Presentationnotes:

Mytopicishistoricalpreservation.Someofyoumightwonderwhathistoricalpreservationis
exactly,andIlltellyouthatyouprobablyalreadyknow.HaventyouseenNationalTreasure?
NationalTreasure:SceneatthegallerywheretheDeclarationofIndependenceandotheritems
areheld.Documentskeptinbulletproofglasscaseswhicharemonitoredformultiple
conditions,suchasheatandhumidity.NicCagecansetthesensorsoffwithjustalaserpointer,
whichcausedittoberecalledtoalabwhereitcanbeexaminedfordamageandrestoredif
needed.
PietroEdwards,artisthiredtooverseerestorationofpaintingsallaroundVenicepublisheda
bookentitledCapitolato,ItalianforRegulations,detailinghowtogoaboutrestoringthese
pieces.Firstknownpersontodoanythingofthiskind.
JohnRuskinandEugeneViolletleDuccameintoconflictoverconflictingideasofrestoration,
especiallyoverthatofoldGothicbuildings.Ruskinwantedthemtobeleftintheircurrentstate
withnoalterationmadeifitaintbroke,dontfixit.ViolletleDucsoughttorestorethem,and
otheritems,totheirintendedglory,whichmaymeanrestoringthemtoastatetheyneverexisted
in.Theyembodiedthedifferentmindsetsofpreservation,adividethatstillexiststothisday.
So,whatsthebigdeal?
Everyitemofhistoryrepresentsomeidea,someprincipleheldbythepast.Ifwejustletthese
thingsfadeaway,welosethoseideas.
Wisequote
EverythingleftonthisEarthhassomesignificance,whetheritbejusttoasinglepersonorto
manypeople.Weshouldbetryingtopreservewhatwecan.