'Rebirth' for art treasures

In her compact studio at Somerset House in central London, Amy Walsh - an objects conservator with Fine Art Restoration Co - hunches over a terracotta horse sculpture on the workbench, nursing it with the precision of a seasoned veterinary surgeon. The sculpture, believed to be of Chinese origin, rests delicately as she gingerly works on a minute seam with a needle.

She then proudly shares photos of a Chinese incense holder lid she "cured" months earlier. The octagonal lid rests on a twill tablecloth reminiscent of an operating table, as if lamenting its disintegrated body. However, the artifact's beauty still prevails, exuding an idyllic serenity, reserved vitality, and a cultured attitude through the meticulous depiction of vivid foliage and pink blossoms, punctuated by butterfly intruders. The dominant palette of green, pink and blue is reminiscent of the garden of the French impressionist Claude Monet.

As global interest in collecting and investing in Chinese art grows, so does the demand for restoration, as all art inevitably deteriorates over time. This is where Western restorers and conservators like Walsh come into play, preserving the "health" and cultural narrative of these exported Chinese treasures. Their dedication is, to no small extent, fueled by their acute fascination with Chinese art and culture.

Speaking of the dainty Chinese ceramic incense holder from one of her clients, Walsh exclaims: "It's beautifully made, very delicate. The curio, despite its lack of exact provenance and year, had been executed in a very skilled and controlled manner. But when you get to it very closely, you can still pick out the touch of an artist, the raw texture that's left behind."

With Walsh's professionally trained eye, the seemingly assertively crude traces of brushstrokes, rather than being perceived as blemishes, come alive, injecting character and vitality into the petite antique. Not unlike judging a stranger by their features, wardrobe, articulation, facial expression and body language before striking up a friendly conversation, examining an art object from top to toe, from within and without, and from the visible details to its deeper backstory, is the foundation of all subsequent restoration work.