Art has always had the capacity to provoke — whether admiration, confusion, offence, or debate. But when does a work of art become controversial? The answer does not lie in whether a single person finds a piece distasteful or inappropriate. Rather, controversy arises when a work creates significant disagreement within the art world, the general public, or both. It is not necessarily about moral outrage, but about public discourse: contested meaning, blurred boundaries, or unresolved discomfort.

There’s a certain irony to the way value is often discussed in the world of art. It’s almost always tied to price tags, auctions, headlines. When a long-lost painting is "rediscovered" and sold for millions, its value becomes unquestionable — as though its worth only existed once the number was attached. But for conservators, the job is never just about that number.

The practice of restoring and retouching artworks occupies a contentious space defined by competing values—preservation versus aesthetics, authenticity versus unity, and historical accuracy versus artistic intent. As explored in Part 1, historical debates have long framed these tensions. In contemporary conservation, these issues persist, prompting ongoing critical reflection on both philosophical and ethical grounds.

The restoration of paintings, particularly the practice of retouching, has been a contentious topic in art history and conservation for centuries. How do we balance the preservation of an artist’s original vision with the necessity of compensating for losses caused by time, neglect, or damage? This dilemma has sparked debates that span the philosophical, practical, and ethical dimensions of art conservation.

This article, the first in a two-part series, delves into the historical development of retouching practices, tracing key moments, figures, and ideas that shaped how art has been restored throughout the centuries. As someone deeply fascinated by both the technical and ethical aspects of art conservation, I find it remarkable how many of our contemporary debates about authenticity and preservation echo discussions from centuries ago. This exploration of retouching's history reveals not only changing techniques but also evolving attitudes towards art's preservation and authenticity.

Art forgery involves creating and selling works of art that are falsely attributed to famous artists. This deceptive practice has profound implications for the art market, legal frameworks, cultural heritage, and scholarly research. This paper examines the dynamics of art forgery, analyzing its impact through various case studies and discussing the legal, ethical, and economic ramifications.