Decision-Making in Gilded Wood Conservation: A Critical Framework Proposal for Evaluating Re-Gilding, In-Gilding and In-Painting

Historically, the conservation of gilded wooden objects was frequently viewed through the lens of aesthetic renewal, with treatments routinely involving extensive or even total re-gilding to prioritise the visual brilliance of the surface. While this approach has shifted significantly in recent decades towards preserving the original material, conservators of gilded objects still frequently encounter ethical ambiguity. Without specific, universally applicable guidelines regarding the permissible extent of restoration, practitioners must constantly navigate a complex balancing act between restoring the object’s aesthetic unity and preserving its historical integrity. This paper will propose a framework for decision-making in gilded wood conservation, outlining the complex ethical and technical challenges faced by conservators. It will explore foundational conservation paradigms, such as minimal intervention, reversibility and/or re-treatability, and authenticity, noting the subjectivity inherent in these principles, particularly concerning gilded surfaces, which often possess multiple ‘authentic’ historical states. It will investigate three structured decision-making models: normative, values-based and risk-based, all of which contribute to transforming subjective judgments into a transparent, systematic process. Finally, the paper will critically evaluate the three primary interventive strategies – re-gilding, in-gilding and in-painting (non-gold leaf compensation) – using a comparative table and a proposed five-step framework illustrated by a hypothetical case study to guide the selection of the most ethically and technically appropriate treatment.