Heritage, Hermeneutics and Hegemony A Study of Ideological Division in the Field of Conservation-Restoration A Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Frank Hassard Department of Furniture, Faculty of Creativity and Culture Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Brunel University November 2006 This copy of this thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author under the terms of the United Kingdom Copyrights Acts. No quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without proper acknowledgement. ii Abstract In recent times, the concept of ‘intangible heritage’ has gained credence within the international heritage community, reflecting wider concerns relating to the cultural impact of global economic, technological and political forces. For many, intangible heritage represents a vital living mediation of the material past (i.e. tangible heritage) which deepens its significance and meaning-conferring qualities. This thesis explores how in recent times, the intangible heritage became ‘separated’ from the tangible heritage in such a way as to bring about ideological division within the field of heritage preservation and a sense of discontinuity with the past – particularly relating to the practice of restoration and its patrimony of expertise. The thesis argues that this has been attributable to an ‘institutionalised’ conception of heritage based essentially on a historiography of materials located in the ideological site of the museum – the repository where tangible heritage is housed, organised, interpreted, conserved, restored and displayed in such ways as to confer meaning upon the material world. By drawing extensively upon evidence from the literature and engaging the conservation-restoration field, the thesis develops discussion around the emergence (and subsequent institutionalisation) of a relatively recent scientific paradigm of practice – ‘scientific restoration’ – largely shaped by this ‘museological’ vision of heritage. It also considers how the work of Cesare Brandi came to be instrumental in the formulation of this vision but argues that such conceptions have been predicated upon a misappropriation of his ideas and a misreading of historical heritage preservation ideologies that has done much to contribute to tensions evident within the heritage community. To this end, the thesis aims to redress this historical impasse by reconsidering the function of restoration – especially in terms of what is added to the historical document – and reconciling the competing claims of the tangible and intangible by developing the concept of ‘authentic process’. iii Acknowledgements An invaluable part of putting this thesis together was my direct engagement with the field. The personal time of many specialists was willingly given and I am grateful to all those who showed interest in this research and for their readiness to share their views. I should like to thank in particular the ‘interviewees’ who not only gave their personal time (in the first instance) but were also prepared to go over the subsequent transcriptions – often several times. The staff of the Victoria and Albert Museum gave a considerable amount of time – in terms of interviewing etc. – but also in taking me round the museum to discuss some of the work undertaken. I was equally fortunate to visit the Tate Gallery and the British Museum and discuss ideas with as many members of staff as time permitted. I should like to thank my supervisors Professor Jake Kaner and Dr Reg Winfield for encouraging me to think broadly in developing my ideas. In addition there is, of course, support that comes much nearer to home. To that end, I should like to thank the wider ‘Hassard’ family (for listening!); but perhaps in particular my parents (Bob and Eileen) – for teaching me how to see ‘beyond’ my education, and Douglas and Joan Thornton (the other part of the wider family) – for their day-to-day unswerving and selfless support (and for encouraging me to KBO!). And finally (and especially), my thanks are due to Elizabeth – for everything. This was very much a family effort – including Lara, Keira and Amy – all of whom made this venture so worthwhile. Many thanks, Frank Hassard November 2006. iv Table of contents Title page.......................................................................................................................................i Abstract .........................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................iii Table of contents..........................................................................................................................iv Introduction..............................................................................................................................1 0.1.1: Purpose and scope .......................................................................................................1 0.1.2: Methodologies.............................................................................................................2 0.1.3: Literature review .........................................................................................................8 0.1.4: Guide to the organisation of the text ...........................................................................32 Part I: The Preservation of Tangible Heritage ......................................................34 1.1 Scientific restoration.........................................................................................................36 1.2 International professionalisation...................................................................................47 1.2.1: The International Council of Museums (ICOM) definition ........................................50 1.2.2: The European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations (ECCO)........................................................................................................................65 1.2.3: The formalisation of ethics..........................................................................................70 1.2.4: Education and training during the 1990’s ...................................................................87 1.2.5: Standardisation ............................................................................................................95 1.3 Professionalisation in the United Kingdom.................................................................103 1.3.1: The conservation profession – problems with transition.............................................103 1.3.2: The Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers (PACR) ............................111 1.3.3: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) ............................................................124 1.3.4: Education and training.................................................................................................129 v 1.4 European restoration theory ..........................................................................................152 1.4.1: Brandian theory ...........................................................................................................152 1.4.2: Phenomenological reduction .......................................................................................173 1.4.3: Modern historical consciousness.................................................................................191 1.4.4: Conclusion to Part I.....................................................................................................203 Part II: The Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage........................................205 2.1 Heritage – beyond the material dimension .................................................................207 2.1.1: UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, 1972 (World Heritage Convention) .........................................207 2.1.2: Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore, 1989 .............................................................................................................214 2.1.3: Safeguarding Traditional Cultures: A Global Assessment of the 1989 UNESCO Recommendation: on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore, Smithsonian Institution, 1999 ...............................................................219 2.1.4: Assessing the Values of Cultural Heritage, Getty Conservation Institute, 2002 ............................................................................................................................225 2.1.5: UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003 .............................................................................................................234 2.2 Authenticity ........................................................................................................................241 2.2.1: Authenticity – a brief history.......................................................................................242 2.2.2: The Nara Conference on Authenticity, 1994...............................................................244 2.2.3: Authentic restoration – from material and form to process.........................................267 2.2.4: Conclusion to Part II....................................................................................................283 Part III: Culture, Conflict and Inheritance: the Tangible and the Intangible ...........................................................................................................................286 3.1 Conservation-Restoration in the United Kingdom ...................................................289 3.1.1: The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and the Arts and Crafts Movement ..................................................................................................290 3.1.2: Recent developments with respect to intangible heritage ...........................................312 3.1.3: Museums and intangible heritage................................................................................320 3.1.4: Conclusion to Part III ..................................................................................................330 vi Conclusion: Towards a meta-theory of restoration reconciling the tangible and the intangible heritages ..................................................................332 4.1.1: Understanding the past: prelude to an era ...................................................................335 4.1.2: Tangible heritage preservation ....................................................................................340 4.1.3: The safeguarding of the intangible heritage ................................................................343 4.1.4: The Western epistemological tradition........................................................................348 4.1.5: The misappropriation of Brandian theory ...................................................................354 4.1.6: Authenticity.................................................................................................................359 4.1.7: Authenticity understood in relation to intangible heritage ..........................................364 4.1.8: Reflections / recommendations ...................................................................................374 Account of sources ......................................................................................................................381