Department of Restoration and Conservation of Works of Art

Since its establishment in 1997, the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art has been located in the building at Zamenhofova 14. This building was once in the function of a master workshop of the artist Krsto Hegedušić, and the same organizational model of space distribution based on workshops has been preserved today. In addition to workshops for easel and wall painting, stone, architectural plastic and wooden polychrome sculpture, the building of the Department houses studios for drawing, painting and modeling, a documentation room, an art storage room, a lecture room, and technological and natural science laboratories. The building is located in a quiet micro-location, which allows students to work with dedication and undisturbed work during classes, while the terrace and green areas surrounding the building are available to students for rest and stay between lectures. In addition, a small kitchenette is available to students inside the building, which makes the all-day stay at the Department more comfortable.

The departmental staff brings together a number of artists, conservators-restorers and experts in the fields of natural sciences, and the members of the Department are largely self-sufficient to carry out the multidisciplinary university integrated undergraduate and graduate study of conservation and restoration of works of art. Although classes are primarily held on the premises of the Department, professional courses in the field of conservation-restoration are also carried out through field classes and restoration practice of one-day, multi-day or multi-week duration at numerous locations throughout Croatia. The Department also operates the Natural History Laboratory, which during its twenty years of operation has established itself as an important center for scientific research and diagnostics of materials, as well as the process of preserving cultural heritage in this area.

"The profession of art conservator and restorer is a broad and interdisciplinary field that encompasses numerous knowledge and specialties. The education of students, future masters of art conservation and restoration, includes theoretical knowledge of techniques and materials, art history, history of conservation and restoration activities, scientific methodology, manual skills and knowledge of art disciplines, research and documentation methods, biology, chemistry and physics of processes, conservation methods and ethical standards. As such, it is one of the most interesting and purposeful areas of human activity. It also combines precision, delicacy, patience, meticulousness, but also strength, endurance, courage and the ability to breathe new life into the works of the past." (Novina, 2019)