Les traités de restauration d’Alfred Bonnardot : témoignage d’un historien, collectionneur et chimiste amateur

Résumé En

At the end of the XVIIIth Century, scientific discoveries give rise to many technological innovations that will have direct implications on trades and know-hows. This period of “industrial revolution” will thereforegreatly influence the conservation of Heritage assets. Alfred Bonnardot (1808-1884), an historian of the “Old Paris” who was also a poster collector, has attended the chemical lectures given by Thenard and GayLussac. This drove him to experience on his own collection the use of a large range of chemicals. In 1846, he published his Essai sur l’art de restaurer les estampes et les livres in which he reports with great honesty the fortunate and unfortunate results of his experiences. This work will be largely completed and re-published in 1858. It is often considered, in France, as the first restoration manual and will have a great impact on the profession of framers and restorers until the middle of the XXth century. It also shows how Bonnardot’s time is shared between the respect for authenticity and the will to embellish prints using the latest discoveries of chemistry.