2022/08/24 by Steven D. Hales · 2 voices · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Environmental Philosophy and Ethics #Geographies of human-animal interactions #Visual Culture and Art Theory
paper · doi:10.1093/aesthj/ayac038
openalex publication_date 2022/08/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Abstract In the restoration of art and artifacts there are three salient types of value to consider: relic, aesthetic, and practical. Relic value includes an object’s age, aura, originality, authenticity, and epistemic value. Aesthetic value is connected to how an object looks, sounds, or tastes. Practical value involves whether a thing can be used as designed—whether a book can be read, a building occupied, a car driven. I argue that while these are all legitimate values, it is impossible for a restorer to maximize them all. I conclude that restoration inexorably involves aesthetic choices; there is no supreme value to be maximized and we should be pluralists about the right balance of values. Restoration is like baking a cake; there are many wrong ways to do it, but there are many right ways as well.