restoration interventions and provides data and information sources on them.
The library holds a collection of books on art history, as well as specialist literature on conservation and restoration.

Head: Dr Rok Hafner
Telephone: 01/234 31 30
E-mail: rok.hafner@zvkds.si

General Affairs Department

The General Affairs Department is made up of a secretariat, a financial analysis service, a warehouse and a technical team. The department provides support to the technical divisions.

Telephone: 01/234 31 40
E-mail: tajnistvo.rc@zvkds.si

Kremser Schmidt eyebrow paintings

Altarpiece by Benedetto Carpaccio

Zgrafito by Maks Kavčič

Conservation and restoration works on

Kremser Schmidt eyebrow paintings

Between 2018 and 2022, under the direction of Martina Lesar Kikelj, an extremely extensive and technically demanding project was carried out on the ceiling painting at the top of the staircase of the Gruber Palace.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE

Altarpiece by Benedetto Carpaccio

Benedetto's canvas preparation is made up of several different layers and is applied in thick coats. The layers of colour are also more pronounced in the son's work than in his father's. The similarity between the two painters can be found in the pigments used, where cinnabar, lead red, orpigment, natural ochre, enamel, azurite, etc. were specified for both artists.