Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0Pages in this section
ExaminationHow the condition of a work is observed, measured and recorded during a conservation examination.›
RestorationRestoration recommendations, levels of intervention, choice of restorer and monitoring of works.›
Insurance valueHow a conservation report is used to set, justify and update the insured value of a work.›
Knowing the condition of a work
A conservation report describes precisely the physical condition of a work on a given date, the risks that threaten it and the measures recommended. It is the reference document for insurers, carriers and lenders.
It is drawn up by an accredited conservator-restorer, after a direct examination of the work, with imaging and analyses if necessary. It is valid for five years, or until any event that changes the work's condition (transport, claim, restoration).
640 reports were issued in 2024. They are required for international loans and for any high-value insurance.
The report in figures
Source: OIMAP Observatory, 2024.
Three pages to go further
What a report contains
The report includes a full identification of the work, a condition survey by zone, reference photographs, the list of alterations and old restorations, a risk assessment and prioritised recommendations.
It concludes with an overall condition grade: excellent, good, fair, fragile or critical. This grade is carried to the work passport and into circulation alerts.
The condition grades
| Grade | Description | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | No notable alteration | Circulation and exhibition without reservation |
| Good | Slight and stable alterations | Circulation with the usual precautions |
| Fair | Evolving alterations, restoration advised | Circulation subject to conditions |
| Fragile | Risk of aggravation under the slightest stress | Movement not advised without special packing |
| Critical | Danger to the integrity of the work | Urgent intervention, circulation prohibited |
How a report is drawn up
- Preliminary examination
Making contact, history of restorations, choice of examination venue.
- Direct examination
Observation with the naked eye, a magnifier and raking light.
- Imaging and analyses
UV, infrared, radiography, humidity readings, as appropriate.
- Drafting
Survey by zone, photographs, risk assessment.
- Validation
Review by a second conservator, then issue.
A report lives with the work
Initial report or follow-up report
Initial report
First complete description- Full survey
- Reference photographs
- Risk assessment
To be drawn up for any new work.
Follow-up report
Comparison with an earlier condition- Evolution of alterations
- Effectiveness of treatments
- Update of the insured value
40% reduced rate.
Timeline of a conservation case
- Opening
Submission of the application.
- Examination
Direct examination of the work.
- Analyses
Imaging and any analyses.
- Drafting
Survey and recommendations.
- Issuance
Report validated and entered.
Case study: an international loan
A painting for an exhibition in Singapore
A museum borrows a painting for a six-month exhibition and requires a conservation report before and after the loan.
- Initial report before packing.
- Follow-up report on arrival in Singapore.
- Return report before the return.
The three reports prove the absence of damage and allow the insurance claim to be settled.
On preventive conservation
« The best restoration is the one you do not have to do. »
Vocabulary of conservation
- Condition survey
- Description of a work's alterations on a given date.
- Preventive conservation
- Measures that avoid deterioration (light, humidity, handling).
- Restoration
- Direct intervention to restore the condition of a work.
- Craquelure
- Fine cracks in a paint layer or varnish.
Frequently asked questions
Is the report mandatory?
No, but it is required for most international loans and high-value insurance.
Does the report guarantee the value?
No. It describes the condition; value is a matter for valuation.
Can I have a report drawn up without having authenticity certified?
Yes, it is an independent act.
Can a conservator intervene on my work?
The report recommends; an intervention is carried out by a restorer of your choice, under monitoring.
Useful documents
Contacts
Related pages
Certificates of authenticityThe OIMAP certificate of authenticity establishes, through independent expertise and scientific analysis, that the work is indeed the one claimed.›
Work passportThe unique digital identity of a work: content, use, updating and consultation of the OIMAP work passport.›
Partner laboratoriesThe network of 24 laboratories that carry out the scientific analyses of cases: spectroscopy, dating and imaging.›
Request a report
Image credits (22)
- Miniature Teapot, Mikhail Evlampievich Perkhin (1886–96) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Study of Hands (recto); Sketch of a Hand (verso), Pierre Lenfant (1700s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Self-Portrait with Five Muses, Henry Church (c. 1880) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portrait of Pope Paul II Barbo (obverse) and (reverse), Cristoforo di Geremia (c. 1468) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Leaf from a Psalter and Prayerbook: Calendar Page with Labors (recto) (c. 1524) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portfolio I, Plate 34: The Blanket Weaver-Navaho, Edward S. Curtis (1904) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug, Adolphe-Félix Cals (1858) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Centerpiece, Eugène Rousseau (c. 1880) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Fragment of a Border with Standing and Seated Birds Amidst Vegetation (1500s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne the Younger, Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun (1774) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Scenes of Witchcraft: Morning, Salvator Rosa (c. 1645–49) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Covered Hot Water Pot, Feodor Ivanovich Rückert (1887–96) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Annunciation to the Shepherds: Leaf from a Book of Hours (1 of 6 Excised Leaves), Henri d'Orquevaulx (c. 1420–30) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Nini in the Garden (Nini Lopez), Auguste Renoir (1876) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Jar with Design in Underglaze Iron (1800s–1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Compass and Sun Dial (1700–1750) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Fragment of a belt (hizam) (1800s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Doge's Palace, Venice, Richard Parkes Bonington (1826) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Seal of Doge Michele Steno (reverse) (1400–1409) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Presentation Bowl (1900) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia), Nicolas Poussin (c. 1625–27) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0