Resisting Time: A Brief History of Art Conservation

Course Title: Resisting Time: A Brief History of Art Conservation
Instructor: Leib Celnik
July 10 - July 31. 2026 (4 Sessions)
Fridays, 12:00PM - 1:30PM ET 
 

Course Description: Stewards of material culture have consciously chosen what to preserve and how best to do so. How has the preservation and restoration of art changed over time? What does it tell us about cultural heritage and the adoption of scientific approaches to problems of their preservation more broadly? This course explores these choices through the history of art conservation, focusing on Europe and North America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We will discuss the emergence of the field of conservation alongside the rise of museums, scientific techniques for studying art, and even court cases in which conservators served as expert witnesses.

Students will explore moments in conservation through historical documents and scholarly studies to understand the values, practices, and impacts of repairing and preserving art. Each week will focus on a different phase of conservation, from the practices of artists repairing works, to the emergence of conservation as a distinct profession. Alongside this historical trajectory, the course will ask how the ethics of conservation have changed over time and the roles contemporary science and technology played in shaping the field. Discussions will focus on lectures and reading historical documents, including training for first time history students.

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Four weeks. Four courses. One summer of ideas.

The Odyssey Lifelong Learning Program in partnership with the Alexander Grass Humanities Institute presents a dynamic new summer learning experience - Summer Spark Series 2026. Choose from four engaging online courses taught by Johns Hopkins PhD scholars running July 6 – 31 and explore big ideas in history, culture, art, and global connections through small, interactive seminars that meet once each week. 

Developed with support from the Johns Hopkins Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation, these courses bring fresh perspectives, lively discussion, and cutting-edge humanities research straight to you.  To learn more about Summer Spark and explore Summer 2026 course offerings, visit the Odyssey website.
 

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission and Refund Policies can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

If a course is canceled or closed, the registrant is notified immediately, and a full refund is processed automatically unless another course is requested. Registrants who wish to withdraw from an active course must complete the online Odyssey Refund Request Form. Attach any documentation to support your request (e.g., medical documentation, family crisis documentation, etc.).

• 100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.

• No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.